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Archaeological survey and combined geophysical measurements of magnetics were conducted. Geoelectrics and ground penetrating radar support the interpretation of a Roman station controlling a branch of the Via Egnatia leading to Ainos (modern Enez in Turkey). The site could be the first archaeological example of a road station in Thrace, constructed between the 1st and the 2nd century CE.

In light of global warming and rising relative sea level (RSL), detailed reconstructions of RSL histories and their controlling processes are essential in order to manage coastal‐protection challenges. This study contributes to unravelling Holocene RSL change on the East Frisian North Sea coast in high resolution and with a new approach for the German Bight. For the first time, a transfer function (vertical error: 29.7 cm ≙ ~11% of the mean tidal range) for RSL change based on a combined training set of benthic foraminifers and ostracods from the back‐barrier tidal basin of Spiekeroog is applied to the Holocene record of the back‐barrier tidal basin of Norderney. The resulting RSL curve for the Norderney tidal basin is corrected for decompaction and shows a deceleration in RSL rise between 6000 and 5000 cal bp. The smallest possible error envelope (~1 m) results from the good suitability of salt‐marsh layers between 5000 and 4000 cal bp. The RSL curve provides an approach towards the closure of the common data gap of peat‐based curves for the southern North Sea related to a lack of basal peats in the youngest age range, and verifies regional differences in glacial isostatic adjustment., Volkswagen Foundation http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001663, Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Kultur http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100010570

Wave-transported boulders represent important records of storm and tsunami impact over geological timescales. Their use for hazard assessment requires chronological information on their displacement that in many cases cannot be achieved by established dating approaches. To fill this gap, this study investigated, for the first time, the potential of optically stimulated luminescence rock surface exposure dating (OSL-RSED) for estimating cliff-detachment ages of wave-transported coastal boulders. The approach was tested on calcarenite clasts at the Rabat coast, Morocco. Calibration of the OSL-RSED model was based on samples with rock surfaces exposed to sunlight for ∼ 2 years, and OSL exposure ages were evaluated against age control deduced from satellite images. Our results show that the dating precision is limited for all targeted boulders due to the local source rock lithology which has low amounts of quartz and feldspar. The dating accuracy may be affected by erosion rates on boulder surfaces of 0.02–0.18 mm yr−1. Nevertheless, we propose a robust relative chronology for boulders that are not affected by significant post-depositional erosion and that share surface angles of inclination with the calibration samples. The relative chronology indicates that (i) most boulders were detached from the cliff by storm waves; (ii) these storms lifted boulders with masses of up to ∼ 24 t; and (iii) the role of storms in the formation of boulder deposits along the Rabat coast is more significant than previously assumed. Although OSL-RSED cannot provide reliable absolute exposure ages for the coastal boulders in this study, the approach has large potential for boulder deposits composed of rocks with larger amounts of quartz or feldspar and less susceptibility to erosion.

Coastal alluvial fans (CAF) are important geo-archives due to their sensitivity to both tectonic activity and climatic changes. Thus, they can give key insights for geomorphic and sedimentary processes. In this study we test the potential of K-feldspar post infrared-infrared stimulated luminescence (pIR-IRSL) and quartz electron spin resonance (ESR) methods for dating alluvial fan complexes in arid environments. The existing chronological data from marine terraces that interact with CAF make the Atacama Desert in northern Chile an excellent setting for this research. Samples have been collected from alluvial, marine and aeolian sediments embedded in the CAF complexes, allowing evaluation of the different signal properties and bleaching characteristics of the pIR-IRSL and ESR signals over Late Pleistocene time scales. pIR-IRSL dose distributions of clast-rich alluvial fan samples are characterised by higher scatter and demonstrate heterogeneous bleaching, while matrix-rich alluvial fan deposits show rather homogeneous poor bleaching in the dose dispersion as indicated by a modern analogue sample. In contrast, marine and aeolian deposits are homogeneously well bleached, supported by a modern littoral sample. Following the quartz multiple centre (MC) ESR dating approach (Al and Ti centres), bleaching of the different centres prior to deposition has been achieved. While the Ti–H centre provides mostly lower doses than the Ti–Li centre, in most cases the Al centre provides the highest dose values. This pattern is consistent with their respective bleaching kinetics and suggests that the Ti centre signals most likely provide the closest estimate to the true burial dose for samples with doses >200 Gy. ESR and pIR-IRSL ages are consistent at 2σ for the marine, aeolian and clast-rich debris-flow deposits, which is in agreement with existing chronological data in this area. It appears that the mode of sediment transport on alluvial fans, either as matrix- or clast-rich flows, plays an important role in sediment bleaching. While clast-rich alluvial fan deposits are likely better bleached, we cannot exclude insufficient bleaching during matrix-rich alluvial fan flows; our dating results suggest that both pIR-IRSL and ESR dating overestimate the true burial age. The combination of pIR-IRSL and MC ESR dating can be considered as a promising tool for deciphering alluvial fan formation over (Late) Pleistocene time scales.

