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    Can we detect centennial sea-level variations over the last three thousand years in Israeli archaeological records?


    Dean, S., Horton, Benjamin P., Evelpidou, Niki, Cahill, Niamh, Spada, Giorgio and Sivan, Dorit (2019) Can we detect centennial sea-level variations over the last three thousand years in Israeli archaeological records? Quaternary Science Reviews, 210. pp. 125-135. ISSN 0277-3791

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    Abstract

    Archaeological remains are valuable relative sea-level (RSL) indicators in Israel, a tectonically stable coast with minor isostatic inputs. Previous research has used archaeological indicators to argue for centennial sea-level fluctuations. Here, we place archaeological indicators in a quality-controlled dataset where all indicators have consistently calculated vertical and chronological uncertainties, and we subject the data to statistical analysis. We combine the archaeological data with bio-construction data from Dendropoma petraeum colonial vermetids. The final dataset consists of 99 relative sea-level index points and 12 limiting points from the last 4000 a. The temporal distribution of the index points is uneven; Israel has only four index points before 2000 a BP. We apply an Errors-In-Variables Integrated Gaussian Process (EIV IGP) to the index points to model the evolution of RSL. Results show RSL in Israel rose from −0.8 ± 0.5 m at ∼2750 a BP (Iron Age) to 0.0 ± 0.1 m by ∼1850 a BP (Roman period) at 0.8 mm/a, and continued rising to 0.1 ± 0.1 m until ∼1600 a BP (Byzantine Period). RSL then fell to −0.3 ± 0.1 m by 0.5 mm/a until ∼650 a BP (Late Arab period), before returning to present levels at a rate of 0.4 mm/a. The re-assessed Israeli record supports centennial-scale RSL fluctuations during the last 3000 a BP, although the magnitude of the RSL fall during the last 2000 a BP is 50% less. The new Israel RSL record demonstrates correspondence with regional climate proxies. This quality-controlled Israeli RSL dataset can serve as a reference for comparisons with other sea-level records from the Eastern Mediterranean.
    Item Type: Article
    Additional Information: Cite as: S. Dean, Benjamin P. Horton, Niki Evelpidou, Niamh Cahill, Giorgio Spada, Dorit Sivan, Can we detect centennial sea-level variations over the last three thousand years in Israeli archaeological records?, Quaternary Science Reviews, Volume 210, 2019, Pages 125-135, ISSN 0277-3791, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.02.021
    Keywords: Late Holocene; Maritime archaeology; Sea level changes; Middle East; Israel; Eastern Mediterranean;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Mathematics and Statistics
    Item ID: 13627
    Identification Number: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.02.021
    Depositing User: Niamh Cahill
    Date Deposited: 24 Nov 2020 15:53
    Journal or Publication Title: Quaternary Science Reviews
    Publisher: Elsevier
    Refereed: Yes
    Related URLs:
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/13627
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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