Lake Nasser, a Unique Opportunity for Submerged Terrestrial Site Archaeology
Given at the 2nd MIT Conference on Deep Water Archaeology (2002)
I was a very young graduate student when I wrote this paper, but I still believe that the thesis is important to the... more I was a very young graduate student when I wrote this paper, but I still believe that the thesis is important to the development of submerged terrestrial site archaeology and experimental archaeology: Lake Nasser contains submerged terrestrial sites that were documented prior to submersion. The only way to understand the affects of submersion on terrestrial sites is to study the sites in Lake Nasser. One can compare the before-submersion evidence to the after-submersion evidence to determine how submersion affects the preservation of sites. The world assumes that submersion is detrimental, and therefore when sites are threatened by submersion, we protest and hastily excavate... but, what if submersion is healthy for the long-term preservation of a site (or at least not as damaging to the site as 'salvage archaeology')? We do not currently have any data that suggests that a site buried behind a dam is destroyed - inaccessible for the foreseeable future, yes, but is it worth hasty and shoddy excavation? I don't know - my plea in this paper is that we take the experimental case of Lake Nasser to find out.
DownloadParadis-og andre indikasjoner på undersjøiske lokaliteter fra mesolittisk tid langs den norske sørlandskysten
by Paal Nymoen
Nymoen, P., og Skar, B., 2011: "Paradis-og andre indikasjoner på undersjøiske lokaliteter fra mesolittisk tid langs den norske sørlandskysten", i P.G Norseng (red) Norsk Maritimt Museum årbok 2010, 91-113.
Investigations by the Norwegian Maritime Museum during the past years have uncovered submerged flint artefacts and... more
Investigations by the Norwegian Maritime Museum during the past years have uncovered submerged flint artefacts and peat, a Mesolithic grave site and a decorated bone axe along the coast of western Vest-Agder. These finds support the expectation that Norway, like other areas of southern Scandinavia, may have outstanding Mesolithic sites below today’s sea-level, with a great potential for research on pioneer settlement in Norway. The article summarises research on these types of sites in the Vest-Agder region and adds the particularly promising site of ”Paradis” to the list of submerged Mesolithic sites.
The exceptionally good conditions for preservation documented earlier from Hummervikholmen and Kirkehavn indicate that the sea holds an important record of knowledge on early immigration to Norway and the human capacity for adaptation and cultural development.
Today, the attractive south coast is subject to many physical interventions that escape the attention of the heritage authority. The authors call for special management measures for the three main areas along the Norwegian coast where the conditions for preservation of these valuable sites are favourable. Based on current knowledge, recommendations for future interdisciplinary research are outlined in the article.
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Between the Lines: Enhancing methodologies for the exploration of extensive inundated palaeolandscapes, In D. Cowley (ed.) Remote Sensing for Archaeological Heritage Management. Occasional Publication of the Aerial Archaeology Research Group No. 3, 173-205.
by Ben Gearey
co-authored with S. Fitch, V. Gaffney and E. Ramsey
In recent years there has been an increasing appreciation of the archaeological potential of European coastal shelves.... more In recent years there has been an increasing appreciation of the archaeological potential of European coastal shelves. This interest has not, however, simply been associated with the progress of traditional maritime history but rather the development of a wider marine archaeology aimed at exploring the settlement and cultural sequences of the immense, prehistoric landscapes that lie off some of our coasts. Inaccessible until quite recently, the development of a variety of remote sensing technologies has made exploration of these inhospitable landscapes a real possibility. The information that is being provided from such work is fundamentally changing our perception of the archaeology of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic. This paper discusses the application of legacy seismic data to map these palaeolandscapes and contrasts the value of 2D and 3D data for these purposes. The results of new research in the North Sea and off the west coast of the United Kingdom are presented and used to test wide sampling strategies that have the potential to explore areas of the sea that have not been mapped using 3D technologies. The paper argues that a range of prospection strategies should be employed within these environments and that they should be optimised to support specific research goals. In the light of marine development and current economic uncertainty, the paper argues that heritage curators and researchers must take full advantage of data sets that have cost billions to capture and that provide unparalleled opportunities for research and management.
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The Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation
by Simon Fitch
Authors: Tappin, D.R.; Pearce, B.; Fitch, S.; Dove, D.; Gearey, B.; Hill, J.M.; Chambers, C.; Bates, R.; Pinnion, J.; Diaz Doce, D.; Green, M.; Gallyot, J.; Georgiou, L.; Brutto, D.; Marzialetti, S.; Hopla, E.; Ramsay, E.; Fielding, H..