We apply seismic full waveform inversion to SH‐ and Love‐wave data for investigating the near‐surface lithology at an archaeological site. We evaluate the resolution of the applied full waveform inversion algorithm through ground truthing in the form of an excavation and sediment core studies. Thereby, we investigate the benefits of full waveform inversion in comparison with other established methods of near‐surface prospecting in terms of resolution capabilities and interpretation security. The study is performed in a presumed harbour area of the ancient Thracian city of Ainos. The exemplary target is the source of a linear magnetic anomaly oriented perpendicular to the coast, which was found in a previous magnetic gradiometry survey, suggesting a mole. The SH‐wave full waveform inversion recovered a subsurface SH‐wave velocity model with submeter resolution showing lateral and vertical velocity variation between 40 and 150 m/s. To tame the non‐linearity of the full waveform inversion, a sequential inversion of frequency bands has to be combined with time‐windowing in order to separate the Love wave from the reflected SH wavefield. We compare the full waveform inversion results with multichannel analysis of surface waves, standard seismic reflection imaging, electrical resistivity tomography and electromagnetic induction. It turns out that the respective depth sections are correlated to a certain degree with the full waveform inversion results. However, the structural resolution of the other geophysical methods is significantly lower than for the full waveform inversion. An exception is the reflection seismic imaging, which shows the same resolution as full waveform inversion but can only be interpreted together with the full waveform inversion–based velocity model. An archaeological excavation as well as coring data allows ground truthing and a direct understanding of the geophysical structures. The results show that the target was a sort of near‐surface trench of about 3–4 m width and 0.8 m to 1.0 m depth, filled with silty sediment, which differs from the layered surrounding in colour and composition. The ground truthing revealed that only SH‐wave full waveform inversion and seismic reflection imaging could image the trench and sediment structure with satisfying lateral and depth resolution. We emphasize that the velocity distribution from SH‐wave full waveform inversion agrees closely with the excavated subsurface structures, and that the discovered changes in seismic velocity correlate with changes in the sand content in the respective sediment facies sequences. The study demonstrated that SH‐wave full waveform inversion is capable to image structural and lithological changes in the near subsurface at scales as low as 0.5 m, thus providing the high resolution needed for archaeological and geoarchaeological prospection.

Coastal boulder fields provide clues to long-term frequency-magnitude patterns of coastal flooding events and have the potential to play an important role in coastal hazard assessment. Mapping boulders in the field is time and labour-intensive, and work on intertidal reef platforms, as in the present study, is physically challenging. By addressing coastal scientists who are not specialists in remote sensing, this contribution reports on the possibilities and limitations of digital applications in boulder mapping in Eastern Samar, Philippines, where recent supertyphoons Haiyan and Hagupit induced high waves, coastal flooding and boulder transport. It is demonstrated how satellite imagery of sub-metre resolution (from Pleiades and WorldView-3 imagery) enables efficient analysis of transport vectors and distances of larger boulders, reflecting variation in latitudes of both typhoon tracks and approaching angles of typhoon-generated waves. During the investigated events, boulders with a-axes of up to 8 m were clearly identified to have been shifted for up to 32 m, mostly along the seaward margin of the boulder field. It is, however, hard to keep track of smaller boulders, and the length of a-axes and b-axes including their orientation is often impossible to map with sufficient accuracy. Orthophotographs and digital surface models created through the application of an unmanned aerial vehicle and the 'Structure from Motion' technique provide ultra-high-resolution data, and have the potential to not only improve the results of satellite image analysis, but also those from field mapping and may significantly reduce overall time in the field. Orthophotographs permit unequivocal mapping of a-axes and b-axes including their orientation, while precise values for c-axes can be derived from the respective digital surface models. Volume of boulders is best inferred from boulder-specific Structure from Motion-based three-dimensional models. Battery power, flight speed and altitude determine the limits of the area covered, while patches shielded by the boulders are difficult to resolve. For some tasks, field mapping remains mandatory and cannot be replaced by currently available remote sensing tools: for example, sampling for rock type, density and age dating, recording of lithological separation of boulders from the underlying geological unit and of geomorphic features on a millimetre to decimetre-scale, or documentation of fine-grained sediment transport in between the boulders in supratidal settings. In terms of future events, the digital products presented here will provide a valuable reference to track boulder transport on a centimetre to decimetre-scale and to better understand the hydrodynamics of extreme-wave events on a fringing reef coastline.

