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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The Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation. Marine Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund, 345pp. (OR/10/054) 2011
by Ben Gearey
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..
The Humber Regional Environmental Characterisation (REC)
is a multidisciplinary marine study of the geology,... 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).
2. Within the REC area, there are 12 active aggregate licences
with applications submitted for 10 more. Within the region
there is also gas production, wind energy development, and
intensive shellfish harvesting. Without proper management of
the sea bed areas there could be conflict over development of
resources in the area.
3. The overall objective of the REC project was to provide
integrated broadscale seabed maps in order to support the
sustainable management of offshore resources now and into
the future. The basis of the maps is a regional assessment
of the physical, biological and archaeological environment.
Here for the Humber REC area we present the results of each
individual project element together with their integration into a
holistic overview of the marine environment.
4. In addition to SeaZone single beam bathymetry, data from
three geophysical and one sampling survey provided the basis
for the interpretation. BGS legacy data supplemented the
new data set. In total these data provided a sound basis for
reporting on the regional character of the geology, biology and
archaeology of the area.
5. The geology of the Humber REC area is characterised by a
western gravelly region, a sandy eastern one and a transitional
area in between. Outside of large sand banks and areas of
sand waves the mobile sediment cover is thin. The terminations
of the outer Norfolk Banks are located in the southeast of the
area, and a series of low amplitude sinuous and linear banks
are found in the southwest and centre. A number of arcuate and
linear deeps, with a radial pattern incise the seabed.
6. The morphology and sediment distribution are attributed to a
number of episodes; initially the region was glaciated and the
Bolders Bank till Formation was laid down. After deglaciation
the till was eroded to leave a thin coarse-grained relict deposit.
As sea level rose the area was transgressed, the relict deposit
winnowed and fine grained sediment was transported into
the area from the south. This sediment was reworked into the
sand banks and sand waves present today over much of the
sea bed. The dominance of gravelly sediment in the nearshore
areas is the result of strong currents.
7. The Humber REC area is a region which is rich in archaeology,
with finds ranging from the Palaeolithic to World War II. The
archaeological material in the Humber REC region can be found
both on and beneath the seabed. This archaeological material
can be grouped into three main categories, prehistoric, maritime
and aviation, all of which are present within the study area.
8. 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.
9. The submerged prehistoric resource has been characterised.
This has been derived from the spatial mapping for the
Mesolithic period. Evidence for earlier periods of prehistory
is limited within the study area. The characterisation of
the Mesolithic landscape indicates that where suitable
preservation conditions exist there may be a large resource of
material present.
10. The maritime archaeological resource from the late 19th
century onwards can be located across the study area and has
also been spatially mapped and characterised. No evidence
was found for pre 19th century wrecks, despite documentary
evidence indicating their presence.
11. The Humber REC area has also been a focus for aviation
activity, particularly during World War II, and correspondingly,
wrecked aircraft are likely. As most aircraft break up on impact,
the wreckage is not commonly intact and can be hard to
locate. As such, the number of aircraft wreck sites known to
be present within the study area is assumed to represent only
a small proportion of incidents, but are possibly more likely
in areas on routes to and from World War II targets such as
nearby airbases and Kingston upon Hull.
12. Analysis of the biological data collected across the Humber
REC study area revealed four functional biological communities.
13. The most common community ‘infaunal polychaetes with
burrowing bivalves and amphipods’ was recorded across much of
the mid and eastern sections of the study area in sandy deposits.
The second most abundant community was characterised by
‘barnacles, ascidians and tubiculous polychaetes’ and was
associated with coarser, mixed sediments with suitable areas
for attachment. In some areas where the REC study area was
influenced by higher levels of sand this community was replaced
by a ‘Sabellaria spinulosa reef’ community. A small number of
locations, in both mixed and sandy sediments, were found to
support a very sparse biological community.
14. The biological communities were found to correlate strongly
with the composition of sediment deposits, but were also
influenced by shear bed stress and stratification of the water
column. Predicted biotope distributions maps were created
for the Humber REC study area utilising the EUNIS habitat
classification scheme and habitat suitability modelling.
Both methods yielded maps which are suitable for marine
management purposes. However, since the EUNIS scheme
forces a split on a limited set of environmental variables, which
did not correlate strongly with the biological communities, it
was felt that this method led to an overly complicated map with
many communities occurring in multiple habitats.The EUNIS
habitat model and RECHUM functional community model were
combined to create a full coverage biotope model equivalent to
EUNIS Level 5.
15. A number of rare and alien species were identified across the
Humber REC study area including the tiny bivalve Coracuta
obliquata This is only the second record of this species from
British waters in the last 100 years. The invasive American
Slipper limpet was also observed and it is thought that these
records may indicate a northwards shift in the range of this
species, possibly associated with a warming climate.
16. Potentially important Annex I reef habitats were found in
association with the Silver Pit. The reefs were predominantly
created by the Ross worm Sabellaria spinulosa although high
densities of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis were also identified.
It seems likely that there is a cyclical succession occurring
between these two reef building species driven by minor
changes in environmental conditions and recruitment success.
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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.
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
Landscape signatures and seabed characterisation in the marine environment of northwest Qatar
Al-Naimi F. A., Cuttler, R., Alhaidous, I. I., Momber, G., Al Naimi, S., Breeze, P. and Al Kawari, A. A. Forthcoming, 2012
Proceedings of the Seminar for Arabian Studies 42.
