Abstract
The existence of submerged archaeological landscapes on the continental shelf has been recognised for over a century (e.g. Reid, 1913) but, with a few exceptions (e.g. Masters and Flemming, 1983; Pedersen et al., 1997), systematic investigation has stayed mostly on the fringes of mainstream archaeology. The past decade however has seen a revival in interest, stimulated heavily by increased availability of seabed geophysical and geotechnical data and also greater awareness of the potential role of coastal environments in human evolution and dispersal. This is reflected by many more publications, projects and conference sessions devoted to the subject appearing within the last few years.
The book reviewed here exemplifies this. It is an edited volume with six papers arising out of the ‘Geology and Archaeology: Submerged Landscapes of the Continental Shelf’ session (itself sponsored by the European Union-funded project SPLASHCOS (Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes and Archaeology of the Continental Shelf)) at the 2012 International Geological Congress and an additional six specially solicited papers. Its title emphasises the necessarily multi-disciplinary nature of submerged archaeological landscape research. For instance, geological techniques (bathymetric mapping, seismic profiling and vibrocoring) are essential in reconstructing drowned palaeo-landscapes, and in some cases, prospecting for archaeological sites. Archaeological data too can contribute to geological questions, for example, by providing evidence for the past relative sea-level (RSL) change.
The book comprises 13 chapters, each by different author(s). Chapter 1 (Harff et al.) sets the scene well by introducing Quaternary sea-level change and palaeo-geographic reconstruction, the necessity of integrated geoscientific and archaeological approaches and the potential contribution of submerged landscapes to our understanding of the past environmental change and human development.
The remaining 12 chapters are loosely structured into three geographical groups based on the prevailing regional pattern of RSL change, since it is the key geological control on preservation of coastal and underwater archaeological sites and landscapes. This is intentional and is done to allow contrast and comparison between different regions. It is further intended to highlight regional variation in the challenges, opportunities and potential for archaeological and geological research. Nonetheless, several cross-cutting themes are also identified, notably geophysical survey techniques, reconstruction of the past sea level and coastal change, archaeological site discovery and human dispersal.
The three chapters in Group 1 cover formerly glaciated areas, exemplified here by the Baltic Sea and Fennoscandian shield, where glacio-isostatic rebound is a major contributor to RSL change. Chapter 2 (Glørstad) discusses potential late Pleistocene/early Holocene colonization routes into Norway by examining available archaeological 14C dates against both the timing of deglaciation and the creation of viable coastal landscapes by isostatic rebound. Chapter 3 (Kulkova et al.) reviews the archaeology of Northwest Russia and the impact of Holocene climate and RSL change on coastal and inland (i.e. riverine/lacustrine) populations. Finally, Chapter 4 (Ryabchuk et al.) outlines integrated onshore and offshore geophysical, geotechnical and archaeological work aimed at understanding Holocene RSL change and coastal evolution in the Gulf of Finland.
Group 2 deals with tectonically active areas, here exemplified by the Mediterranean, where crustal movement driven by plate tectonics influences RSL change. Chapter 5 (Foglini et al.) details seabed mapping around the Maltese Islands using marine geological and habitat mapping techniques. This has resulted in identification of drowned palaeo-landscape features and palaeo-geographic reconstructions, which together represent the first step in facilitating the future underwater investigation. Chapter 6 (Abelli et al.) discusses the recently discovered Cala Tramontana lithic site located in 18–21 m water depth off Pantelleria Island. As well as discussing the archaeological excavation and lithic assemblage, it uses geological data to discuss site formation processes, inform a palaeo-landscape reconstruction and suggest an early Holocene date for the archaeological material. Interestingly, this is the only chapter which actually has archaeological evidence from the shelf, unintentionally highlighting the major challenge of moving from geologically constrained landscape reconstruction to submerged archaeological site prospection. Chapter 7 (Antonioli et al.) is an impressive compilation of bathymetric data, geological evidence and tidal modelling, which together are used to reconstruct emergence of a landbridge across the Straits of Messina during periods of low RSL. This is used to provide insights into the timing and mechanism of faunal and human dispersals into Sicily in the last 40,000 years. Chapter 8 (Sakellariou and Galinidou) steps up in scale from the preceding chapters with an overview of the geology and Palaeolithic archaeology of the entire Aegean. This subdivides it into nine units, separated on the basis of their geotectonic and morphological evolution, and uses this as a basis for palaeo-geographic reconstruction and identification of areas with potential for the future research. Finally, Chapter 9 (Galili et al.) demonstrates how raised beach and shallow marine deposits have been used to reconstruct tectonic uplift rates and RSL elevation across Cyprus since Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e.