Lake Paravani is located in the Republic of Georgia at an altitude of 2073 m on the volcanic Javakheti Plateau (Lesser Caucasus). Although first studies were conducted at the lake the last years, many questions remain unsolved regarding to the sedimentation pattern and the landscape evolution in general. Hence, we aim to deepen the understanding of landscape genesis during the Holocene and beyond. Therefore, a coring transect of eight cores was taken in the southern part of the lake and two of these sediment cores, ICE001 and ICE006, were analysed with respect to (i) landscape, vegetation and climate evolution since the Pleistocene, and (ii) their processes. By using an applied multi-proxy approach, sediment properties in terms of granulometry, geochemical composition, magnetic susceptibility, organic content, and palynology were analysed.The results suggest high lake levels for the period from about 28 to 16 ka BP, inferring a cold and humid climate in the Lake Paravani basin. The landscape was covered by glaciers, which act as drivers for the prevailing physical weathering while sparse vegetation and poorly developed soils dominated around Lake Paravani. Since 16 ka BP, a declining lake level is identified, from which a significant increase in aridity is inferred while temperatures remain constantly low. The accompanying shift of facies into the sublittoral establishes variable depositional conditions at the site of borehole ICE001. For this reason, the transition from glacial to interglacial is poorly recorded. Early and middle Holocene deposits were eventually eroded during lake level fluctuations. A palaeobeach facies at approximately 4.5 ka BP displays low lake level and indicates high aridity. The period from 4.5 ka BP to present was characterized by rising lake level to recent conditions. Furthermore, increasing productivity within the lake, as shown by the total organic content, indicates warmer temperatures, and consequently increasing intensity of chemical weathering. In addition, vegetation cover established and soils developed.

The ancient city Miletus is located at the Mediterranean coast of present Turkey. Its former geographical position on a land tongue in the Gulf of Miletus with four bays, which can be used as harbours, made the city a place of great economical interest. During the last decades, several archaeological and geophysical investigations were carried out to reconstruct the cityscape of Miletus.In 2018, geoelectrical measurements revealed a high-resistive anomaly near the ancient western market place. The aim of the presented study is a more detailed imaging of this anomaly with help of shear wave seismic methods. For this purpose, a 35.5m long profile was build up across the geoelectric anomaly. An overall of 72 S-geophones was used with a spacing of 0.5m. Shots were struck every 1m by the use of a hammer and a shear wave source. A "simple" velocity evaluation by the Wiechert-Herglotz method shows shear-wave velocities between 270-380 m/s in the first three meters. This depth gradient of velocities is verified by a refraction tomography using the first breaks of each channel. The tomography also shows a high velocity zone of about 470 m/s in the deepest part of the model. A Full Waveform Inversion (FWI) was calculated using the refraction tomography as a start model. The inversion model shows three distinct high velocity zones in a, apart of these anomalies, quite homogeneous model. In these zones, velocity reaches values of more than 500 m/s. The results are in accordance to geoelectrical measurements conducted on the same profile. High velocity zones strongly correlate with areas of higher electrical resistivity. Corings near these velocity and resistivity anomalies show massive layers of limestone starting at a depth of about 1.5m and thus verify the findings of the geophysical investigations.In conclusion, the shear wave seismic measurements are capable of resolving small-scale features even in shallow depths, especially with help of FWI. Together with the geoelectrics and corings, the results deliver an important contribution for the further interpretation of the buried archaeological feature.

