The changing coastal landscapes of Sicily : sea-level change, natural catastrophe and geomorphological modification of the Sicilian coastline : their impact on the visibility of archaeological evidence for human occupation
Deteriorating climate in the period leading up to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) 20,000 years ago caused global sea levels to fall to a lowstand of 125m below modern levels. This resulted in the recession of the Sicilian palaeoshoreline by up to 150km and the emergence of vast tracts of coastal lowland. Following climate amelioration and deglaciation, rising sea levels inundated these formerly exposed areas. The earliest indication of a modern human presence on Sicily comes from Fontana Nuova, in the southeast of the island. The timing of this occupation, on the basis of cross-dating of Aurignacian lithic typology, is about 37,000 BP â a time when sea levels around the Sicilian coastline were some 40-80m lower than at present. The oldest scientifically-dated human remains come from Addaura Caprara, dated to 15,643â15,177 cal BP. Some archaeologists interpret the evidence as suggesting a brief, solitary visit to the island at around 37,000 BP followed by a gap of some 20,000 years before the establishment of a permanent presence during the 16th millennium BP. Others dismiss the veracity of the evidence from Fontana Nuova and hold that Sicily was never settled until some considerable time after the LGM.
Ritchie, Graham
Sicily ; sea-level change ; loss of archaeological evidence
The changing coastal landscapes of Sicily : sea-level change, natural catastrophe and geomorphological modification of the Sicilian coastline : their impact on the visibility of archaeological evidence for human occupation. Deteriorating climate in the period leading up to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) 20,000 years ago caused global sea levels to fall to a lowstand of 125m below modern levels. This resulted in the recession of the Sicilian palaeoshoreline by up to 150km and the emergence of vast tracts of coastal lowland. Following climate amelioration and deglaciation, rising sea levels inundated these formerly exposed areas. The earliest indication of a modern human presence on Sicily comes from Fontana Nuova, in the southeast of the island. The timing of this occupation, on the basis of cross-dating of Aurignacian lithic typology, is about 37,000 BP â a time when sea levels around the Sicilian coastline were some 40-80m lower than at present. The oldest scientifically-dated human remains come from Addaura Caprara, dated to 15,643â15,177 cal BP. Some archaeologists interpret the evidence as suggesting a brief, solitary visit to the island at around 37,000 BP followed by a gap of some 20,000 years before the establishment of a permanent presence during the 16th millennium BP. Others dismiss the veracity of the evidence from Fontana Nuova and hold that Sicily was never settled until some considerable time after the LGM.
change coastal_landscape sicily sea_level change natural catastrophe geomorphological modification sicilian coastline impact visibility archaeological_evidence human_occupation climate period lead last glacial maximum lgm cause global sea_level fall modern level result recession sicilian emergence vast tract coastal lowland following climate rise sea_level formerly expose area early indication modern_human presence sicily come southeast island timing occupation basis cross dating lithic typology time sea_level around sicilian coastline low present old scientifically dated human_remain come date cal archaeologist interpret evidence_suggest brief visit island follow gap establishment permanent presence others dismiss veracity evidence hold sicily never settle considerable_time lgm