Published: 2011 Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund, 345pp. (OR/10/054)
The Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation (REC) is a multidisciplinary marine study of the geology, biology... more The Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation (REC) is a multidisciplinary marine study of the geology, biology and archaeology of an area of 11 000 km2 off the east coast of England. It was funded by the Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (MALSF). The Humber REC area is a region which is rich in archaeology, with finds ranging from the Palaeolithic to World War II. Several locations of archaeo-environmental potential were discovered during the Humber REC which directly relate to the regions prehistoric archaeological potential. Most of this potential is present in major channel systems within the south and east of the study area and dates to the Mesolithic period. The characterisation of the Mesolithic landscape indicates that where suitable preservation conditions exist there may be a large resource of material present.
Considering the ‘Terra Incognita’ and the implications for the Cultural Resource Management of the Arabian Gulf Palaeolandscape
by Simon Fitch
Co-authored with Cuttler, R., Al-Naimi, F., A. 2011
Published in: Archaeology of the United Arab Emirates: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on the Archaeology of the U.A.E. P Hellyer, H Al Naboodah and D Potts (eds) Trident Press Ltd
The effects of changes in sea level over the past 100,000 years have been monumental both as a powerful catalyst for... more
The effects of changes in sea level over the past 100,000 years have been monumental both as a powerful catalyst for migration and for the displacement of populations. While the submergence of earlier landscapes has generally made them inaccessible to archaeologists, the potential for environmental preservation is thought to be higher than in most terrestrial areas. Despite this, these landscapes are often considered a ‘terra incognita’ to mainstream archaeology, due not only to the depth of water, but also to their burial through sedimentation. In the Arabian Gulf and elsewhere this has inevitably led to the marine areas being given less ‘archaeological credence’ than terrestrial areas.
Over recent years a multitude of extensive marine geophysical data sets have been gathered, chiefly for the purposes of oil and gas exploration. Although such geophysical surveys are primarily targeted towards the mapping of deep subsurface rock formations, the top section of the data can be processed specifically to detail the currently unknown shallow palaeo-geomorphology of the Gulf, providing information that would be impossible to collect within archaeological budgets. Using such data to document palaeolandscapes is just one element of a marine mapping program which can form the basis of a cohesive strategy for managing the archaeological resource in marine areas. Such strategies impact upon education, the accessibility of heritage information to the public, and ultimately the protection of this marine cultural landscape.
Reconstruction of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene Palaeogeography of Qatar using Remotely Sensed Datasets, and the implications for the integration of such data into the National Monument Record for Qatar
by Simon Fitch
Authors: Beardmore, R., Cuttler, R., Ramsey, E., Kallweit, H, Al-Naimi, F., A. and Fitch, S.
Published in: Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies. Vol. 40 (2010)
During the course of 2008 and 2009 the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the VISTA Centre at Birmingham University... more During the course of 2008 and 2009 the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) and the VISTA Centre at Birmingham University collaborated together on a project to analyse remotely sensed data in both the marine and terrestrial areas of Qatar. This was with a view to identifying not only archaeological sites, but also deposits that would provide information about changes in the environment during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The interpreted data from this was subject to ground truthing and accessed via a GIS platform. At the same time the QMA were considering the development of an Historic Environment Record in order to be able to effectively manage archaeological sites within Qatar and enable the Department of Antiquities to maintain effective digital records of sites as required by Article 4 of Qatar's 'Law No. 2 of 1980 on Antiquities'.
Between the Lines - enhancing methodologies for the exploration of extensive inundated palaeolandscapes
by Simon Fitch
Co-authored with Vince Gaffney, Ben Gearey and Eleanor Ramsey
Published in Remote Sensing for Archaeological Heritage Management, EAC Occasional Paper No.5 (2011)
In recent years there has been an increasing appreciation of the
archaeological potential of European coastal... more
In recent years there has been an increasing appreciation of the
archaeological potential of European coastal shelves. This interest has not, however, simply been associated with the progress of traditional maritime history but rather the development of a wider marine archaeology aimed at exploring the settlement and cultural sequences of the immense, prehistoric landscapes that lie off some of our coasts. Inaccessible until quite recently, the development of a
variety of remote sensing technologies has made exploration of these inhospitable landscapes a real possibility. The information that is being provided from such work is fundamentally changing our perception of the archaeology of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic. This paper discusses the application of legacy seismic data to map these palaeolandscapes and contrasts the value of 2D and 3D data for these purposes. The results of new research in the North Sea and off the west coast of the United Kingdom are presented and used to test wide sampling strategies that have the potential to explore areas of the sea that have not been mapped using 3D technologies. The paper argues that a range of prospection strategies should be employed within these environments and that they should be optimised to support
specific research goals. In the light of marine development and current economic uncertainty, the paper argues that heritage curators and researchers must take full advantage of data sets that have cost billions to capture and that provide unparalleled opportunities for research and management.
