Team members; Archaeologist; Amna Agic, Geologist; Richard Hoyle, Field Coordinator; Marie-Sophie Gristi
Geological mapping project – Visoko Valley
Aim; To measure and record geological material, stratigraphy, structure, palaeobiological content and correlate geology with rock units existing outside of Visoko Valley.
Finished Product; Detailed map of valley geological units displaying faults and other structural information. Mapping report will contain rock descriptions, geological history, geological vertical section, cross sections. The produced geological map will inform on whether the rock beds within the Pyramid Valley behave according to fundamental geological principles or if they have been modified/manipulated intelligently.
Additional; Geological surveying will coincide with mapping of significant archaeological sites in the Visoko valley.
Comparative sedimentological analysis
Aim; Comparative analysis of the conglomerate bed lithologies located at Ravne & Visočica hill, Visoko, and Lašva Village.
Finished Product; Detailed descriptions of each individual rock unit physical properties and the palaeoenvironmental conditions in which they were deposited. Source rock provenance and details of their chronostratigraphic relationships will also be given.
Archaeological catalogue
Aim; Materials of archaeological significance excavated and collected by the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation since 2010 will be correctly recorded and stored for future reference and analysis. Example of catalogue fields include; ‘Reference number’, ‘Object name’, ‘Location’ (Grid ref, GPS Lat/long, Sonda ref, etc), ‘Material type’, ‘Dimensions’, ‘Colour’, ‘Measured radiocarbon date’. A brief written description of each artefact will also be made.
Finished Product; A produced database both in physical and digital form containing records of all archaeological materials collected and stored by the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation.
Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun museum curation
Aim; Historic artefacts, geological and geoarchaeological samples will be selected based on their importance, significance and aesthetic to be presented to the public at the museum located at Ravne Park 2, Visoko. Publicly accessible information will also be produced to accompany each presented artefact.
Finished Product; A museum exhibition on permanent display that supports the Bosnian Pyramid of the Sun Foundation project, educating the visiting public and the foundations tour guides on local history/pre-history and the fascinating geology of the region. A detailed temporary exhibition will also be displayed during the summer within the Ravne Park 2 Multimedia Hall.
Cooperation with local town museum
Aim; To consult regularly with the local museum experts regarding all archaeological material recovered from current and future excavations.
Finished Product; Collaborative reporting of archaeological activities within the Bosnian Pyramid Valley, expert analysis of archaeological materials and improved working relations between both organisations.
Volunteer field school
Aim; Preparation of summer fieldwork materials for volunteers.
Finished Product; Produced ‘Welcome to the Bosnian Pyramids fieldwork guidebook’ containing essential fieldwork skills, rules of fieldwork, working safely, basic explanation of local and regional geology and its context with pyramids in Visoko. Fieldwork guidebook will be produced in collaboration with Foundation archaeologist – content includes archaeologically significant details of the area around Visoko, eg history, archaeological sites, artefacts found, how to excavate and what to do when/if something is discovered. A powerpoint presentation will be produced and given to arriving volunteers at the beginning of their stay to accompany the information contained within the fieldwork guidebook.
Summer excavations with international volunteers
Aim; Day to day supervision of summer excavations (June-September) at Ravne 1&3, and Piramida Sunca. New test pits will be opened on the Pyramid of the Sun as well as enlarging previously excavated sondas. Emptying filling material from the Ravne tunnels will continue to be a priority.
Finished Product; Facilitation of a positive volunteering experience so that all volunteers become ambassadors of the project, further promoting the Pyramids, Visoko and Bosnia in their native countries. Excavations will lead to further exposure of Pyramid valley to present to guests, tourists and visiting scientists. Tunnel excavations will take us closer to subterranean access of chambers beneath the Pyramid of the Sun.
Site visits
Local river sources
Aim; Reconnaissance of river sources important to Visoko Valley eg. Fojnička and Bosna. Major sources include Dragače, Željeznica and Lepenica springs. Sources will be geographically located and their properties measures and recorded for further investigation in the future.
Tuzla Salt Mines
Aim; To visit salt mines of Tuzla to better understand its geological significance, chemical compositions and historical importance within Bosnia. A principle focus will be to deduce whether chemicals present in Tuzla salt are significant in the production of Bosnian Pyramid geopolymer, for example, how Natron salt found locally in Egypt was employed as a reactant in the Great Pyramid blocks at Giza (Davidovits, J.,).