This presentation gives an overview of the results of a five-year research project on tsunami-induced boulder transport. It stresses the importance of the exact determination of boulder shapes in contrast to simplified bodies (such as cuboids), especially with regard to the transport distance. It also provides insights about a newly developed numerical boulder-transport model based on Pudasaini (2012). Additionally, some ideas how experimental research on tsunami-induced boulder transport may be improved and coordinated in the future will be presented.The investigations by physical experiments are based on three boulder shapes of which one depicts the replica of an original boulder from the island of Bonaire (Caribbean Sea, Lesser Antilles). The experiments clearly reveal that the available impact area of the boulder has a great significance; however, this is so far insufficiently considered in analytical equations. In the given case, the comparison between the more streamline-shaped replica of the Bonaire boulder and an idealised cuboid boulder resulted in reduced transport distances of 30 %, in average. Additionally, statistical evaluations revealed that the entire process is highly sensitive with partly stochastic behaviour. Thus, we support the statement of Bressan et al. (2018) in this regard. We show, how important it is to calculate and communicate wave thresholds for mobilisation in terms of probability ranges instead of fixed values.Based on the results of our own physical experiments and the evaluation of published physical experiments, we developed a tool, which supports researchers in assessing the accuracy of analytical equations for specific in-situ settings (Oetjen et al., 2021). This tool encompasses the crucial parameters (e.g., bottom roughness, boulder shape), combines their influence on the transport process and finally gives an indication of whether the present conditions tend to amplify or hamper the boulder transport. The benefit and the usage of the above-mentioned tool will be demonstrated exemplarily.Furthermore, within the framework of the project a numerical Boulder-Transport-Model was developed which is based on the Immersed Boundary Method and the Two-Phase Flow Model of Pudasaini (2012). Insights into the functionality of the model and the importance of the increased flow density will be highlighted, while the further development steps will be indicated.As part of the project, we also dealt with the future development of research on tsunami-induced boulder transport (cf. Oetjen et al., 2021). One important suggestion is to establish a standardised reference setup for experimental investigations within the research community. It would enable researchers to compare the results of their own experiments and the effect of the investigated parameters with well-documented reference values and assist them to evaluate and classify their experimental results accordingly. Bressan, L., Guerrero, M., Antonini, A., Petruzzelli, V., Archetti, R., Lamberti, A., Tinti, S. (2018): A laboratory experiment on the incipient motion of boulders by high-energy coastal flows. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 43 (14), 2935–2947. DOI: 10.1002/esp.4461.Oetjen, J., Engel., M., Schüttrumpf, H. (2021): Experiments on tsunami induced boulder transport – a review. Earth-Science Reviews 220. DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2021.103714.Pudasaini, S.P. (2012): A general two-phase debris flow model. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 117, F03010. DOI: 10.1029/2011JF002186.

Over the past decades, substantial progress has been made in tsunami research. Be that as it may, little is still known about tsunami deposits and their related depositional mechanisms in coastal areas in historical and archaeological contexts. In particular, the Phoenician, Greek and Roman trade and military networks along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, with their cities, harbours and additional facilities, are susceptible to serving as archives for extreme wave events. The ruins of the Roman city of Baelo Claudia, located on the Bay of Bolonia Bay (southern Spain), offer a unique environment for studying historical tsunamis in the Gulf of Cadiz. Baelo Claudia suffered at least two earthquakes in Roman times, namely, in the first and fourth centuries CE. The latter, associated with a tsunami, led to the city’s destruction and subsequent decline. Accordingly, three tsunami deposits in Baelo Claudia, dated to ca. 4000 cal BP (2000 BCE), ca. 400 CE and 1755 CE, the last corresponding to the Lisbon tsunami, are described here. The multi-disciplinary research conducted on the sedimentary, archaeological and palaeontological records has revealed event deposits, together with major landscape changes in the environs of the bay after tsunami landfall. Furthermore, the significant archaeoseismic damage detected in recently excavated buildings has been dated to the end of the fourth-century CE. The results presented here serve to supplement the earthquake and tsunami record of coastal Iberia., The authors are grateful to German Science Foundation (DFG grant, RE 1361/28-1) and the MINECO-FEDER Spanish Research Project CGL2015-67169-P (QTECSPAIN-USAL) for their support.

