Marine Geoarchaeology

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Marine Geoarchaeology is the interdisciplinary study of the geological and archaeological records found in marine environments. It focuses on understanding human interactions with coastal and underwater landscapes through the analysis of sediment, artifacts, and ecological data, thereby revealing insights into past human behavior and environmental changes.

lightbulbAbout this topic

Marine Geoarchaeology is the interdisciplinary study of the geological and archaeological records found in marine environments. It focuses on understanding human interactions with coastal and underwater landscapes through the analysis of sediment, artifacts, and ecological data, thereby revealing insights into past human behavior and environmental changes.

Key research themes

1. How can systematic geoarchaeological methods improve discovery and interpretation of submerged prehistoric coastal sites?

This theme investigates methodological approaches to locate, model, and validate submerged archaeological sites on continental shelves, focusing on the use of paleolandscape reconstruction, predictive modeling, and underwater testing. Improving these approaches is crucial to address the scarcity of precontact site data beneath marine transgression zones and to better understand early coastal human behaviors and migrations.

The magnificent seven: Marine submerged precontact sites found by systematic geoarchaeology in the Americas

by Morgan F . Smith

2021, Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology

Key finding: This paper identifies seven systematic, phased geoarchaeological projects across the Americas employing a replicable methodology: recognition of archaeological potential, paleolandscape mapping, behavioral modeling, and... Read more

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Submerged landscapes, marine transgression and underwater shell middens: Comparative analysis of site formation and taphonomy in Europe and North America

by Jessica W Cook Hale and

2021, Quaternary Science Reviews

Key finding: By analyzing sedimentological profiles from two independently discovered underwater shell middens in Denmark and Florida, the paper demonstrates that anthropogenic shell deposits can survive sea-level rise and be identified... Read more

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New methodological approaches in Marine Geoarchaeology: Examples from Greece and Eastern-Central Mediterranean Sea

by Academy of Institutions and Cultures Society

2014, Series: the Hellenic Worldview

Key finding: This work advances remote sensing applications—single and multi-beam echosounders, side-scan sonar, subbottom profilers, and magnetometers—for systematic underwater archaeological survey beyond conventional diving limits.... Read more

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Terrestrial implications for the maritime geoarchaeological resource: a view from the Lower Palaeolithic

by Rob Hosfield

2015

Key finding: This paper argues that Lower Palaeolithic artifacts and faunal remains found in submerged landscapes of the English Channel and North Sea represent depositional contexts analogous to terrestrial fluvial settings, primarily... Read more

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Locating the Mahogany Ship Using Geoarchaeological Methods to Test Historical Sources - A and I Moss

by Alexander Moss and

2019, Australasian Journal of Maritime Archaeology

Key finding: This study integrates historical documentation with geoarchaeological GIS analyses, using geological features and spatial bearings to define a narrowly constrained search area (500 m × 100 m) for the so-called Mahogany Ship... Read more

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2. What are the sedimentological and taphonomic processes affecting the preservation and identification of underwater archaeological deposits, especially shell middens?

This research theme focuses on understanding the formation, alteration, and preservation of submerged sedimentary archaeological deposits, notably shell middens. Since submerged deposits have experienced marine transgression and sedimentary reworking, studying their sedimentology and taphonomy elucidates conditions that favor their survival and informs minimally invasive sampling strategies, crucial for reconstructing coastal human activities in drowned landscapes.

Submerged landscapes, marine transgression and underwater shell middens: Comparative analysis of site formation and taphonomy in Europe and North America

by Jessica W Cook Hale and

2021, Quaternary Science Reviews

Key finding: The study’s sedimentological and taphonomic comparison across two contrasting submerged shell middens demonstrates distinctive sediment profiles and preservation states retaining clear anthropogenic signatures despite... Read more

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Spatial and temporal variability in geomorphic change at tidally influenced shipwreck sites: The use of time‐lapse multibeam data for the assessment of site formation processes

2024, Geoarchaeology-an International Journal

Key finding: Using high-resolution time-lapse multibeam bathymetry, this paper quantifies sediment budget changes and seabed geomorphic dynamics around metal-hulled shipwrecks in the Irish Sea over various temporal scales. It correlates... Read more

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Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology

by Rolfe Mandel

2024, Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series

Key finding: The text emphasizes geoarchaeology’s integrative approach to decipher site formation, incorporating sedimentary, micromorphological, geochemical, and stratigraphic analyses to reconstruct depositional histories,... Read more

