Technology Transfer to Underwater Archaeology: The LAHKE Project at the Submerged Neolithic Site of La Marmotta

ABSTRACT

This document is a report on the field application of non‐invasive geophysical and robotic prospecting methods at the submerged Neolithic site of La Marmotta (Lake Bracciano, Italy), within the LAHKE (LAke Heritage Knowledge and Exploration) project; the study focuses on the practical validation, adaptation and transfer of existing technologies in a challenging lake environment. The integrated investigations used a combination of methodologies, including electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), acoustic bottom profiling, underwater ground‐penetrating radar (GPR), multispectral imaging based on UAVs and robotics platforms, including a commercial remotely operating vehicle (ROV) and a specially developed autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) prototype. The objective of the study was not to discover new archaeological finds, but rather to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods used, as well as the environmental constraints present and the operational limitations encountered in real field conditions. The results indicate that ERT reveals the most reliable technique for characterizing shallow subsoil, while acoustic methods are often ineffective with algal cover, and GPR is limited by electromagnetic attenuation. This contribution provides an instructive guide, reporting both positive results and limitations learned.