Geology and archaeology: submerged landscapes of the continental shelf: an introduction

Abstract

Sea-level change has influenced human populations globally since prehistoric times. Even in early phases of cultural development, human populations were faced with marine regression and transgression associated with the glacial -interglacial climatic cycle, amplified by glacio-isostatic adjustments in some regions. Global marine regression during the last glaciation changed the palaeogeography of the continental shelf, converting former marine environments to attractive terrestrial habitats for prehistoric human occupation, and adding an extensive new increment of land, in the case of Europe amounting to an additional 40% of the existing land area, and on a global scale to some 20 million km 2 of additional territory that is now submerged. These areas of the shelf were used as hunting and gathering areas, and as pathways of dispersal between regions and between continents, until they were resubmerged by the post-glacial marine transgression. They also most probably witnessed the earliest developments in seafaring, marine exploitation and permanent settlements. Based on modern marine research technologies and the integration of large databases, proxy data are now becoming available for the reconstruction of these submerged Quaternary landscapes. Concerted efforts are also now being devoted to the search for prehistoric archaeological sites and artefacts on the seabed, often in collaboration with marine scientists. This search has been stimulated by the increasing amount of material that has demonstrably survived inundation, often with excellent preservation of organic remains, by closer collaboration with offshore industry, and by the growing realization of the importance of these submerged data for understanding human prehistoric developments during periods of rapidly changing climate and environment. Moreover, these new research trends are not simply being driven by an archaeological need for scientific and technological input from other disciplines, but by collaborations involving genuine mutual benefit, in which all partners have something to gain. Archaeological problems often pose new questions about geological change, stimulating new techniques of observation, new technologies and new investigations, which in their turn can offer new data, often at higher resolution and with better dates, in relation to geological and environmental issues such as sea-level change and palaeoclimatic variability on the continental shelf.The expansion of early human populations to occupy new territory and new continents is one of the great narratives of human evolution. It is currently a theme of wide interest and topicality, and has received significant impetus and publicity from the new science of palaeogenetics. Together with ongoing discoveries of new fossil and archaeological material, and new studies of palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment, the field itself is rapidly expanding, leading to new discoveries and new controversies (Grine et al. 2009;Gamble 2013; Smith & Ahern 2013). All the current indications are that the ...

Geomorphological mapping of terrestrial and marine areas, northern Malta and Comino (central Mediterranean Sea)

“…This fact partly reflects differences in approach and methodologies applied to investigate submarine with respect to onshore areas, including the intrinsic technical limitations to map offshore. Examples are mainly related to archaeological investigations (Harff, Bailey, & Luth, 2016;Westley et al, 2011), palaeo-environmental reconstruction Miccadei, Mascioli, Orrù, Piacentini, & Puliga, 2011), marine spatial planning (Kerr, Johnson, & Side, 2014) and coastal hazard assessment and risk mitigation (De Jongh & van Opstal, 2012;Parrott et al, 2008).…”

A new early Holocene shoreline displacement record for Blekinge, southern Sweden, and implications for underwater archaeology

“…These coastal areas were important for the dispersal of humans, technology and culture between landmasses, and offered attractive habitats for hunting, gathering and fishing (Harff et al . 2016b). These areas became submerged by the rising sea level during the deglaciation and today often well‐preserved remains of these landscapes and their inhabitants can be found on the sea floor.…”

“…Technological advances and mutual benefits for collaborating geologists and archaeologists have driven the increased interest in the field (Harff et al . 2016b). During the Last Glacial Maximum, 20 000 years ago, the global sea level was about 130 m lower than at present (Caruso et al .…”

“…Research on submerged landscapes has gained in importance during the last decade (e.g. Gaffney et al 2009;Benjamin et al 2011;Evans et al 2014;Harff et al 2016a;Bailey et al 2017;Flemming et al 2017a). Technological advances and mutual benefits for collaborating geologists and archaeologists have driven the increased interest in the field (Harff et al 2016b).…”

Introduction - Submergence: A special issue on Atlantis and related mythologies

“…As sea levels have gradually risen by some 130 metres, land that was once inhabited now lies on the seabed. This submerged land or "aquaterra" (ibid) would have provided an abundance of plants and animals to hunter-gatherer communities across the world (Harff et al, 2015), with the ready availability of resources creating potential "hotspots" for human development (Phoca-Cosmetatou and Rabett, 2014). Of course the largest obstacle that the proponents of a "real" Atlantis face is explaining how an island submerged nine thousand years before could host a civilisation as complex as that described by Plato.…”