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The Cistercian order is of acoustic interest because previous research has hypothesized that Cistercian architectural structures were designed for longer reverberation times in order to reinforce Gregorian chants. The presented study focused on an archaeoacacoustics analysis of the Cistercian Beaulieu Abbey (Hampshire, England, UK), using Geometrical Acoustics (GA) to recreate and investigate the acoustical properties of the original structure. To construct an acoustic model of the Abbey, the building’s dimensions and layout were retrieved from published archaeology research and comparison with equivalent structures. Absorption and scattering coefficients were assigned to emulate the original room surface materials’ acoustics properties. CATT-Acoustics was then used to perform the acoustics analysis of the simplified building structure. Shorter reverberation time (RTs) was generally observed at higher frequencies for all the simulated scenarios. Low speech intelligibility index (STI) and speech clarity (C50) values were observed across Abbey’s nave section. Despite limitations given by the impossibility to calibrate the model according to in situ measurements conducted in the original structure, the simulated acoustics performance suggested how the Abbey could have been designed to promote sacral music and chants, rather than preserve high speech intelligibility.

The virtual acoustics provide an important tool in the comprehension of the architectural evolution of a historical place, offering the possibility to consciously operate for its preservation. St. John’s Baptistery represents an outstanding example of medieval architecture, recognized as UNESCO World Heritage and popular for its huge reverberation. When compared to other similar central-symmetry buildings, the Baptistery proves to be an outlier, enough to raise the interest of scholars. A model of the building was calibrated considering in situ acoustic measurements, the material properties and the liturgical use. The numerical simulations of the current geometry and the early design hypotheses are used to understand the factors affecting the peculiar sound behaviour. The temporal analysis of a Gregorian chant – ad hoc recorded – seems to confirm the needing of large reverberation.

Poggio Rota Stone Circle was discovered in recent times (2004) by an Italian researcher Giovanni Feo, an Etruscan civilization expert. The studies conducted at the site, which also involved researchers from Italian universities assumed that the megaliths of Poggio Rota were built towards the middle of the third millennium BC by the Rinaldone civilization (4000-2000 BC).Poggio Rota Stone Circle is the only existing monument of this kind in Italy in good condition. Another the Little San Bernardo Cromlech, in Valle d'Aosta has completely collapsed.An archaeoacoustic approach similar to that used at other stone circles in Portugal was used. We tested this structure to see if any natural sound phenomena or resonance were present, because it is understood that some ancient structures have been specially modeled to influence the mind through the use of sound to create an altered state of consciousness. In previous researches we demonstrated that there is a relationship between mechanical vibrations and brain activity in some ancient temples. The resonance phenomena results of 91Hz obtained by the use of a round drum were of interest, because similar results were also found in Cividale del Friuli Hypogeum in North-Italy and at ancient temples in the UK and Ireland by other researchers. A strong radioactivity inside the stone circle dangerous for human health (until 1,77 µSv/h) was also discovered to be present.

Archaeoacoustic analysis provides a complementary method to understand archaeological sites as opposed to a stand alone methodology. Such analysis however, can provide useful insights in cases where there is little or no historical documentation. In such cases, a medical anthropological approach can exploreany connection between the structure and the interaction with the human physiological can provide insight. This study of a Neolithic dolmen located on a peak in the Apuan Alps, Italy has no historical documentation. A medical anthropological approach was applied to the archaeoacoustic results and compared to a dolmen in Portugal. Subsurface vibrations, which have the effect of entraining the brain into a relaxed state, are present. Indeed, the large dolmen stones act like a transducer distributing strong infrasonic vibrations directly above and below the capstone. In the past this site covered a larger area than that found in the present day; on the opposite side of the mountain lie collapsed stones from another dolmen and a nearby quarry provides evidence of where the stones were mined. Both dolmens are orientated towards the equinox.