Mapping Doggerland: the Mesolithic landscapes of the southern North Sea
by Simon Fitch
co-edited with Vince Gaffney and Ken Thomson
The prehistoric landscapes of the North Sea basin are amongst the most enigmatic archaeological landscapes in... more The prehistoric landscapes of the North Sea basin are amongst the most enigmatic archaeological landscapes in northwestern Europe. Whilst the region contains one of the most extensive and, probably, best preserved hunter-gatherer landscapes in Europe, global warming resulted in the loss of a vast area of habitable land over a period of c.11,000 years. The challenge to investigate, interpret and manage the heritage of this extraordinary, but largely inaccessible landscape is enormous. 3D seismic datasets, acquired to explore deep geology, present a major opportunity to explore this landscape at a regional scale. The North Sea Palaeolandscapes Project utilised c. 23,000 km2 of 3D seismic data to provide detailed digital mapping of Late Pleistocene and Holocene topographic features across the area. This publication provides an assessment of the archaeological potential of the interpreted landscape and related environmental sources. It outlines associated archaeological issues, a methodology for implementing historic landscape characterisation within the area, as well as an assessment of data sources for further exploration of the British coastal shelf. The results of this study will be of interest to archaeologists, geomorphologists and cultural resource managers working in analogous environments, whilst the methodology outlined may be applied to similar landscapes with comparable supporting data.
Europe's lost world: the rediscovery of Doggerland
by Simon Fitch
Co-authored with Vince Gaffney and David Smith
(Popular Book - CBA Research Report 160)
For most people, the North Sea is a stretch of water crossed when going on holiday. Few travellers are aware that... more For most people, the North Sea is a stretch of water crossed when going on holiday. Few travellers are aware that these grey northern waters cover a prehistoric landscape that once stretched without a break between the English and Danish coasts. Yet between 18,000 and 5,500 BC, global warming raised sea levels to the extent that a vast plain, larger than the area of the United Kingdom, was engulfed by water, and land that had been home to mankind for millennia gradually disappeared. An entire European country sank beneath the North Sea, its physical remains preserved for ever but memory of it lost through time. This is the story of the rediscovery of Doggerland, Europe's lost world.
The Mesolithic landscape of the southern North Sea
by Simon Fitch
Fitch, Simon (2011)
Ph.D. thesis, University of Birmingham.
The submerged landscape of the North Sea has long been known by archaeologists as an area of Mesolithic occupation,... more The submerged landscape of the North Sea has long been known by archaeologists as an area of Mesolithic occupation, and it has even been argued that it was the ‘heartland’ of the Mesolithic in North Western Europe. Despite knowledge of the potential significance of the marine archaeological record, it has always been a great challenge to explore this largely inaccessible landscape and in many ways it remained a hypothetical construct. However, recent research in the Southern North Sea has recently permitted the mapping of parts of this landscape, revealing the scale and diversity of submerged Mesolithic environments. This research represents a “first pass" study that has produced an initial model of the carrying capacity of the landscape and its associated demography. This model seeks to explore the impacts of sea level driven landscape change upon the Mesolithic population. The model reveals the diversity of resources present in this landscape and the potential these have to buffer subsistence resources from the effects of marine inundation. As such the model provides new insights into the nature of the impacts upon human occupation within the region and highlights 8,500BP as a crucial time in the evolution of the Mesolithic in north western Europe.
In Sight of Doggerland: From speculative survey to landscape exploration
by Simon Fitch
Co-authored with Vince Gaffney and Ken Thomson.
Published in Internet Archaeology (Issue 22)
The North Sea has long been known by archaeologists as an area of Mesolithic occupation, and has even been argued as... more
The North Sea has long been known by archaeologists as an area of Mesolithic occupation, and has even been argued as the heartland of the Mesolithic in North Western Europe. Yet this area remains effectively terra incognita to archaeologists, and the nature of its occupation, tantalisingly elusive. The submergence of this landscape has therefore effectively hindered archaeological research into this vitally important region. Yet this region contains one of the most detailed and comprehensive records of the Late Quaternary and Holocene, and its preserved sedimentary successions represent a mine of information that remains untapped by archaeologists. However the lack of direct data pertaining to this region results in all previous maps of the prehistoric landscape being at best hypothetical.
This paper will present results which illustrate that through the utilisation of spatially extensive oil industry data, the recovery information pertaining to the actual Mesolithic landscape of the North Sea is now possible. This information reveals the diversity of this landscape and shows that much greater consideration of submerged Mesolithic landscapes is now required of archaeologists. Whilst the study of such landscapes is in its infancy, the availability of such information offers the possibility of transforming how we interpret traditional terrestrial data and its relationship to the larger European Mesolithic