Geology and Archaeology: Submerged Landscapes of the Continental Shelf
Sea-level change has influenced human population globally since prehistoric times. Even in early phases of cultural development human populations were faced with marine regression and transgression as a result of changing climate and corresponding glacio-isostatic adjustment. Global marine regression during the last glaciation changed the palaeogeography of the continental shelf, converting former marine environments to attractive terrestrial habitats for prehistoric humans. These areas of the shelf were used as hunting and gathering areas, as migration routes between continents, and most probably witnessed the earliest developments in seafaring and marine exploitation, until the postglacial transgression re-submerged these palaeo-landscapes. Based on modern marine research technologies and the integration of large databases, proxy data are increasingly available for the reconstruction of Quaternary submerged landscapes. Also, prehistoric archaeological remains from the recent sea bottom are shedding new light on human prehistoric development driven by rapidly changing climate and environment. This publication contributes to the exchange of ideas and new results in this young and challenging field of underwater palaeoenvironmental investigation.
Late Quaternary coastal landscape morphology and evolution of the Maltese Islands (Mediterranean Sea) reconstructed from high-resolution seafloor data
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Published:January 01, 2016
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CiteCitation
Federica Foglini, Mariacristina Prampolini, Aaron Micallef, Lorenzo Angeletti, Vittoria Vandelli, Alan Deidun, Mauro Soldati, Marco Taviani, 2016. "Late Quaternary coastal landscape morphology and evolution of the Maltese Islands (Mediterranean Sea) reconstructed from high-resolution seafloor data", Geology and Archaeology: Submerged Landscapes of the Continental Shelf, J. Harff, G. Bailey, F. Lüth
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Abstract
The current strong motivation to explore those traces of the archaeological and prehistoric human heritage that presently lie submerged on the continental shelf requires large-scale and precise underwater mapping. One Mediterranean sector deserving particular attention is the Sicily Channel, which is critical for a better understanding of the Africa–Europe migratory routes and early civilization patterns due to its large expanses of shallow seabed that were partially or totally exposed at times of lower relative sea levels. We have focused our attention on the submerged continental margin of the Maltese archipelago. A detailed bathymetric map is here presented, and is discussed in terms of features interpretable as former subaerial landforms and inundated by sea-level rise following the Last Glacial Maximum lowstand at approximately –130 m. Our datasets combine multibeam surveys, Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital terrain models (DTMs), Chirp sub-bottom profiler records and bottom samples acquired between 2009 and 2012. The main features identified are former river incisions, alluvial plains, karst landscapes (sinkholes, limestone plateaus), slide deposits and palaeoshorelines. This study provides a detailed topographical reconstruction of the palaeolandscape of this key region that is relevant to any future archaeological exploration of the Maltese offshore area.
- bathymetry
- bottom features
- Cenozoic
- coastal environment
- digital terrain models
- Europe
- geomorphology
- geophysical methods
- geophysical profiles
- geophysical surveys
- high-resolution methods
- landform evolution
- landscapes
- laser methods
- last glacial maximum
- lidar methods
- Malta
- marine environment
- Mediterranean Sea
- multibeam methods
- ocean floors
- paleogeography
- paleorelief
- Quaternary
- reconstruction
- sampling
- sea-level changes
- sediments
- shelf environment
- Southern Europe
- submergence
- surveys
- upper Quaternary