Application of high precision magnetic susceptibility mapping in archaeological field excavations within a settlement framework

As settlement archaeology has developed, field excavations require more precise identification of archaeological features and their stratigraphic relationships. However, at large and complex sites, overlapping features, subtle sedimentary contrasts, and the subjectivity of manual identification often introduce uncertainties into the interpretations of site formation processes. Taking Excavation Unit C3T2504 at the Jiaojia site as a case study, this study explored the application of high-resolution surface magnetic susceptibility scanning in refined excavation and feature interpretation. The results showed that magnetic susceptibility data can help distinguish archaeological features from natural sediments, delineate the boundaries of overlapping or intercutting features, and provide independent evidence for revising field interpretations. Measurements of the foundation trench further demonstrate that the method is strongly constrained by the excavation depth due to the shallow effective detection depth of the MS2K sensor. These findings indicate that high-resolution surface magnetic susceptibility scanning can serve as a complementary tool for improving feature identification and boundary delineation during field excavations, particularly in complex settlement contexts.