Group 3 deals with tectonically stable areas where glacio-eustasy dominates the regional pattern of RSL change, exemplified here by Southeast Asia, Australia and South Africa. These case studies are particularly welcome, as there has been less direct investigation of their submerged landscape potential compared to the better studied Northwest European and Mediterranean shelves. Chapter 10 (Cawthra et al.) describes seabed mapping immediately offshore of Pinnacle Point (South Africa), an early human site dated to at least 160 ka. Like the Maltese Islands, this allows identification of submerged palaeo-landscape features and gives an impression of the palaeo-landscape around the site when it was occupied. Chapter 11 (Wurster et al.) is a critical review of the palaeo-environmental, genetic and RSL evidence for the drowned landscape of Sundaland (present-day Sunda shelf), which is used to raise questions and advance ideas on human dispersal into the region. Chapter 12 (Ward et al.) is also a critical review and covers the islands of Northwest Australia, examining RSL-driven changes in coastal configurations, ecosystems, tides and productivity which may have impacted on post–Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) human populations. Finally, Chapter 13 (Nutley et al.) departs in scale and approach from previous chapters by focusing on diver-based prospection for submerged rockshelters (potential human occupation sites) in a single embayment in Southeast Australia.
Overall, the individual chapters are generally well-written and informative. Variation between chapters occurs in terms of the level of detail and approach used. For instance, some are critical reviews aimed at generating hypotheses, identifying potential and aspiring to further research, while others are detailed presentations of field data acquisition, results and interpretation. This does work as a useful contrast and illustrates the variations in approach which are required depending on research aims, data availability or the palaeo-environmental history of the study area. It also shows well the variety of geoscientific and archaeological techniques ranging from ship-based acoustic survey and sampling through to diver-led survey and excavation.
I personally have, however, three niggling issues with this book. First, its list price of £110 (dropping to £55 with societal membership) seems rather high and off-putting to all but the most ardent researcher. Second, figure quality in the paper copy of the book is variable, ranging from very good to poor. Mostly, this is because colour diagrams have been transformed into greyscale, making them hard to interpret. Third, the book’s structure means that it does not provide a true global synthesis of the state of the art. Notable omissions include the Americas, despite the potential importance of now submerged coastlines in its earliest colonization, and the North Sea, where extensive geological datasets have been absolutely critical in reconstructing the former landscape of Doggerland. For those fortunate enough to have institutional access to the Lyell Collection, the first two problems are circumvented as each chapter can be downloaded separately in full colour. Regarding the third issue, if taken alongside the other recently published volumes devoted to submerged landscapes (Benjamin et al., 2011; Evans et al., 2014), the combined trio do give an impressive illustration of subject’s recent growth and the breadth of research currently ongoing across the globe.
In conclusion, this book is a useful contribution to the subject. Gratifyingly, a large proportion of the material appears new, or at least published in English for the first time. Consequently, it will certainly be of interest to geologists, archaeologists or Quaternary scientists in general. However, given the pricing/need for institutional access and the rather specialised nature of the individual chapters, it will most likely be of interest to more experienced researchers (i.e. postgraduate and above) and probably those already working on submerged landscapes.