Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel
In submerged landscapes, distinguishing anthropogenic features versus natural ones is often challenging. We have developed a set of criteria to validate the identification of submerged anthropogenic remains that include examining the geological context, sea-level considerations, associated archaeolo...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/11/1981 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850068504735121408 |
|---|---|
| author | Ehud Galili Liora Kolska Horwitz Ilaria Patania Amir Bar Isaac Ogloblin Ramirez |
| author_facet | Ehud Galili Liora Kolska Horwitz Ilaria Patania Amir Bar Isaac Ogloblin Ramirez |
| author_sort | Ehud Galili |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In submerged landscapes, distinguishing anthropogenic features versus natural ones is often challenging. We have developed a set of criteria to validate the identification of submerged anthropogenic remains that include examining the geological context, sea-level considerations, associated archaeological finds (including coastal survey), and documenting the broader archaeological context. Furthermore, our experience demonstrates that, while progress has been made in applying remote-sensing technologies to detect anthropogenic features on the seabed, there is no substitute for direct, visual assessment by an underwater archaeologist for verification of their anthropogenic status. We have applied these criteria to examine two published case studies detailing suspected anthropogenic stone features on the seabed in the Sicilian Channel. Our examination has led us to conclude that both localities are not anthropogenic features. The Pantelleria Vecchia Bank features represent natural outcrops on a submerged paleo-landscape that were shaped by depositional and erosional processes during transgression and regression periods. The suspected Lampedusa cultic site comprises natural features that are located on a submerged neo-landscape formed due to erosion and retreat of the coastal cliff since the mid-Holocene, when the sea level reached its present level. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0890aabd662f45ef8dcf1649e0baf2d3 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj-art-0890aabd662f45ef8dcf1649e0baf2d32025-08-20T02:48:02ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122024-11-011211198110.3390/jmse12111981Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian ChannelEhud Galili0Liora Kolska Horwitz1Ilaria Patania2Amir Bar3Isaac Ogloblin Ramirez4The Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelNational Natural History Collections, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9166100, IsraelDepartment of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USADepartment of Marine Geosciences, Leon H. Charney School for Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelLaboratory for Environmental Micro-History, Department of Maritime Civilizations, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, IsraelIn submerged landscapes, distinguishing anthropogenic features versus natural ones is often challenging. We have developed a set of criteria to validate the identification of submerged anthropogenic remains that include examining the geological context, sea-level considerations, associated archaeological finds (including coastal survey), and documenting the broader archaeological context. Furthermore, our experience demonstrates that, while progress has been made in applying remote-sensing technologies to detect anthropogenic features on the seabed, there is no substitute for direct, visual assessment by an underwater archaeologist for verification of their anthropogenic status. We have applied these criteria to examine two published case studies detailing suspected anthropogenic stone features on the seabed in the Sicilian Channel. Our examination has led us to conclude that both localities are not anthropogenic features. The Pantelleria Vecchia Bank features represent natural outcrops on a submerged paleo-landscape that were shaped by depositional and erosional processes during transgression and regression periods. The suspected Lampedusa cultic site comprises natural features that are located on a submerged neo-landscape formed due to erosion and retreat of the coastal cliff since the mid-Holocene, when the sea level reached its present level.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/11/1981submerged prehistorysea-level changeunderwater archaeologybeach depositsinundated settlements |
| spellingShingle | Ehud Galili Liora Kolska Horwitz Ilaria Patania Amir Bar Isaac Ogloblin Ramirez Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel Journal of Marine Science and Engineering submerged prehistory sea-level change underwater archaeology beach deposits inundated settlements |
| title | Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel |
| title_full | Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel |
| title_fullStr | Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel |
| title_short | Identifying Anthropogenic Versus Natural Submerged Prehistoric Landscapes: Two Case Studies from the Sicilian Channel |
| title_sort | identifying anthropogenic versus natural submerged prehistoric landscapes two case studies from the sicilian channel |
| topic | submerged prehistory sea-level change underwater archaeology beach deposits inundated settlements |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/11/1981 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ehudgalili identifyinganthropogenicversusnaturalsubmergedprehistoriclandscapestwocasestudiesfromthesicilianchannel AT liorakolskahorwitz identifyinganthropogenicversusnaturalsubmergedprehistoriclandscapestwocasestudiesfromthesicilianchannel AT ilariapatania identifyinganthropogenicversusnaturalsubmergedprehistoriclandscapestwocasestudiesfromthesicilianchannel AT amirbar identifyinganthropogenicversusnaturalsubmergedprehistoriclandscapestwocasestudiesfromthesicilianchannel AT isaacogloblinramirez identifyinganthropogenicversusnaturalsubmergedprehistoriclandscapestwocasestudiesfromthesicilianchannel |