The early to middle Holocene Humid Period led to a greening of today’s arid Saharo-Arabian desert belt. While this phase is well defined in North Africa and the Southern Arabian Peninsula, robust evidence from Northern Arabia is lacking. Here we fill this gap with unprecedented annually to sub-decadally resolved proxy data from Tayma, the only known varved lake sediments in Northern Arabia. Based on stable isotopes, micro-facies analyses and varve and radiocarbon dating, we distinguish five phases of lake development and show that the wet phase in Northern Arabia from 8800–7900 years BP is considerably shorter than the commonly defined Holocene Humid Period (~11,000–5500 years BP). Moreover, we find a two century-long peak humidity at times when a centennial-scale dry anomaly around 8200 years BP interrupted the Holocene Humid Period in adjacent regions. The short humid phase possibly favoured Neolithic migrations into Northern Arabia representing a strong human response to environmental changes.

Systematic archaeological exploration of southern Qatar started in the 1950s. However, detailed local and regional data on climatic fluctuations and landscape changes during the Holocene, pivotal for understanding and reconstructing human–environment interactions, are still lacking. This contribution provides an overview on the variability of geomorphic environments of southern Qatar with a focus on depression landforms, which reveal a rich archaeological heritage ranging from Palaeolithic(?) and Early Neolithic times to the Modern era. Based on a detailed geomorphic mapping campaign, sediment cores and optically stimulated luminescence data, the dynamics of riyad (singular rawdha; shallow, small-scale, sediment-filled karst depressions clustering in the central southern peninsula) and the larger-scale Asaila depression near the western coast are studied in order to put archaeological discoveries into a wider environmental context. Geomorphic mapping of the Asaila basin shows a much greater geomorphic variability than documented in literature so far with relict signs of surface runoff. An 8 m long sediment core taken in the sabkha-type sand flats of the western basin reveals a continuous dominance of aeolian morphodynamics during the early to mid-Holocene. Mounds preserved by evaporite horizons representing capillarites originally grown in the vadose zone are a clear sign of groundwater-level drop after the sea-level highstand ca. 6000–4500 years ago. Deflation followed the lowering of the Stokes surface, leaving mounds where the relict capillarites were able to fixate and preserve the palaeo-surface. Abundant archaeological evidence of Early and Middle Neolithic occupation – the latter with a clear focus inside the central Asaila basin – indicate more favourable living conditions than today. In contrast, the sediment record of the investigated riyad in the south is very shallow, younger and controlled by surface discharge, deflation and the constantly diminishing barchan dune cover in Qatar over the Middle and Late Holocene. The young age of the infill (ca. 1500 to 2000 years) explains the absence of findings older than the Late Islamic period. Indicators of current net deflation may relate to a decrease in surface runoff and sediment supply only in recent decades to centuries. In the future, geophysical prospection of the riyad may help to locate thicker sedimentary archives and the analysis of grain size distribution, micromorphology, phytoliths or even pollen spectra may enhance our understanding of the interplay of regional environmental changes and cultural history.

Geological records indicate that the hyper-aridity in the Atacama Desert has prevailed since at least the mid-Miocene, with shorter periods of increased humidity punctuating long-term aridity. The 7-m-high accumulation of colluvial sediments at the Salar Grande (21°S/70°W) studied here provides a key palaeoclimate record to understand hillslope dynamics and its relation to humid periods. While 10Be surface exposure ages point to long-term surface stability of the flat upslope surface, a combination of humidity-driven soil creep, overland flow and soil creep related to seismic shaking, caused denudation of the hillslope and accumulation of several metres of colluvium over much shorter timescales during the last 130 ka. A robust chronology for the hillslope sediments has been established by using Infrared Stimulated luminescence (pIR-IR225 protocol) on K-feldspar extracts from nine samples collected within the accumulation. A series of tests has been carried out to confirm the suitability of the method. The estimated ages indicate accelerated sedimentation at 35–80 ka, and 100–130 ka, which are interpreted as periods with more humid climate conditions than present. These findings agree with climate variations in the hyper-arid Atacama indicated by the activity of coastal alluvial fans and river catchments.

