The Big Flood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Benjamin ◽  
Sean Ulm
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Cultural Landscapes ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Polar Ice ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Land Mass ◽  
Australian Archaeology

Since the first peopling of Australia and New Guinea (the continent of Sahul) during times of lower sea level more than 60,000 years ago, approximately 2 million km2 of land, roughly one-third of the present continental land mass, has been drowned by sea-level rise. Landscapes encountered and settled by thousands of generations of people throughout the continent have been inundated by rising seas as polar ice and glaciers melted into the world’s oceans. While some archaeological sites formed within these landscapes were no doubt destroyed by the rising seas, many sites are likely to have survived. This submerged archaeological record represents the majority of human occupation in Sahul, spanning the period from initial peopling of the continent to 7000 years BP. As a major frontier in Australian archaeology, investigation of what is now seabed will ultimately lead to revised and enhanced understanding of the continental archaeological record. By reevaluating the coastal zone, submerged landscapes, and continental shelf, consideration for these past cultural landscapes in what is now Sea Country has the potential to profoundly reshape the archaeological discourse of Australia and New Guinea.

scholarly journals Dating Human Occupation on Diatom-Phytolith-Rich Sediment: Case Studies of Mustang Spring and Lubbock Lake, Texas, USA

Radiocarbon ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Hatté ◽  
Gregory Hodgins ◽  
Vance T Holliday ◽  
A J Timothy Jull
Keyword(s):  
Age Differences ◽  
Great Plains ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Freshwater Diatoms ◽  
Different Origins ◽  
Derived Data ◽  
Succession Model

The Great Plains of North America have a rich archaeological record that spans the period from Late Glacial to Historic times, a period that also witnessed significant changes in climate and ecology. Chronometric dating of archaeological sites in many areas of the Great Plains, however, is often problematic, largely because charcoal and wood—the preferred materials for radiocarbon dating—are scarce in this grassland environment with few trees. Two reference archaeological sites are studied here: Mustang Spring and Lubbock Lake, Texas, USA. We carry out a geochronological approach based on a cross-study of carbon-derived data: combustion yield, δ13C, 14C age differences between high temperature and low temperature released carbon, and the 14C age itself. A study that incorporates multiple approaches is required to solve issues induced by the sedimentological context, which is rich in both freshwater diatoms and phytoliths from quite different origins. Analysis of carbon-derived data allows us to draw a succession model of dry and wet episodes and to associate it with a chronological framework. In this way, we can assert that, for the Mustang Spring site, several human occupations existed from ∼11 kyr BP to ∼8.7 kyr BP along the 110-cm-long series with an interruption of ∼150 yr that is associated with a palustrine environment between the Plainview and Firstview occupations.

Holocene geoarchaeology of the Sixteen Mile Beach barrier dunes in the Western Cape, South Africa

2005 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Compton ◽  
Giuliana Franceschini
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Resource Utilisation ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Dune Sand ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Western Margin ◽  
Mussel Shells ◽  
Shoreline Progradation

Holocene evolution and human occupation of the Sixteen Mile Beach barrier dunes on the southwest coast of South Africa between Yzerfontein and Saldanha Bay are inferred from the radiocarbon ages of calcareous dune sand, limpet shell (Patella spp.) manuports and gull-dropped white mussel shells (Donax serra). A series of coast-parallel dunes have prograded seaward in response to an overall marine regression since the mid-Holocene with dated shell from relict foredunes indicating periods of shoreline progradation that correspond to drops in sea level at around 5900, 4500 and 2400 calibrated years before the present (cal yr B.P.). However, the active foredune, extensively covered by a layer of gull-dropped shell, has migrated 500 m inland by the recycling of eroded dune sand in response to an approximate 1 m sea level rise over the last 700 yr. Manuported limpet shells from relict blowouts on landward vegetated dunes indicate human occupation of coastal dune sites at 6200 and 6000 cal yr B.P. and help to fill the mid-Holocene gap in the regional archaeological record. Coastal midden shells associated with small hearth sites exposed in blowouts on the active foredune are contemporaneous (1600–500 cal yr B.P.) with large midden sites on the western margin of Langebaan Lagoon and suggest an increase in marine resource utilisation associated with the arrival of pastoralism in the Western Cape.

scholarly journals POR UMA HISTÓRIA INDáGENA DE LONGA DURAÇÃO: cronologia das ocupações humanas pré-coloniais na Ilha de São Luá­s ”“ MA

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (25) ◽  
pp. 24-50
Author(s):  
ARKLEY MARQUES BANDEIRA
Keyword(s):  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Doctoral Thesis ◽  
Indigenous History ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Sobre Todo

