LAST PAGERETURN TO INDEXDowsing is the ability to find hidden artefacts, as well as minerals, water and any other object using dowsing rods, or in some cases a pendulum. I use dowsing rods and these appear to respond to stimuli, which result in involuntary muscle movements as you approach the article that you seek. As you pass over this object the rods cross indicating that the item you look for is below the rods.
At this time it is not known how dowsing works. However dowsing has been used by man to find water and other items going back as far as records exist. It works and has a solid track record of success in the world of archaeological investigation. In fact the Roman Bath House at Beauport Park was found by Gerald Brodribb in 1981 whilst using exactly the same technique as myself in tracing a Roman track.
The number of examples where archaeologists have used dowsing to find sites is too exhaustive to list. However those who are interested or who have difficulty believing that such an ancient practice could be of benefit to the modern archaeologist can find a huge amount of verified data through the office of the British Society of Dowsers in London. This organisation keeps detailed records and also puts those talented in the art in touch with organisations or people needing the services of a dowser. These include a complete cross section of humanity including international mining companies using dowsing to locate precious minerals and oil, police forces using dowsing to look for bodies or hidden articles, as well farmers and road planners wishing to locate water courses.
In the field of archaeology dowsing is well respected in being able to locate both hidden objects buried in soil, as well as dating earthen structures and locating sites long since abandoned. In his book Dowsing One Man’s Way(155) J.S.Scott Elliot lists eighteen case studies in the UK where dowsing was solely responsible for the discovery of the site, or new information found, which was subsequently verified. Other authors provide a host of case studies(156) which have been shown to provide information leading to a new archaeological find. Like these authors I cannot hope to understand how dowsing works, but simply report my finds based upon the reaction to the rods. It is a matter of fact that dowsing can be used in this way and in this case has provided a significant amount of information that would otherwise have remained hidden.