Impacts of population resettlement due to sea level rise on archaeological resources: a case study

Summary

Coastal communities in the United States, as well as other portions of the world, are contending with challenges posed by sea level rise. As coastal areas are inundated and subjected to coastal processes, action is generally limited to mitigation of sites with great local significance experiencing immediate threat, while the destruction of archaeological sites by the resettlement of affected communities has been given little attention. This secondary impact of climate change threatens cultural resources outside of the immediate zone of flooding and erosion. It is imperative for archaeologists to work with climate scientists, urban planners, communities, and government officials alike to identify and protect these sites and to increase stewardship of our archaeological heritage. Here, we report a pilot study in Casco Bay, Maine, using archaeological survey data, accurate digital elevation models, local sea level rise projections, current settlement patterns, and settlement logistics data to predict potential impact to archaeological resources above the immediate impact zone through landward relocation of infrastructure. This project lays the groundwork for communities to mitigate secondary threats by identifying where populations are likely to expand based on existing infrastructure and resettlement patterns, and by articulating which archaeological sites will likely be negatively impacted.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 81st Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL (2016)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage