Relative sea‐level changes along the Fethiye coast (SW Turkey) based on recent archaeological data

Abstract

We investigated three coastal archaeological sites along the coast of Fethiye (south‐western Turkey, eastern Mediterranean) to reveal relative sea‐level changes that have occurred since early Byzantine times. Focusing on this little known period, the most recent archaeological data are presented here, providing new data for the history of sea‐level changes. Current elevations of submerged archaeological remains relative to present sea level were measured, and relative sea‐level change was determined, based on an approximation of the original elevation. The contemporary archaeological structures revealed three different sea levels in adjacent areas. Taking into account the time of the last use of the structures, instead of their time of construction, we suggest a relative sea‐level rise at a minimum rate of 1.6 ± 0.3 mm/year for Şövalye Island, 2.1 ± 0.3 mm/year for Gemiler Island, and 2.2 ± 0.6 mm/year for Ölüdeniz Lagoon for the last 1400 years. A comparison of the study results and geoarchaeological data from nearby sites on the western coasts of Fethiye Gulf revealed the degree of sea‐level change impact upon coastal archaeological sites. Results demonstrate that the seismically active Fethiye coast has been strongly influenced by the vertical tectonic movement since early Byzantine times.

Novel insights into the sea level evolution along the coast of Bozburun Peninsula (Turkey): A study on submerged Bronze Age harbor in Çamçalık

“…An RSL rise of at least 2.8 m over the past 1400 years was suggested for Kekova (Özdaş & Kızıldağ, 2013). Recent studies on the Early Byzantine remains along the coast of Fethiye demonstrated that, over the last 1400 years, the sea level has risen by 2.2–3.1 ± 0.3 m on the eastern coast of Fethiye (Kızıldağ & Özdaş, 2021), while the western coasts portray a rise of 3.1–4.6 ± 0.3 m (Kızıldağ, 2019). This remarkable difference in the RSL changes between the regions confirms that local‐scale tectonic processes have an important effect on the submergence of coastal sites.…”

“…However, Antonioli et al (2007) and Auriemma and Solinas (2009) suggested a minimum functional elevation of 0.6 m above the MSL for harbor installations (e.g., piers, docks, and breakwaters), based on the observations collected at many submerged archeological sites along the coast of the Mediterranean. This assumption has been widely used in many sea level studies in recent years (Aucelli et al, 2016; Kızıldağ & Özdaş, 2021; Kolaiti & Mourtzas, 2020).…”

“…Previous studies indicated that the Mediterranean Sea had a large number of archeological indicators of sea level variations that occurred during the last 4000 years (Anzidei et al, 2014; Auriemma & Solinas, 2009; Evelpidou et al, 2018; Flemming, 1978; Kolaiti & Mourtzas, 2016; Lambeck et al, 2018; Morhange et al, 2013; Mourtzas et al, 2016; Pavlopoulos et al, 2012; Pirazzoli, 1976). Several geoarchaeological assessments of submerged maritime and coastal constructions provide the data on the RSL changes along the coast of southwestern Turkey since the Early Byzantine period (Anzidei et al, 2011; Flemming et al, 1973; Kızıldağ, 2019; Kızıldağ & Özdaş, 2021; Kızıldağ et al, 2012; Özdaş & Kızıldağ, 2013a; Stock et al, 2020). Nevertheless, to date, there has been no Bronze Age archeological evidence for the changes in the sea level of the southwestern Turkish coast.…”

“…Several geoarchaeological assessments of submerged maritime and coastal constructions provide the data on the RSL changes along the coast of southwestern Turkey since the Early Byzantine period (Anzidei et al, 2011;Flemming et al, 1973;Kızıldağ, 2019;Kızıldağ & Özdaş, 2021;Kızıldağ et al, 2012;Özdaş & Kızıldağ, 2013a; Stock F I G U R E 1 (a) Location map of studied submerged sites (red icon); (b) tectonic setting of the Aegean Sea (modified from Taymaz et al, 2007) and the submerged Bronze Age sites (black icon) along the Aegean coastline (compiled from Galanidou et al, 2020); and (c) seismotectonic map of the study area and its surrounding region. Epicenters of earthquakes in historical and instrumental periods (between 1950 and 2022) were obtained from the seismicity catalog of the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI, 2022).…”

Mapping and Recording of Ancient Shipwrecks by Using Marine Remote Sensing Techniques: Case Studies From Turkish Coasts

“…Underwater archaeological surveys carried out over the last 60 years demonstrate that the Turkish coasts are very rich in terms of underwater cultural heritage (Pulak, 1998;Ward & Ballard 2004;Bass, 2005;Royal, 2006;Brennan et al, 2012;Özdaş, 2010;Özdaş et al, 2012;Kızıldağ & Özdaş, 2021).…”