submerged prehistoric archaeology
DESCRIPTION
Presentation by S. Claesson at 2010 Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) annual meeting in Florida (USA)TRANSCRIPT
Stefan Claesson, Ph.D.Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory
Preservation Potential of Submerged Prehistoric Archaeological Sites on the Maine Shelf
Joseph Kelley, Ph.D., & Daniel Belknap, Ph.D.Dept. of Earth SciencesUniversity of Maine, Orono
Stefan Claesson, Ph.D.Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory
Preservation Potential of Submerged Prehistoric Archaeological Sites on the Maine Shelf
Joseph Kelley, Ph.D., & Daniel Belknap, Ph.D.Dept. of Earth SciencesUniversity of Maine, Orono
“limited subaerial exposure of the present shelf in the Gulf of Maine…inhibited the development of coastal land forms that typically are high in archeological site potential” (Strite, 1990)
0 4 km0 4 km
Bass Harbor
Green Islands
GeorgesBank
NovaScotia
Maine
Sea Level in the Gulf of MaineSea Level in the Gulf of Maine
(Shaw et al., 2002)
Sea Level in the Gulf of MaineSea Level in the Gulf of Maine
(Shaw et al., 2002)
Sea Level in the Gulf of MaineSea Level in the Gulf of Maine
Lunt biface(Crock et al., 1993)
0 4 km
Ground stone adze and spear recovered by scallop draggers(Price & Spiess, 2007)
0 2 km
MorainalRidges
Basin
Opening
Opening
SE
NW
SENW
InnomarSES-2000
Benthos ROV
A B
A
BBH-03
•Freshwater Basin•12.5 - 10.5 ka•Peat fragments•Tundra
• Freshwater Basin• 12.5 - 10.5 ka• Peat fragments• Tundra
•Estuarine•10.5 - 8 ka•Tidal flat & barrier beach
•Woodland
• Freshwater Basin• 12.5 - 10.5 ka• Peat fragments• Tundra
• Estuarine• 10.5 - 8 ka• Tidal flat & barrier beach
• Woodland
•Marine•7,800 BP•Overwash fans & graded beds
-26
-25
11,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
-26
-25
-24
11,000
9,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
-26
-25
-24
-23
11,000
9,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
-21
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
-21
-20
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
7,000
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
-21
-20
-19
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
7,000
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
-21
-20
-19
-18
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
7,000
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
-21
-20
-19
-18
-17
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
7,000
-26
-25
-24
-23
-22
-21
-20
-19
-18
-17
11,000
9,000
8,000
METERS(Below MLLW)
YEARS B.P.(Approx.)
7,000
Archaic Period SlowstandsArchaic Period Slowstands
Late
Early to Mid
Highly exposed locations are unlikely to contain undisturbed sites Highly exposed locations are unlikely to contain undisturbed sites or sedimentary depositsor sedimentary depositsHighly exposed locations are unlikely to contain undisturbed sites Highly exposed locations are unlikely to contain undisturbed sites or sedimentary depositsor sedimentary deposits
The slow rate of sea-level rise provided time to accumulate The slow rate of sea-level rise provided time to accumulate Coastal/estuarine in the Gulf of Maine, as well as the erosion of Coastal/estuarine in the Gulf of Maine, as well as the erosion of glacial landforms.glacial landforms.
Sedimentary deposits between15-25 m depth representing Sedimentary deposits between15-25 m depth representing formations between 7-11ka may be preserved because of the formations between 7-11ka may be preserved because of the slow rate of local sea-level riseslow rate of local sea-level rise
In Bass Harbor, human occupation occurred in a shoreline setting In Bass Harbor, human occupation occurred in a shoreline setting involving erosion of a moraine and formation of spits and involving erosion of a moraine and formation of spits and wetlands near a brackish-water basin between 9 ka and 8 ka.wetlands near a brackish-water basin between 9 ka and 8 ka.
NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and ResearchProject participants:
NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and ResearchProject participants:
Contacts:[email protected]@unh.edu
NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Researchhttp://explore.noaa.gov
Institute of Maritime Historyhttp://www.maritimehistory.org
NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Researchhttp://explore.noaa.gov
Institute of Maritime Historyhttp://www.maritimehistory.org
Arthur Spiess (MHPC)
Gerald Kelso (USDA)
Lisa Lavold-Foote (ASU)
Arthur Spiess (MHPC)
Gerald Kelso (USDA)
Lisa Lavold-Foote (ASU)
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (UNH)Darling Marine CenterInnomar Technologie
SAIC
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (UNH)Darling Marine CenterInnomar Technologie
SAIC
Web Sites:
Alan Baker (UNH)
Lloyd Huff (UNH)
Larry Mayer (UNH)
Franklin Price (IMH)
Alan Baker (UNH)
Lloyd Huff (UNH)
Larry Mayer (UNH)
Franklin Price (IMH)