The Arabian Gulf is a fairly shallow sea and during the Last Glacial Maximum was an open landscape that may have... more
The Arabian Gulf is a fairly shallow sea and during the Last Glacial Maximum was an open landscape that may have formed a refugia for human groups. The discovery of archaeological remains predating 8,000 years ago in the marine areas of the North Sea and English Channel would suggest that the Arabian Gulf also has a similar potential for the favorable survival of pre-marine transgression deposits. In addition, The Gulf has been part of a maritime trade network which extends back into the 7th millennium and so the region has the potential for shipwrecks from both the historic and prehistoric periods. However, despite this very little maritime archaeological research directed towards the discovery of such remains has been undertaken. Given the expense and logistical issues associated with diving and underwater survey this may not be entirely surprising. To survey the marine areas of Qatar alone using a team of divers would take many years, particularly given strong regional currents and limited visibility. In recent years the rapid development of geophysics has provided new opportunities to investigate wider areas of the marine landscape and to develop strategies for targeted diver inspections of geophysical anomalies.
The analysis of a large tract of geophysical data off the northwest coast of Qatar revealed more than 80 anomalies with a sea bed expression, some of which were clearly modern, and others that were considered to have reasonable archaeological potential. Of the anomalies subject to subsequent diver inspection, none proved to be of archaeological interest. However, the visual inspection of geophysical anomalies is providing valuable regional baseline data for the interpretation of anthropogenic marine signatures. The clarification of signatures from different types of anomalies enables the calibration of regionally important geophysical data. In addition, these inspections have significantly increased our understanding of the seabed characteristics around Northeastern Qatar. Future geophysical survey will be focused not simply on anomalies but on characterising the submerged landscape using higher resolution geophysical data from a range of sensors.
From Land-locked Desert to Maritime Nation: Landscape Evolution and Taphonomic Pathways in Qatar from 14,000 BP
Cuttler, R. & Al Naimi, F. 2012
Proceedings of the Nations of the Sea Conference, Cardiff.
Throughout the late Pleistocene and early Holocene the landscape of Qatar was transformed by global climate changes,... more Throughout the late Pleistocene and early Holocene the landscape of Qatar was transformed by global climate changes, cycles of sea level rise and fluctuations in rainfall. The Peninsula is formed from Eocene limestone which was subsequently shaped by geomorphological processes, leaving a gently undulating landscape featuring rock outcrops and sediment bowls. As a result of late Pleistocene and early Holocene sea level rise, the Arabian Gulf now surrounds the western, northern and eastern sides of the landmass, but for most of prehistory Qatar was part of a landlocked, hyper-arid region. Given these changes it is therefore important to consider both the changing external conditions that influenced human behaviour in prehistory and the varying taphonomic pathways that were favourable for site preservation. These are fundamental tenets of landscape archaeology, placing past human activities within the wider context of a landscape that is the product of climatic fluctuation and geomorphological change.
How wet can it get? Approaches to submerged prehistoric sites and landscapes on the Dutch Continental Shelf.
by Hans Peeters
In: J. Benjamin, C. Bonsall, C. Pickard, & A. Fischer (eds.), Submerged Prehistory. Oxford, Oxbow Books.
Submerged prehistory off Scotland: a development-led perspective
After a decade of offshore prehistoric research in the seas around the UK, Wessex Archaeology Edinburgh reflects on... more After a decade of offshore prehistoric research in the seas around the UK, Wessex Archaeology Edinburgh reflects on the significant advances made under the Marine Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (MALSF) and where advances could be made within offshore development-led archaeology in Scotland over the next decade and beyond.
The Unappreciated Cultural Landscape: indications of submerged Mesolithic settlement along the Norwegian southern coast
by Paal Nymoen
Nymoen, P., and Skar B., 2011 “The unappreciated cultural landscape - indications of submerged Mesolithic settlement along the Norwegian Southern Coast” I J. Benjamin, C. Bonsall, C. Pickard and A. Fischer (ed) Underwater Archaeology and the Submerged Prehistory of Europe, Oxbow Books, 38-54.
A detailed study of field reports, published and unpublished data from archaeological and natural science... more A detailed study of field reports, published and unpublished data from archaeological and natural science investigations has been compiled in order to present and document existing knowledge of submerged Mesolithic settlement along the Norwegian coast, with a special focus on the south coast. The extended Norwegian coast has experienced complex patterns of shoreline displacement due to pronounced land/sea alteration caused by interactions of eustasy and isostasy after the last deglaciation. In three major regions along the coast the regression minimum, particularly during the Boreal chronozone, was below the present sea level. In these three regions – between Kristiansand and Stavanger on the south coast, between Florø and Vigra and into the fjords on the west coast, and along the outer coastline between Lofoten and Sørøya in the north – the existence of submerged Mesolithic settlement remains has been established. The discovery on the south coast of sub-sea peat layers, a potential grave site near Hummervikholmen, and an ornate pickaxe by Kirkehavn highlights the possibilities for uncovering sites with organic remains below present sea level. Investigations of such sites would greatly enhance our knowledge of Mesolithic lifeways and cultural adaptation in Norway, as organic remains are otherwise very rare at terrestrial Stone Age sites. Given the impact of rapid, modern, landscape interventions in southern Norway, systematic survey of the seabed is strongly recommended. Based on the case studies presented recommendations for further research are outlined.