Dynamic Coasts and Ancient Landscapes: A Study of Archaeological and Geomorphological Interactions in the Eastern Mediterranean

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "The Intersection Between Natural and Cultural Heritage and the Pressing Threats to Both", at the 2025 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Coastal zones are dynamic environments, constantly reshaped by sediment deposition, erosion, sea-level fluctuations, shoreline retreat, and episodic events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. These processes, operating at varied temporal and spatial scales, pose significant challenges to reconstructing paleoshorelines and determining the original seaward extents of coastal archaeological sites. However, integrating coastal archaeological evidence with geomorphological sea-level markers can provide a more precise approach. This study focuses on the spatial relationships between these coastal features—formed over centuries to millennia—and contemporaneous, permanent archaeological remains, such as buildings, fortifications, and wells. By bridging the gap between geomorphology and archaeology, this research holds significant potential for improving our understanding of coastal landscape evolution and human-environmental interactions in dynamic coastal settings, particularly in light of current and projected sea-level rise.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Intersection Between Natural and Cultural Heritage and the Pressing Threats to Both   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2025

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Nicole Haddow