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Date: | Mon, 22 Jan 2001 09:08:04 -0600 |
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on 1/22/01 6:40 AM, Marcy H Rockman at [log in to unmask] wrote:
> To all,
>
> Just wanted to say a few words in defense of dowsing. I have used it
> within the past few years (4-5) both in Wyoming and in Europe and have
> found it to be a relatively effective means of detecting underground
> disturbance. In both locations we were interested in locating
> foundations or wells that we knew from documentary sources were somewhere
> in the area. I don't have enough experience with it myself
> to even begin to claim to know the nature of the various disturbances- but
> that didn't matter, as the dowsing rods simply helped us focus in on a
> smaller area that we then investigated with more conventional means-
> shovel testing, etc. In both cases, the information provided by the
> dowsing rods did indicate the correct location in which to dig and in so
> doing saved a significant amount of time and effort.
>
Marcy,
Personally, I doubt very much that dowsing is a valid technique, but as in
anything I could be wrong. What really bothers me about archaeologists who
believe in dowsing is that I have yet to encounter one who has truly tested
it, or even one who understands why it needs to be tested or how to test it.
If you think dowsing works, you should be willing to set up a rigorous test
of it and present those results in reputable journal. If dowsing truly
works, we should all be using it as it is the most cost-effective means of
remote sensing.
I would be interested in knowing more about the instances where you say it
worked. What was the nature of the surface (plowed field, pasture, farm
yard, etc)? Could there have been surface visual clues to subsurface
features? How much area did you investigate where dowsing failed to show
anything and what was found there? How specific were the hits provided by
dowsing (within a meter etc.)?
I am not immersed in the literature on dowsing, but as someone else
mentioned there are references on it. James Randi does test dowsing as part
of his $1 Million challenge
http://www.randi.org/research/challenge/dowsing.html. Though he doesn't give
details about how many dowsers he has tested or exact procedures used, none
have won the money. Note that he sets up tests in conjuction with the
challengers using mutually agreed upon procedures.
Mike Conner
===================================
Dr. Michael Conner
Assistant Director
Center for Archaeological Research
Southwest Missouri State University
901 South National Ave.
Springfield, MO 65804
Office:417-836-6531
Fax: 417-836-4772
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