 O artigo sintetiza parte dos resultados obtidos na tese de doutorado do autor, que versou sobre os processos pré-coloniais relacionados á  ocupação humana na Ilha de São Luá­s ”“ MA, em sua longa duração. Será abordada a cronologia obtida na pesquisa, sobretudo as datas relacionadas com os diferentes momentos de ocupação dos sá­tios arqueológicos, a partir de uma perspectiva regional, diacrônica e inter sá­tio. A pesquisa centrou-se em métodos da Arqueologia para investigar cinco sá­tios arqueológicos, a saber: os sambaquis do Bacanga, Panaquatira e Paço do Lumiar e os sá­tios cerá¢micos Vinhais Velho e Maiobinha I. Os resultados permitiram reconhecer os processos de formação do registro arqueológico, a espacialidade dos sá­tios e o contexto deposicional dos antigos assentamentos de diversos povos que ocuparam a Ilha de São Luá­s, desde 6.600 anos atrás, estendendo-se até os primeiros séculos do Brasil colonial.Palavras-chave: Arqueologia. Cronologia. Ocupações humanas. Longa duração.FOR A LONG-TERM INDIGENOUS HISTORY:  chronology of pre-colonial human occupations on the Island of São Luá­s ”“ MA    Abstract: The article synthesizes part of the results obtained in the doctoral thesis of the author, which dealt with the pre - colonial processes related to human occupation in the Island of São Luá­s ”“ MA, in its long duration. It will be approached the chronology obtained in the research, especially the dates related to the different moments of occupation of the archaeological sites, from a regional, diachronic and inter-site perspective. The research focused on methods of Archeology to investigate five archaeological sites, namely the Bacanga”™s, Panaquatira”™s and Paço do Lumiar”™s shellmounds and the Vinhais Velho”™s and Maiobinha I”™s ceramic sites. The results allowed to recognize the processes of formation of the archaeological record, the spatiality of the sites and the depositional context of the ancient settlements of several peoples who occupied the Island of São Luá­s, from 6,600 years ago, extending to the first centuries of colonial Brazil.Keywords: Archeology. Chronology. Human occupations. Long-term.  POR UNA HISTORIA INDáGENA DE LARGA DURACIÓN:  cronologá­a de las ocupaciones humanas precoloniales en la Isla de São Luá­s - MAResumen: El artá­culo sintetiza parte de los resultados obtenidos en la tesis de doctorado del autor, que versó sobre los procesos precoloniales relacionados a la ocupación humana en la Isla de São Luá­s - MA, en su larga duración. Se abordará la cronologá­a obtenida en la investigación, sobre todo las fechas relacionadas con los diferentes momentos de ocupación de los sitios arqueológicos, a partir de una perspectiva regional, diacrónica e inter local. La investigación se centró en métodos de la Arqueologá­a para investigar cinco sitios arqueológicos, a saber: los concheros del Bacanga, Panaquatira y Paço do Lumiar y los sitios cerámicos Vinhais Velho y Maiobinha I. Los resultados permitieron reconocer los procesos de formación del registro arqueológico, la espacialidad de los sitios y el contexto deposicional de los antiguos asentamientos de diversos pueblos que ocuparon la Isla de São Luá­s, desde 6.600 años atrás, extendiéndose hasta los primeros siglos del Brasil colonial.Palabras clave: Arqueologá­a. Cronologá­a. Ocupaciones humanas. Larga duración.  

Holocene Sea-Level Changes Based on Submerged Archaeological Sites off the Northern Carmel Coast in Israel

1988 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Galili ◽  
M. Weinstein-Evron ◽  
A. Ronen
Keyword(s):  
Continental Shelf ◽  
Bronze Age ◽  
Sea Level ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Sea Level Changes ◽  
Late Neolithic ◽  
The West ◽  
Marine Transgression ◽  
Archaeological Materials ◽  
Holocene Sea Level

A series of submerged archaeological sites found on the continental shelf between Haifa and Atlit indicate a continuous marine transgression between 8000 and 1500 yr B.P. The sites are embedded in the upper part of a marshy clay that fills the trough between the coastal aeolianite (kurkar) ridge and a ridge now submerged some 1000 to 1500 m to the west. The submerged prehistoric sites belong to two main chronological units: Prepottery Neolithic B (8000 yr B.P.) and late Neolithic (ca. 6500 yr B.P.); these were found at depths of 12 to 8 m and 5 to 0 m, respectively. Bronze Age and Byzantine anchors were found at depths of 5 to 3 m and 4 to 1.8 m, respectively. As the archaeological materials are firmly dated, we can reconstruct the rate of marine transgression from 8000 yr B.P. to the present and the eastward movement of settlements through time as related to the transgression.

