The Mesolithic landscape of the southern North Sea
The submerged landscape of the North Sea has long been known by archaeologists as an area of Mesolithic occupation, and it has even been argued that it was the âheartlandâ of the Mesolithic in North Western Europe. Despite knowledge of the potential significance of the marine archaeological record, it has always been a great challenge to explore this largely inaccessible landscape and in many ways it remained a hypothetical construct. However, recent research in the Southern North Sea has recently permitted the mapping of parts of this landscape, revealing the scale and diversity of submerged Mesolithic environments. This research represents a âfirst pass~ study that has produced an initial model of the carrying capacity of the landscape and its associated demography. This model seeks to explore the impacts of sea level driven landscape change upon the Mesolithic population. The model reveals the diversity of resources present in this landscape and the potential these have to buffer subsistence resources from the effects of marine inundation. As such the model provides new insights into the nature of the impacts upon human occupation within the region and highlights 8,500BP as a crucial time in the evolution
Fitch, Simon Edward James
CC Archaeology ; QE Geology
The Mesolithic landscape of the southern North Sea. The submerged landscape of the North Sea has long been known by archaeologists as an area of Mesolithic occupation, and it has even been argued that it was the âheartlandâ of the Mesolithic in North Western Europe. Despite knowledge of the potential significance of the marine archaeological record, it has always been a great challenge to explore this largely inaccessible landscape and in many ways it remained a hypothetical construct. However, recent research in the Southern North Sea has recently permitted the mapping of parts of this landscape, revealing the scale and diversity of submerged Mesolithic environments. This research represents a âfirst pass~ study that has produced an initial model of the carrying capacity of the landscape and its associated demography. This model seeks to explore the impacts of sea level driven landscape change upon the Mesolithic population. The model reveals the diversity of resources present in this landscape and the potential these have to buffer subsistence resources from the effects of marine inundation. As such the model provides new insights into the nature of the impacts upon human occupation within the region and highlights 8,500BP as a crucial time in the evolution
mesolithic landscape southern north_sea submerge landscape north_sea long known archaeologist area mesolithic occupation even argue heartland mesolithic north western_europe despite knowledge potential significance marine archaeological_record always great challenge explore largely landscape many_way remain hypothetical construct however recent southern north_sea recently permit mapping part landscape reveal scale diversity submerge mesolithic environment represent_first pass study produce initial model carry capacity landscape associate demography model seek_explore impact sea_level drive landscape_change upon mesolithic population model reveals diversity resource present landscape potential buffer subsistence resource effect marine model provide_new insight_nature impact_upon human_occupation within_region highlight crucial time evolution