The town of Alatri is nestled among the hills one hundred miles southeast of Rome, Italy. It features a Cyclopean acropolis on the peak of the hill it sits on. A number of researchers say its origin dates back to a pre-Roman period, but the exact date it was built has not been determined. Our research group has been using archaeoacoustic methodology over the last seven years. Archaeoacoustics has enabled us to offer an explanation for some of the enigmas of ancient archaeological sites that were not previously possible to explain using other methods. Our hypothesis suggests the exposure to particular vibrations in the absence of audible noise could have a significant effect on the psyche of those who came for prayer and meditation, facilitating access into a mystical state. Following our experience, we utilised archaeoacoustic methodology to study Alatri acropolis in Italy from 2013 to 2015 over various missions. The experiment was carried on using three different methods of investigation: digital recording the full audio spectrum, a geologic device for confirming what we found on microphones in infrasound range and TRV technology. We used these methods over different seasons. If digital recording method is well known to every researcher in archaeoacoustics, not so well known is GeoBox SR04S3 Datasheet from Italian firm SARA. The digital accelerometer sensors are a high-performance instrument especially suitable for acquiring signals for seismological and geophysical surveys for recording ambient seismic noise and any other type of vibrations. Compact, reliable and simple, it is fully functional within minutes after deployment. Also not well known is TRV camera (Variable Resonance Imaging Camera, known in Italy as Merlin camera or Defend X system in Japan) coming from industrial use, along with specific annex software, Vibraimage Pro 8.3, is able to process the minimum vibratory differences present in the air resulting from the movement of air molecules visible only instrumentally in the various frames of videos taken by its wide spectrum optical sensor. At the highest point of the town stands the present Cathedral of Alatri which lies on a Cyclopean temple, therefore we sought to understand why such sacred temple was built on top of that hill and not in surrounding other sites. Using our protocols we discovered very strong and significant low vibrations (seismic waves) in that location, not detectable in the surrounding hills, continuously emitted from the subsoil and able to affect brain wave activity. Even though ancient people did not possess the same equipment we have today, they would have been aware of the conditions required to achieve such a mystical state, perhaps by simply sensing they were closer to God in a given site. The seismic waves would appear to arise from the geological fault located on both sides of the hill where the town has stood since ancient times. The presence of these seismic frequencies would have increased the effect of rituals by enhancing the psyche of the participants due to the influence of these low vibrations on human brain waves. This suggests the builders of this temple had some sort of knowledge of this effect and offers a possible explanation as to why the temple was built in that particular location.

The Apuan Alps, High Versilia and Garfagnana are part of the Apuan Alps Park, and are rich in petroglyphs and archaeological finds which are, in part, unknown and not precisely datable. These areas have been inhabited since Neolithic times but, the meaning and the reason for signs engraved on stone, is unclear. The Apuan Alps were chosen as a dwelling by people who left many ancestral and Christianity signs including sacred altars, thrones and artefacts carved in stone. This area acts like a stone atlas revealing our past and our roots. The Curiceta site is located inside a thick forest of chestnut trees, in an area where dried stone terraces are perfectly preserved. The first building approached along the path, is the so-called “fireplace”, a large flat stone that protrudes from the ground and surrounded by a series of aligned stones where, most probably, a fire was lit. Behind the big stone, is a cavity where the smoke could emerge. The lower part of the flat stone features a ”handle” carved in the rock, its function is still unknown. Along a short stretch of the uphill path protected by a high dry stone wall, lies the sacred stone altar. This enigmatic structure has revealed many surprises during the tests performed with electronic instruments. This altar is carved from a single block of stone and consists of a backrest and a horizontal supporting surface. From the left side, there are inclined planes which climb down, below these one can find a vertical groove. The altar features the same carved handle found on the ''fireplace''. Rock altars are very common around the world, for example throughout Southern Italy and the Middle East but, in High Versilia this is the only one example. Archaeoacoustic analysis of the altar found a dominant and powerful frequency present of between -47 and -50db at 25 – 28Hz. A second peak of infrasound at 15-16Hz was also found. This inaudible acoustic characteristic is commonly found at sacred sites, such as the Neolithic temples of Malta (Tarxien – Xaghra Stone Circle). These same vibrations are present near the altar but at a much lower volume. In this case the loudest volume was found directly under the altar decreasing as one walks away from it. In both cases, the most likely source of this frequency is from underground water. The emotional state of eight volunteers was analysed using a TRV camera. 7/8 felt emotionally uncomfortable or uneasy. Based on these results, a hypothesis was formulated on the function of the Curiceta’s site. The two stone structures are connected. On the altar, sacrifices were probably, made, with blood flowing along the left side to the groove on the floor. The fireplace, could have been used to burn the bodies or maybe just some organs.

