The tempest: Geoarchaeological examinations of tropical cycle/hurricane signatures in a submerged, formerly coastal shell midden site, Econfina Channel, Florida, U.S.A.

Abstract

The nature of preservation potential for submerged cultural landscapes on continental shelves remains varied and not easily defined. This is due to two factors: First, relatively few sites have been discovered offshore, creating a small sample size. Second, excavation and analysis of such submerged sites have only begun to mature during the past few decades. We present here results from an exploratory study of one such site that examines impacts from two tropical cyclone systems in successive years. The main feature of this site is a specific type of archaeological feature: a shell midden. These sites are excellent indicators for coastal occupations globally and can retain evidence for major developments in cultural evolution, including reactions to climate change and sea-level rise from the Pleistocene into the Holocene. Further, they are found worldwide. The degree to which middens have been impacted by past and present marine forces, including tropical cyclones, is a key factor in their potential to preserve such evidence. We used a geoarchaeological methodology that quantifies particle size fractions from sediments taken from various zones within the site to compare them before and after each storm. Results have significant implications for preservation of submerged, formerly coastal archaeological sites globally.