Gamma spectra of 238U

232Th and 40K were measured at the Liangzhu archaic rampart in selected grid of spots on the east

north and west city wall and nearby areas

in an attempt to determine layout of the city walls by analyzing features of the radionuclide content distribution and the total counts of 0.5–3 MeV γ-rays. It was found that the location

width and content variations tendency of the 238U

232Th and 40K contents were basically in accordance with archaeological findings of the rampart. The abnormal content distributions on different walls were inhomogeneous. In a better protected part of the archaic rampart

the radioactivity anomaly was more obvious

hence a clearer indication of the wall layout

such as the east wall)

whereas it is not the case for the west wall

which is badly protected. By suitable data processing to enhance the weak anomaly

however

the method of γ-ray spectroscopy can be used for archaic rampart detection.