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Transgression Related Holocene Coastal Glendonites from Historic Sites

by Mathias Broch

2024, Minerals

Key finding: By analyzing fossil glendonite pseudomorphs, this study links marine diagenetic mineral precipitation to specific coastal conditions during postglacial marine transgressions. Employing petrography, stable isotopes,... Read more

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Paleosalinity determination in ancient epicontinental seas: A case study of the T-OAE in the Cleveland Basin (UK)

by Thomas Algeo

2024, Earth-Science Reviews

Key finding: This paper develops and applies geochemical proxy ratios (B/Ga, Sr/Ba, S/TOC) to reconstruct paleosalinity variations in anoxic black shale depositional systems affected by marine restriction and freshwater influx. It refines... Read more

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3. How can interdisciplinary approaches enhance understanding of past coastal human–marine ecosystem interactions and their archaeological signatures?

This theme explores how combining archaeological evidence with geoscientific, ecological, and paleoenvironmental data—such as geomorphology, isotopic analyses, genomic studies, and modeling—yields nuanced reconstructions of human use of coastal and marine environments through time. Interdisciplinary frameworks are critical for deciphering long-term behavioral adaptations, resource exploitation, and technological innovations related to marine settings.

Editorial: Living on the edge—interdisciplinary perspectives on coastal and marine ecosystems in human prehistory

by Jon Erlandson

2025, Frontiers in Earth Science

Key finding: This editorial synthesizes multiple studies demonstrating that integrating archaeology with coastal geomorphology, taphonomy, GIS modeling, remote sensing, U-Th dating, isotopic biochemistry, and zooarchaeology elucidates... Read more

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The Mesozoic Marine Revolution

by Andreas Wetzel and

2016

Key finding: Though focusing on evolutionary biology, this paper’s discussion of the Mesozoic Marine Revolution’s impact on benthic ecosystem structures informs understanding of ancient marine habitats. The study of trace fossil records... Read more

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Role of Taxa Age and Geologic Range: Survival Analysis of Marine Biota over the Last 538 Million Years

by Alba Vicente

2024, Journal of Agricultural, Biological and Environmental Statistics

Key finding: Using Cox proportional hazards models, this study quantitatively links marine genus extinction risks to multiple environmental variables—sea level, temperature, CO2—and taxon age over geological timescales, illustrating... Read more

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Observations of the incipient and penultimate stages of Holocene marine terrace development

by Lovleen Chowdhury

2025, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms

Key finding: This paper documents erosion rates and processes affecting newly-formed Holocene marine terraces, distinguishing between downwear and backwear mechanisms. Quantifying these geomorphic dynamics elucidates terrace formation and... Read more

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MARINE GEOSCIENCES, A SHORT, ECCLECTIC AND WEIGHTED HISTORIC ACCOUNT

by Jörn Thiede

2015

Key finding: The review chronicles the evolution of marine geosciences, emphasizing technological advances like dedicated research vessels, deep-sea drilling, and marine surveying that have expanded capabilities for paleoenvironmental... Read more

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All papers in Marine Geoarchaeology

FORMATION PROCESSES OF SHIP SITES IN THE BLACKWATER RIVER, SANTA ROSA COUNTY, FLORIDA

by William J Wilson

The Blackwater River in Santa Rosa County, Florida, is host to numerous ship sites, many of which relate to Pensacola’s historic brick and lumber industry. Since the 1980s, the University of West Florida and Florida’s Bureau of... more

FIGURE 17. Benthic Temperature. (Figure by author, 2014.)

FIGURE 16. Surface Temperature. (Figure by author, 2014.)

FIGURE 22. 2013 Swingbridge Hull side-scan sonar imagery: (a) scour; (b) sonar contact.

FIGURE 18. Students placing sediment pin at Guanacaste. (Photo by author, 2013.) 2013 to determine the amount of sedimentation and erosion at each location.

Figure |. Map of sites. (Figure by author, 2015.)

FIGURE 3. Project area. (Figure by author, 2013.)

FIGURE 4. Hjulstrom diagram. (Adapted from Herz and Garrison 1998:24.)

sland (a barrier island). As a photo (Figure 5) from Milton after the hurricane of 1916 illustrates, FIGURE 5. Photograph from Milton after the 1916 hurricane. (Courtesy of the University of the area every 22-28 years. Luckily, the area is somewhat protected by land and Santa Rosa

FIGURE 6. Georeferenced site plan of Swingbridge Hull (Foster 2013:70). (constructed of PVC pipe) were placed on the site and referenced to the baseline. From those,

FIGURE 8. Van Dorn water sampler. (Figure by author, 2014.) water in the sampler. Finally, the tube operator retrieved the sampler via its connecting line, and

was rinsed thoroughly with DI water. sensor (YSI, Incorporated 1998:18). After all measurements were taken from a sample, the anode An Oakton Waterproof pHTestr 30 Pocket pH Tester was used for measuring pH. Its

FIGURE 12. Surface pH. (Figure by author, 2014.)

machinery; (c) propeller shaft; and (d) boiler. (Figure by author, 2014.)