Applying new information technologies to Cultural Heritage enables us to discover the unexplored characteristics of visual and aural attributes of historic buildings. In this article a new technology to measure acoustic 3D Impulse Responses in historic interiors is described and applied to the sixth-century church of San Vitale at Ravenna, Italy. The virtual reconstruction of this important UNESCO World Heritage Site revealed otherwise obscured yet intentional details of its architectural design. The results of measuring the internal spatial parameters are used to recreate San Vitale’s historical components and to re-sound original music of the little known Ravennate rite.

After seven years of research on sacred sites in Europe and Asia from an archaeoacoustic point of view another study was completed in Montebello Castle otherwise known as Azzurrina rsquo s castle It is located in Montebello Torriana Rimini Italy above the Valley of Marecchia and USO The hill on which the castle was built is an interesting archaeological site whose origin has been lost in time We know that in the third century AD the Roman Empire erected an observation tower in a part of the castle the remains of which are still present today However this tower was built on a well known sacred site used by Celtic civilizations which had been present for a long time in this valley before Roman domination All our results show that a lot of the historical myths connected to the castle could be ascribed to physical phenomena located in this site in a similar way to other recognized sacred sites we have analysed in Europe

We made an archaeoacoustic exploration at Enclosure D in the Göbekli Tepe archeological site. This site is the most ancient archaeological location recognized by archaeologists all over the world. It was dated 7,000 years before the Egyptian pyramids. Thanks to the site’s discoverer we had the possibility to record the vibrations coming from the subsoil, magnetic fields and the sound produced by hitting with hand on central pillar n.18. The results are amazing and confirm that Göbekli Tepe has the same archaeoacoustic aspects of many other typical sacred sites we have studied in Europe and Minor Asia. However the most interesting finding was understanding that the pillar we examined is probably at the centre of a sophisticated mechanism of vibrations and magnetic fields affecting the brain. This discovery is in contrast with our knowledge of the level of technology produced by the civilization who built these sacred temples. Our results have to be considered as preliminary results, however due to the death of the person who discovered the site and the current geopolitical situation in Turkey we cannot continue the research. We hope other researchers will be able to confirm our results in future.

Archaeoacoustics offers a new way to interpret anthropological questions pertaining to ancient architecture and populations. Studies conducted at a number of ancient sites throughout Europe and Asia, have found the presence of natural phenomena capable of influencing the human brain. Earlier studies show that ancient populations most likely through use of empirical methods chose the location of their ceremonial sites for this reason. In Xaghra Hypogeum a stone circle located on the island of Gozo, Malta, infrasounds and audible low frequencies capable of affecting the brain were discovered. The caves and surrounding stones act like a musical box amplifying the natural sounds present and it is possible the natural caves could have been modified to enhance this aspect. Similar natural characteristics were also discovered at other archaeological sites in Europe and Asia, including Epidauros in Greece and Gobekli Tepe in Turkey. This is the third and final article on results of our researches in Malta e Gozo islands (Mediterranean Sea) from archaeoacoustic point of view.

