A Neolithic mega-tsunami event in the eastern Mediterranean: Prehistoric settlement vulnerability along the Carmel coast, Israel

Abstract

Tsunami events in antiquity had a profound influence on coastal societies. Six thousand years of historical records and geological data show that tsunamis are a common phenomenon affecting the eastern Mediterranean coastline. However, the possible impact of older tsunamis on prehistoric societies has not been investigated. Here we report, based on optically stimulated luminescence chronology, the earliest documented Holocene tsunami event, between 9.91 to 9.29 ka (kilo-annum), from the eastern Mediterranean at Dor, Israel. Tsunami debris from the early Neolithic is composed of marine sand embedded within fresh-brackish wetland deposits. Global and local sea-level curves for the period, 9.91–9.29 ka, as well as surface elevation reconstructions, show that the tsunami had a run-up of at least ~16 m and traveled between 3.5 to 1.5 km inland from the palaeo-coastline. Submerged slump scars on the continental slope, 16 km west of Dor, point to the nearby “Dor-complex” as a likely cause. The near absence of Pre-Pottery Neolithic A-B archaeological sites (11.70–9.80 cal. ka) suggest these sites were removed by the tsunami, whereas younger, late Pre-Pottery Neolithic B-C (9.25–8.35 cal. ka) and later Pottery-Neolithic sites (8.25–7.80 cal. ka) indicate resettlement following the event. The large run-up of this event highlights the disruptive impact of tsunamis on past societies along the Levantine coast.

Changing environments and human interaction during the Pleistocene–Early Holocene from the shallow coastal area of Dor, Israel

“…Relying on this age constraint (9.9-9.3 ka), sea level and projected paleoshoreline during the deposition of F3, as well as the marine faunal remains embedded in this unit, suggest that Unit F3 was deposited at a landscape elevation above the early Holocene sea level at the time. We suggest that this coastal sediment represents a tsunami deposit as discussed in Shtienberg et al (2020). Similar deposits with similar ages have yet to be identified along the coast of Israel or in other coastal sites around the Levant basin.…”

“…3b; Arkin Shalev et al, 2019) and submerged Neolithic structures (Fig. 3b; Shtienberg et al, 2020), pointing towards Dor's complex and long pattern of human habitation, which is a focal point for our investigation.…”

“…3c). Excavations conducted in 2019 by the University of Haifa and University of California San-Diego uncovered PN sherds, a submerged rectangular building, and a circular feature 1.5 m below msl (Shtienberg et al, 2020) on the surface of the organic-rich, silty clay unit (F4/Sb3) that represents the top of the wetland facies. Relying on the youngest age constraint of the F4 surface dated to 7.20 ± 0.70 ka, we propose that the submerged rectangular building is associated with PN settlement.…”

“…† Radioelemental concentrations for samples were averaged in dose rate calculation: above sample (upper values) and below sample (lower values). ‡ Ages presented inShtienberg et al (2020).…”

New relative sea-level (RSL) indications from the Eastern Mediterranean: Middle Bronze Age to the Roman period (~3800–1800 y BP) archaeological constructions at Dor, the Carmel coast, Israel

“…In Jaffa, Burke et al [101] published coastal reconstructions but so far without radiometric chronology. About 2000 years ago, Israel's coastal sand unit was thinner by a few meters relative to present thickness [102][103][104] so it is possible that low laying coastal locations, such as outlets/mouths, were flooded by the post Hellenistic rising sea, creating short live estuaries and lagoons but it seems they were limited in their extent to a few hundred meters. Ongoing geo-archaeological research in a few sites along the coast is expected to add more high-resolution data for these periods.…”