Marine Geoarchaeology
Part of: Society for Historical Archaeology 2014
The application of earth science techniques to the study of aquatic archaeological sites has become increasingly important for spatially mapping underwater sites but also for understanding environmental and site formation processes. Increasing interest in how humans have interacted with the landscape has lead to innovative applications of geophysical, sedimentological, geochemical and paleontological techniques to archaeological contexts. This session will highlight the breadth of recent developments in marine geoarchaeology emphasizing the inter-disciplinary potential of this growing area of research.
Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-11 of 11)
- Documents (11)
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Effects of the end of the Lake Stanley lowstand on submerged landscapes of the Alpena-Amberley Ridge, Lake Huron (2014)
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The Alpena-Amberley Ridge in Lake Huron was exposed during the Lake Stanley lowstand between 8 and 10 ka BP and was utilized by prehistoric peoples. After 8 ka BP, water levels rose and the Ridge was inundated. However, the exact timing and localized effects of Ridge submergence is unclear. Understanding the rapidity and nature of the flooding of the Ridge is of utmost importance for identifying areas where submerged archaeological materials are most likely to be preserved. Sediment samples...
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Geoarchaeological investigations at Los Buchillones, a Taino site on the north coast of central Cuba (2014)
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Los Buchillones is a Taino site, occupied from approximately AD 1220 to 1640, located on the north coast of central Cuba. Discovered in the mid 1990s, it has since been the focus of both archaeological and geological investigations. The site is one of the largest in the Caribbean, and is located under approximately 1 meter of water in a shallow bay inside a barrier reef complex. Due to the submerged nature of the site, the preservation of wooden remains is exceptional. Geoarchaeological research...
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Geophysical mapping of submerged shorelines and anchorage sites at a Mycenaean (Late Bronze) harbour site, Korphos, Greece (2014)
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A detailed underwater geophysical and geomorphic survey was conducted at Kalamianos, a recently discovered Mycenaean harbour located near Korphos, Greece. Bathymetry and magnetic gradiometer data (> 400-line km) were acquired across a 10-km2 inshore area to map the Bronze Age shoreline positions and to identify potential anchorage sites. Beachrock elevations, 14C chronology and micropaleontologic data were integrated with bathymetry data to construct a RSL curve and paleoshoreline maps. During...
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The Hoyo Negro Project: Recent Investigations of a Submerged Late Pleistocene Cave Site in Quintana Roo, Mexico (2014)
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The submerged caves of the Yucatan Peninsula have yielded an abundance of archaeological, paleontological, and paleoecological data related to human occupation of the Americas at the end of the last glacial maximum. A relatively well preserved human skeleton found in spatial association with the remains of extinct megafauna in Hoyo Negro presents a promising opportunity for interdisciplinary Paleoamerican research. Investigations have thus far revealed a range of associated features and...
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Incorporating Environmental Data as a Tool for Site Management in the Blackwater River (2014)
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The Blackwater River in Santa Rosa County, Florida, is host to many (at least 20 as of the writing of this paper) ship sites, as well as materials related to maritime infrastructure scattered throughout, much of which relates to Pensacola’s historic brick and lumber industry. Since the 1980s, the University of West Florida and Florida’s Bureau of Archaeological Research have been documenting these sites, which are generally well preserved as a result of low-speed hydrodynamics and high content...
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Integrated autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and marine Overhauser magnetometer for high-resolution marine archaeological survey (2014)
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Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are ideal platforms for geophysical survey of underwater archaeological sites, as they are capable of high-resolution navigation and can be deployed under any sea state. Magnetometers have been difficult to integrate with AUVs because of the strong magnetic fields produced by AUV motors and ferro-metallic components. In this study, an Explorer Overhauser total-field magnetometer was mated to an Iver2 AUV, creating the first practical and commercially...
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New Environmental Proxy Data from Little Salt Spring, FL (2014)
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Little Salt Spring (LSS) is a ~70m deep sinkhole located in south-west Florida. Paleo-Indian and Archaic Indian artifacts suggest two periods of occupation: from 12,000 ‘ 9,000 and from 7,000 ‘ 5,000. In order to provide climatic context for the archaeological finds at LSS sediment cores (n = 5) were taken in 1990 using a submersible vibro-corer. Previous examination of these cores for pollen and microfossil data were used to infer drier Early Holocene climate followed by a shift to more modern,...
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Reconstructing the shoreline and climate of the ancient Maya port Vista Alegre using marine geoarchaeological methods (2014)
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The environmental and morphological history of the ancient Maya port site of Vista Alegre, located along the north coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is being investigated within a larger multidisciplinary effort called the Costa Escondida Project. The project’s main goals are to learn how the ancient inhabitants adapted to the environment, and to understand how this coastal site was integrated into broader maritime trade routes. The portion of the research presented here concentrates on the...
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Reconstructing water levels and access to the subterranean pit of Hoyo Negro, Mexico (2014)
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A pit (approx. 160 ft deep) named ‘Hoyo Negro’ was discovered in the underwater cave system of Aktun-Hu in the Yucatan Peninsula; Mexico. It contained numerous Pleistocene fossils (eg. gomphothere, sabertooth cat, groundsloth, black bear etc.) including the remains of a young PaleoIndian woman (radiometric dates are pending). The closest (225 ft) entrance to the Hoyo Negro pit is a small (approx. 25 x 10 ft) opening to the surface named Cenote Ich Balam. Questions regarding when and how animals...
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The Silt Beneath Us -- cave sediments as archives of environmental change (2014)
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Aquatic cave sediments have been studied by few scientists. The highly specialized dive training required to conduct this research has left the cave environment unexplored relative to other parts of the earth. Our recent research in Yucatan caves explores the utility of cave sediments as archives for environmental change, and examines how physical, biological and chemical indicators found within the sediments can be used to provide information regarding groundwater and its potability through...
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The Value of Tsunami Signatures in Marine Geoarchaeological Deposits (2014)
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Pre- instrumentally recorded (about 100 years) catalogues of tsunami events rely heavily on written descriptions. While textual evidence provides a wealth of useful information, it is limited with regard to reliability, geographic range, consistency and quality. One way in which these records can be complemented and improved is through the discovery, identification, and description of offshore upper-shelf tsunami deposits. This approach has proved especially successful in recent and past...