Stone Age Site Surfaces After 8,000 Years

Science Daily ^ | 8-5-2007

[blam]

Source: University of Southampton
Date: August 5, 2007

Stone Age Site Surfaces After 8000 Years

Science Daily — Excavations of an underwater Stone Age archaeological settlement dating back 8000 years took place at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton between 30 July – 3 August 2007.

A diver working at the site just off the Isle of Wight coast. (Credit: Copyright Simon Brown 2007)

Maritime archaeologists from the Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology (HWTMA) have been working at the site just off the Isle of Wight coast. Divers working at depths of 11 metres have raised sections of the seabed, which have been brought to the NOCS laboratories for excavation.

Garry Momber, Director of HWTMA said: ‘This is a site of international importance as it reveals a time before the English Channel existed when Europe and Britain were linked. Earlier excavations have produced flint tools, pristine 8,000-year-old organic material such as acorns, charcoal and worked pieces of wood showing evidence of extensive human activity. This is the only site of its kind in Britain and is extremely important to our understanding of our Stone Age ancestors from the lesser-known Mesolithic period.

‘At first we had no idea of the size of this site, but now we are finding evidence of hearths and ovens so it appears to be an extensive settlement. We are hoping that this excavation will reveal more artefacts and clues to life in the Stone Age.’

The team of archaeologists will take the sections to the NOCS laboratories where they will painstakingly excavate through the layers of sediment revealing materials that have lain unseen beneath the seabed for over 8000 years. Garry Momber has recruited University of Southampton students to help with the work.

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by University of Southampton.

[blam]

GGG Ping. (This article seems familiar)

[SlowBoat407]

Trying to recall the latest theories on formation of the English Channel. Was that an ice dam that broke? I seem to remember seeing something about a sudden release that cut the channel.

[Allegra]

Ping!

[blam]

Stone Age Sites Found Under North Sea (8,000BC)

[ravingnutter]

The Channel is of geologically recent origins, having been dry land for most of the Pleistocene period. It is thought to have been created between 450,000 and 180,000 years ago by two catastrophic glacial lake outburst floods caused by the breaching of the Weald-Artois Anticline, a ridge which held back a large proglacial lake in the Doggerland region, now submerged under the North Sea. The flood would have lasted several months, releasing as much as one million cubic metres of water per second. The cause of the breach is not known but may have been caused by an earthquake or simply the build-up of water pressure in the lake. As well as destroying the isthmus that connected Britain to continental Europe, the flood carved a large bedrock-floored valley down the length of the English Channel, leaving behind streamlined islands and longitudinal erosional grooves characteristic of catastrophic megaflood events.[4]

Wikipedia

[Bittersweetmd]

ping

[Red Badger]

How did this site get underwater?.......Was there an earthquake or similar catastrophe, millenia ago?...

[GQuagmire]

Who's he flipping the bird at?

[SlowBoat407]

That was it. Thank you. Reminiscent of the scablands. I guess it’s easy to see why so many cultures have stories of great floods back in their “before time”.

[xcamel]

A flying fish....

[blam]

"How did this site get underwater?.......Was there an earthquake or similar catastrophe, millenia ago?..."

The Ice Age ended, all the ice melted and the water in the oceans rose between 300-500 feet flooding these coastal communities. There were three melt 'surge' periods...the last one was between 7-8,000 years ago. I have some 7,000+- year old wood that was flooded in this last flood.

[blam]

Here is a map of the world with the ocean level reduced by a little over 300 feet.

[massgopguy]

My ancestors were Picts who were driven from the Isle of Wight in 1633. I demand a Casino.

[Vermont Lt]

You mean the ice caps melted? My goodness...

[blam]

"My ancestors were Picts who were driven from the Isle of Wight in 1633."

How do you know you're a Pict?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Blam. This is mighty familiar. Maybe we found it on one of those sites we use, but the source article was on the do not use list.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.

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[null and void]

How did this site get underwater?.......Was there an earthquake or similar catastrophe, millenia ago?...

Global warming. Seriously. Global warming.

[blam]

"Maybe we found it on one of those sites we use, but the source article was on the do not use list."

Good idea. I hadn't considered that possibility.

[mamelukesabre]

Maybe he’s red haired and tattooed and can read ogham.