Sammendrag
COST Action SAGA was initiated with the primary goal of building an international network, bringing together geophysicists, archaeologists and soil scientists, to enhance capacity to interpret geophysical data for archaeological purposes and generate momentum in this field. Since the project began in October 2018, the network grew to become a community of 115 members from 40 countries.
During the intensive four years of collaborative work, which included a six-month extension due to the pandemic, SAGA actively promoted scientific discourse and facilitated collaboration, aiming to explore integrated field procedures and solutions for enhanced data interpretation. This endeavor was accomplished through a series of 10 meetings, including two scientific workshops, as well as 31 Short-Term Scientific Missions.
In addition, SAGA organised six training events, consisting of four on-site Training Schools and two online tutorials/workshops. These educational initiatives aimed to enhance the understanding and utilization of integrated geophysical methods and soil analyses in archaeological research and practice for students, practitioners, and curators at a time of scarce training opportunities in this field.
SAGA generated a range of tangible outputs that have significantly contributed to the achievement of its goals. These outputs encompass various meeting and training schools reports, two books of abstracts, three newsletters, and a total of 53 scientific publications, including 22 journal papers, 12 conference papers, and 19 book chapters. These publications comprise review papers that examine critical aspects such as the "noise" or "background" components within archaeo-geophysical datasets. Methodological papers have been developed, offering novel tools for data integration and parameterisation. Furthermore, case studies have been published to highlight the potential of integrated approaches in assessing the contrasts dynamic behind the detection of buried archaeological features. These studies also showcase how these integrated approaches can provide complementary information relevant to archaeological sites. In addition to these contributions, SAGA produced a collaborative book that stands as the first countrybased retrospective on the evolution of geophysics application in archaeological investigations within the academic and cultural heritage management sectors across 18 countries.
A significant contribution to capacity-building was made through the development of the SAGA Database, which is accessible for public searches and data entry upon registration. The database incorporates a dedicated section on 'Equipment', mapping the geophysical and soil analysis instrumentation available in various COST member countries to facilitate research collaborations. It also contains other sections such as 'Methods', which provides comprehensive information on soil analytical and geophysical methods and associated soil factors and properties.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, SAGA successfully achieved its goals. By fostering collaboration among researchers from diverse disciplines, SAGA effectively established a framework to facilitate a comprehensive understanding and advancement of integrated geophysical and soil analytical approaches in archaeology. The resulting robust hub for training and the exchange of ideas led to the formulation of 15 research proposals, several collaborative publications and the promotion of such approaches, along with best practices, in countries where the adoption of geophysical methods was still in
its early stages.
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