Search

This paper presents new data looking into the Holocene evolution of the Kuban delta (Taman Peninsula, SW Russia), with particular emphasis on its southern arm. In the area of the later Taman Peninsula, the Holocene marine transgression created an archipelago around 6000 years ago. When sea-level rise decelerated, deltaic sedimentation and longshore drift gradually landlocked the islands, transforming the archipelago into a peninsula. The peninsula constituted an important area of Greek colonisation in the northern Black Sea because it was conducive to sea-faring, natural anchorages and human settlement. Natural factors such as delta progradation and the evolution of spits and sand bars have considerably affected the landscape evolution and therefore human occupation. After 6000 years ago the progradation of the delta began from the east of the peninsula, where the Kuban River drains into the sea. Navigation by an eastern channel, the Kuban Bosphorus became impossible at least 1500 years before the Greek colonisation. By then, the central Bosphorus (Temryuk Bosphorus) was well suited for sea-faring. The calm shallow-marine and lagoonal areas were a suitable environment for harbours and maritime activities. Nonetheless, the growth of sand spits and barriers at the head of the islands eventually led to the closure of these spaces after the early second millennium BC. Some ancient city-states, such as Golubitskaya 2 or Strelka were abandoned just a few centuries after their foundation. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This paper presents new data looking into the Holocene evolution of the Kuban delta (Taman Peninsula, SW Russia), with particular emphasis on its southern arm. In the area of the later Taman Peninsula, the Holocene marine transgression created an archipelago around 6000 years ago. When sea-level rise decelerated, deltaic sedimentation and longshore drift gradually landlocked the islands, transforming the archipelago into a peninsula. The peninsula constituted an important area of Greek colonisation in the northern Black Sea because it was conducive to sea-faring, natural anchorages and human settlement. Natural factors such as delta progradation and the evolution of spits and sand bars have considerably affected the landscape evolution and therefore human occupation. After 6000 years ago the progradation of the delta began from the east of the peninsula, where the Kuban River drains into the sea. Navigation by an eastern channel, the Kuban Bosphorus became impossible at least 1500 years before the Greek colonisation. By then, the central Bosphorus (Temryuk Bosphorus) was well suited for sea-faring. The calm shallow-marine and lagoonal areas were a suitable environment for harbours and maritime activities. Nonetheless, the growth of sand spits and barriers at the head of the islands eventually led to the closure of these spaces after the early second millennium BC. Some ancient city-states, such as Golubitskaya 2 or Strelka were abandoned just a few centuries after their foundation. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Les observations démontrent que la région d’Apollonia, à l’image de l’ensemble du littoral bulgare, n’atteste pas d’oscillations du niveau marin. L’importante régularisation de la côte par le comblement des baies et la formation d’un tombolo à Sozopol reflète une montée du niveau marin modeste., These studies clearly demonstrate that the region of Apollonia, like the entire Bulgarian coast, does not attest to sea-level oscillations. On the contrary, the important coastal regularisation by infilling of the bays and the formation of a tombolo, such as at Sozopol, reflect the modest role of sea level and the high sedimentary inputs at base level.

La cité antique d’Empuriès, située sur la marge sud de la plaine deltaïque des fleuves Fluvia et Muga, dans le golfe de Rosas (Catalogne), a fait l’objet de nombreuses fouilles archéologiques depuis plus d’un siècle. Trois villes antiques ont été découvertes ainsi que plusieurs zones portuaires dont l’une d’elles auraient servi aux colons grecs. Une campagne de carottages a été organisée afin de tester la localisation du port grec d’Empuriès, de comprendre l’évolution de la plaine deltaïque et son incidence sur le colmatage du port. Nous présentons ici les résultats concernant le « port grec ». L’analyse sédimentologique d’une carotte a permis de caractériser l’environnement du bassin qui s’apparentait à un milieu côtier plutôt battu. Ces données sédimentologiques ont ensuite été comparées à des données géoélectriques. Les résultats obtenus soulignent trois problèmes majeurs concernant la fonctionnalité du port : l’accessibilité délicate, le mode battu de son environnement ainsi que la faiblesse de sa hauteur d’eau. On peut donc émettre de sérieuses réserves quand à l’utilisation du « port grec » comme bassin protégé. Il s’agissait beaucoup plus d’un port ouvert sous la forme d’une plage de poche., The ancient city of Empuriès, located on the distal margin of the rivers Fluvia and Muga in the Gulf of Rosas (Catalunya), has undergone many archaeological excavations. Three Greco-Roman urban sites and a harbour area have been excavated. In December 2007, a coring campaign was organized to (i) precisely locate the “Greek Harbour”, and (ii) understand the Holocene evolution of the deltaic plain and its influence on the infilling of Empuriès’ Greek harbour. In this paper, we present results concerning the Greek harbour. Sedimentological analyzes of a core taken inside the speculated Greek harbour have allowed us to characterize its environmental evolution. We show that it constituted an exposed shoreline. These results are discussed within the context of geoelectric data. The results underline three problems concerning the functionality of the harbour basin : (i) difficult access ; (ii) an exposed environment ; and (iii) a shallow draught depth. This calls into question the idea of a protected Greek harbour. Instead, we suggest that Empuriès’ Greek harbour comprised an exposed pocket beach.