2-D velocity structure of the buried ancient canal of Xerxes: an application of seismic methods in archaeology

An ancient buried canal whose existence had been disputed even in antiquity has been detected and described by the modern seismic methods of geophysics. Its dimensions concur with those described by the ancient historian, Herodotus. The 2-km long canal is located in the Chalkidiki peninsula in northern Greece, and was constructed some 2500 years ago by the Persian King Xerxes.<p></p> Beyond the classical processing of the seismic data, inverse seismic modeling was also implemented, giving an improved and more complete picture. The inverse modeling tested the validity of the results of the seismic refraction and reflection seismics and provided 2-D velocity structure profiles. Over much of the isthmus, it was possible to trace the route of the ancient canal by connecting the deepest points of all the sections.<p></p&gt