FIGURE 20. 2006 (a) Guanacaste, (b) George T. Locke, and (c) Shield’s Point #5 side-scan

FIGURE 23. 2006 Snapper Wreck side-scan sonar imagery. (Figure by author, 2014.)

FIGURE 24. 2014 Snapper Wreck side-scan sonar imagery: (a) steering components; (b) main

FIGURE 25. Salinity at Riverwalk Park in Milton. (Figure by author, 2014.)

FIGURE 26. pH at Riverwalk Park in Milton. (Figure by author, 2014.) corrosion accelerates in low pH water (Ammar and Riad 1958).

At Riverwalk Park, the lowest recording was about three mg/l during August 2012 (Figure 27). anoxic levels in the water was at the beginning of July, when Swingbridge Hull was at 1.27 mg/l. Temperature

FIGURE 28. Water temperature at Riverwalk Park in Milton. (Figure by author, 2014.)

Sediment Cores Small sediment cores (20 cm deep) were extracted to test for sulfide (S2-) content in the term monitoring of the pins will provide better indications of sediment transport.

(although missing the two deeper samples) showed the highest concentrations of S2-. The most straightforward form of monitoring and management was visual appraisal.

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New methodological approaches in Marine Geoarchaeology: Examples from Greece and Eastern-Central Mediterranean Sea

by Academy of Institutions and Cultures Society

Series: the Hellenic Worldview

Presentation: GEORGIOS PAPATHEODOROU, Professor in Geology, Director of Laboratory of Marine Geology and Physical Oceanography, University of Patras. Hellas Work of Scientists : GEORGIOS PAPATHEODOROU, GEORGE FERENTINOS, Professor... more

Fig. 2. A plan view diagram of the Britannic and an interpreted
sonograph of the wreck. The sonograph acquired along a bow
- stern direction over the deck of the wreck and shows the
main structural components and superstructures of the ship-
wreck. (1: bow, 2: stern, 3: the massive crack in the bow, 4:
Wellin type davits, 5: giant lifeboat davits, 6: fore mast, 7: rear
mast, 8, 9: funnels) (Papatheodorou et al., 2008a).

Fic. 3. 3D presentations showing a side scan sonar (to-
gether with the “acoustic shadow” criterion) and a 3.5
kHz profiling system.

Fig.7. Selected seismic profiles offshore the Dokos island.
The arrows indicate the geomorphologic features which corre-
spond to surficial or buried traces of submerged palaeoshore-
lines (Scarps).

Fic.4. The Overhauser marine mag-
netometer (a) and the MKII Benthos
R.O.V. (b) which are owned and oper-
ated by the Laboratory of Marine Ge-
ology and Physical Oceanography.

Fig. 8. Map showing the palaeoshorelines around Dokos
Island and Skindou embayment between 15100yrs BP anc
6000yrs BP. The grey circle indicates the location of the
wreck.

Fig. 10. Side scan sonar sonographs showing the Irenes Serenade shipwreck (a) and the bow of the ship-
wreck (b).

Fig. 11. Side scan sonar so-
nograph showing dense net
(cluster) of sub parallel or in-
ersected and superimposed
marks caused by the anchors
of moored tankers.

Fig. 15. Map showing the locations of the main ancient
sites in the coastal zone of Alexandria and the areas of the
recent underwater archaeological surveys under the directions
of J -Y Empereur (1), F.Goddio (2) and H. Tzalas (3).
Fig. 13. Map of the Navarino Bay showing the spatial distribu-
tion of the Turkish-Egyptian fleet and the areal distribution of
the degree of disturbance of the seafloor surface by the tow-
ing anchors (Papatheodorou et al 2005).

Fig.18.3-D bathymetric reconstruction of the
coastal zone of Alexandria at the Hellenistic-
Roman periods (see text for details) (Chalari
et al., 2009).

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Locating the Mahogany Ship Using Geoarchaeological Methods to Test Historical Sources - A and I Moss

by Alexander Moss and

2017, Australasian Journal of Maritime Archaeology

The so-called Mahogany Ship remains one of Victoria’s and the nation’s most perplexing maritime mysteries. There have been numerous searches for the wreck, reportedly first seen in the coastal dunes of Armstrong Bay in south-western... more

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