Geoarchaeology of the Burmarrad ria and early Holocene human impacts in western Malta

详细信息	查看全文 | 推荐本文 |

• 作者：Nick Marriner^a ; ^{marriner@cerege.fr} ; Timothy Gambin^b ; Morteza Djamali^c ; Christophe Morhange^d ; Mevrick Spiteri^e
• 关键词：Human impacts ; Prehistory ; Ancient harbour ; Ria ; Sedimentology ; Palaeoecology ; Malta ; Mediterranean
• 刊名：Palaeogeography ; Palaeoclimatology ; Palaeoecology
• 出版年：2012
• 期刊代码：68_00310182
• 类别：ear
• 出版时间：1 July, 2012
• 卷：339-341
• 期：Complete
• 页码：52-65
• 文件大小：4055 K

摘要

Holocene sediments from the ria of Burmarrad (western Malta) provide a record of changing geomorphology, relative sea-level rise and human impacts. Chronostratigraphic evidence attests to a fluvial-dominated upper estuarine environment between ~ 7500 cal. BP and ~ 7000 cal. BP, with increasing salinity linked to rising post-glacial sea level. The shift to a marine setting is dated to ~ 7000 cal. BP, characterized by a wave-dominated coastline that accreted up until ~ 4000 cal. BP. During the maximum marine ingression, the Burmarrad floodplain formed a vast 1.8 km² marine bay, ~ 3000 m long by ~ 650 m wide, whose environmental potentiality presented western Malta's early societies with a multiplicity of coastal, terrestrial, and fluvial resources, in addition to a low-energy context favourable to the anchoring of boats. New palynological data show intensified human impact on the landscape beginning ~ 7300 cal. BP, which is broadly consistent with the earliest archaeological traces. Western Malta was already void of a significant vegetation cover by the mid-Holocene. Rapid human-induced sedimentation means that by the Bronze Age, the palaeobay had been reduced by ~ 40%compared to its mid-Holocene maximum. The final morphogenetic phase constitutes fluvial silts and sands that began accreting after 2700 cal. BP. During Punic/Roman times, the ria bay was ~ 1 km², and was flanked to the south by a well-developed deltaic plain providing fertile land for agriculture. Today, the ria is ~ 60%smaller than it was 7000 years ago.