Loom weights in Archaic South Italy and Sicily: Fice case studies

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 123-155
Author(s):  
Hedvig Landenius Enegren
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Experimental Archaeology ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Site Specificity ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
South Italy ◽  
Local Traditions ◽  
Tool Technology

Textiles are perishables in the archaeological record unless specific environmental conditions are met. Fortunately, the textile tools used in their manufacture can provide a wealth of information and via experimental archaeology make visible to an extent what has been lost. The article presents and discusses the results obtained in a research project focused on textile tool technologies and identities in the context of settler and indigenous peoples, at select archaeological sites in South Italy and Sicily in the Archaic and Early Classical periods, with an emphasis on loom weights. Despite a common functional tool technology, the examined loom weights reveal an intriguing inter-site specificity, which, it is argued, is the result of hybrid expressions embedded in local traditions. Experimental archaeology testing is applied in the interpretation of the functional qualities of this common artefact.

scholarly journals Environmental evolution, faunal and human occupation since 2 Ma in the Anagni basin, central Italy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Florindo ◽  
Fabrizio Marra ◽  
Diego E. Angelucci ◽  
Italo Biddittu ◽  
Luciano Bruni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Environmental Evolution ◽  
Entire Interval ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Sedimentary Succession ◽  
Favorable Conditions

AbstractWe present the study of a composite, yet continuous sedimentary succession covering the time interval spanning 2.6–0.36 Ma in the intramontane basin of Anagni (central Italy) through a dedicated borecore, field surveys, and the review of previous data at the three palaeontological and archaeological sites of Colle Marino, Coste San Giacomo and Fontana Ranuccio. By combining the magneto- and chronostratigraphic data with sedimentologic and biostratigraphic analysis, we describe the palaeogeographic and tectonic evolution of this region during this entire interval. In this time frame, starting from 0.8 Ma, the progressive shallowing and temporary emersion of the large lacustrine basins and alluvial plains created favorable conditions for early hominin occupation of the area, as attested by abundant tool industry occurrences and fossils. This study provides new constraints to better interpret the hominin migratory dynamics and the factors that influenced the location and spatial distribution during the early occupation of this region.

scholarly journals Predicting wildfire impacts on the prehistoric archaeological record of the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico, USA

Fire Ecology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan M. Friggens ◽  
Rachel A. Loehman ◽  
Connie I. Constan ◽  
Rebekah R. Kneifel
Keyword(s):  
New Mexico ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Burn Severity ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Jemez Mountains ◽  
Archaeological Materials

Abstract Background Wildfires of uncharacteristic severity, a consequence of climate changes and accumulated fuels, can cause amplified or novel impacts to archaeological resources. The archaeological record includes physical features associated with human activity; these exist within ecological landscapes and provide a unique long-term perspective on human–environment interactions. The potential for fire-caused damage to archaeological materials is of major concern because these resources are irreplaceable and non-renewable, have social or religious significance for living peoples, and are protected by an extensive body of legislation. Although previous studies have modeled ecological burn severity as a function of environmental setting and climate, the fidelity of these variables as predictors of archaeological fire effects has not been evaluated. This study, focused on prehistoric archaeological sites in a fire-prone and archaeologically rich landscape in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico, USA, identified the environmental and climate variables that best predict observed fire severity and fire effects to archaeological features and artifacts. Results Machine learning models (Random Forest) indicate that topography and variables related to pre-fire weather and fuel condition are important predictors of fire effects and severity at archaeological sites. Fire effects were more likely to be present when fire-season weather was warmer and drier than average and within sites located in sloped, treed settings. Topographic predictors were highly important for distinguishing unburned, moderate, and high site burn severity as classified in post-fire archaeological assessments. High-severity impacts were more likely at archaeological sites with southern orientation or on warmer, steeper, slopes with less accumulated surface moisture, likely associated with lower fuel moistures and high potential for spreading fire. Conclusions Models for predicting where and when fires may negatively affect the archaeological record can be used to prioritize fuel treatments, inform fire management plans, and guide post-fire rehabilitation efforts, thus aiding in cultural resource preservation.

Flake Dispersal Experiments: Noncultural Transformation of the Archaeological Record

1983 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-572 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Bowers ◽  
Robson Bonnichsen ◽  
David M. Hoch
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Primary Factor ◽  
Frost Heave ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
Alaska Range ◽  
Natural Processes ◽  
Present Test

Time lapse studies of frost action effects on arctic and subarctic surficial archaeological sites have been conducted from 1973 to the present. Test plots of experimentally produced flakes were constructed in 1973 in the Tangle Lakes Region of the Central Alaska Range and subsequently remapped and photographed in 1974, 1976, and 1980. Similar test plots were laid out in the arctic foothills province of the Brooks Range. Observations made during the study period include: (1) flake displacements of as much as 20 cm/yr; (2) average minimum movement is 4 cm/yr; and (3) upslope movements were observed, suggesting that slope is not the primary factor in flake displacements. Frost heave, needle ice and, possibly, wind appear to be the dominant forces responsible for dispersals. It is argued that these and other natural processes can restructure the archaeological record into patterns that easily can be mistaken for those produced by human activity.

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