Building on previous research where EEG was used to measure the effect on brainwave activity, SBRG (Super Brain Research Group) have been developing a new protocol to further evaluate physical phenomena found at many archaeological and other sites. Equipment from the field of forensic imaging and remote sensing has been utilised to enable greater understanding of the inclusion and utilisation of resonance as a deliberate feature utilised by the architects. At the same time we analyzed the effect on the human body of these phenomena using established methods such as electroencephalograpy (EEG) and more recently the TRV camera. Over the last two years SBRG’s archaeoacoustic research has focused on making visible vibrations and natural magnetic and electric fields which interact with the human body, that until now had only previously been measured by microphone, spectrum analyzers or similar devices. This new method is based on using a combination of ultrasensitive digital sensors and computer software, to identify micro variations in the environment. Vibrations and environmental micro-movements are made visible and a value given to their corresponding frequencies through a photographic process that creates a photographic composite from a series of time-lapse images. Electromagnetic fields can be made visible, by using the “scattering phenomenon” of light reflecting from steam water molecules whose magnetic field is invisible to the human eye on the one hand, but detected by computer using a modified camera in the UV field. Ancient sites analysed by SBRG to date, have exhibited the presence of certain phenomena that has a direct influence on the human body, thereby creating a new method of analysis in the field of archaeoacoustics.

The archaeoacoustic properties and physical phenomena of a site in South East Anatolia (Turkey), described from ancient times as a religious and knowledge centre, were studied. An experiment of resonance and research of local physical phenomena by UV photography took place over one day to establish the properties of this underground site using SBSA protocol. The preliminary study found some interesting peculiarities that confirm a deep knowledge of resonance phenomenon at frequencies suspected to affect brain activity. On a side wall, we also identified a strong magnetic field that is without explanation.

Archaeoacoustic and Electromagnetic research of ancient sites is becoming an established discipline. SB Research Group (SBRG) have been developing a new methodology over the last five years using a practical archaeoacoustic standard (SBSA), which helps to explain certain phenomena which are commonly found at “sacred sites”. Applying this expertise enabled better understanding of the specific EM and acoustic wave emissions present on Kanda Hill, Macedonia. Analyzing these emissions enables better understanding of what lies below the surface. The previous research paper (ARSA 2014) demonstrated evidence of various physical phenomena present at this ancient site and the artificial origin of this hill, which should now be reffered to as a tumulus. At the time of writing the presence of interior cavities in was suspected, possibly consisting of small number of chambers and passageways. This hypothesis is corroborated by the evidence presented in this paper.

Archaeoacoustic and physical phenomena research at ancient sites has developed beyond the initial stage. Our research group uses a practical standard (SBSA) complementing the field of archaeology. Studying archaeoacoustics and natural phenomena over the last four years, has enables us to offer an explanation as to some of the enigmas of ancient archaeological sites that were not possible to explain with other methods. Following our experience, we applied the same method to look at an interesting question about the orientation of Cybele’s Temple situated within the Imperial Roman Palace Felix Romuliana, South-East Serbia. This temple and its fixtures are the only place within the palace that is not oriented along the east-west axis of the complex as was the Roman tradition (Decumanus). Historians also made reference to mysterious rituals, so we used archaeoacoustical methods to better understand why this ought be. We found that the temple’s orientation followed the direction of some infrasound and low frequency vibrations most likely originating from an underground flow of water. These frequencies would have increased the effect of rituals by enhancing the psyche of the participants due to the influence of these low vibrations on human brain waves. This suggests the builders of this temple had some sort of knowledge of this effect.

Combined with research on the effect of acoustics on the human body, archaeoacoustics is an interesting method to reanalyse ancient sites. As well as broadening our understanding of the ancient world, this multidisciplinary approach seeks to recover “ancient knowledge” that affects the emotional sphere of human consciousness,. In this study, we have examined the relationship between the resonance effect present in Cividale del Friuli hypogeum and the altered state of consciousness of volunteers using TRV technology. The results showed that after eight minutes of exposure to resonance within one of the hypogeum chambers, both volunteers and the chamber itself become attuned to the same frequency. This represents an unexpected result. On the one hand it would appear the volunteers adapt themselves to the vibrations of the chamber, whilst the environment seemingly adapts itself to the state of mind of the subjects. It is almost as if some sort of bidirectional influence is at play.