1. Research Focus “Urbanistic Studies in Limyra” (M. Seyer) The focus in 2018 should be laid in investigations on the urbanistic development of Limyra mainly during the Hellenistic period. Excavation and research work could be carried out in the frame of the scientific project “The Urbanistic Development of Limyra in the Hellenistic Period”. This project deals with general questions such as the spatial expansion respectively the borders of the settlement, the structural development of the cit...

In the southernmost part of the Colchian plain (Georgia), the Supsa and Rioni rivers represent important catchments for reconstructing Holocene landscape changes. Using granulometric methods, geochemical analyses and radiocarbon dating, we demonstrate that significant palaeoenvironmental changes have taken place in the surroundings of the Supsa fan since at least 4000 BCE. The initial foothill fan accumulation was prolonged by delta plain progradation. Due to continued fluvial sediment supply, mainly from the Rioni, the lagoon silted up and extended peat bogs formed east of the beach ridge complex. The Supsa fan first prograded northwards (since the third millennium BCE) and later shifted westwards, eventually following an avulsion of the Rioni. While Supsa deposits remain limited to the area of the fan and the modern estuary, the alluvial fines of the Rioni dominate the surrounding areas. The relative sea-level (RSL) index points of the region suggest a gradual RSL rise from ∼-9 m between 4000 and 3500 BCE to −3/−2 m below the modern sea level in the second half of the first millennium BCE, the period during which Greek colonization and Colchian settlements are attested by archaeological remains.

In 1755 CE, a strong earthquake followed by a transatlantic tsunami destroyed large coastal areas; it also left its sedimentary imprints in the Boca do Rio valley (western Algarve, Portugal). This tsunami layer is very well preserved and has been analysed in several studies. Deposits of preceding extreme wave events, however, have rarely been described for the entire Algarve coast. In this study, we present a multiproxy analysis of seven sediment cores from the Boca do Rio region, organized in two crossing transects, one parallel and the other perpendicular to the coastline. The geochronological framework has been established by combining radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating with sedimentological and geochemical analyses (XRF, C/N, magnetic susceptibility, granulometry, micropalaeontology), and covers the palaeogeographical evolution of that area for the last four millennia. As expected, the 1755 CE tsunami was easily identified at all coring sites, as a sandwiched stratum between fine-grained alluvium. This event layer presents several tsunami characteristics, such as erosive basal contact, rip-up clasts, a fining-upward sequence, and a mud cap. At one coring site, a second extreme wave event layer of marine origin was detected within floodplain deposits, due to its granulometric, XRF, magnetic susceptibility and micropalaeontological properties. It is stratigraphically located below the 1755 CE Lisbon tsunami layer and can be associated with another yet undocumented extreme wave event, most likely dating to the mid or late 1st millennium CE.

The archaeological site of Taibeh located south of Wadi Musa, Jordan, incorporates at least two, maybe even five, successive layers associated with the Late Ahmarian, also known as Masraqan, technocomplex. The Masraqan is elsewhere connected with the beginning of the intensive use of plant food and with permanent settlements. Taibeh could be the first site to present as much as 5 successive layers of this cultural unit. The Masraqan is relatively well constrained in time, usually dated between 18 and 25 ka BP. A series of heated flints was collected at Taibeh to be dated using TL. Two informations are required for the estimation of a TL age: the equivalent dose ( D e ) which is the dose accumulated in the flint since it had been heated, and the dose rate ( D ˙ ) to which the flint is exposed during the burial time. The D e estimation was done applying two different protocols, and both produced consistent results. The D ˙ estimation was realised using a modified version of DRAC (Durcan et al., 2015) which allows to use different radio-element concentrations for the flints and the surrounding sediment.

M. Bartz, L.J. Arnold, M. Demuro, M. Duval, G.E. King, G. Rixhon, C. Alvarez Posada, J.M. Pares, H. Bruckner

Mesopotamia, known as the cradle of civilisation, gave rise to the first state-based urban societies with sophistic political hierarchies. Its rich history full of important cultural achievements was accompanied by fundamental environmental changes over the Holocene. While geo-bio-archives from the broader region reflect slightly varying climate histories, there is a clear consensus on a more humid climate regime during the Early Holocene, triggering early rain-fed agricultural practices in Northern Mesopotamia representing the foundation of initial urbanisation. In the southern basin, declining rainfall and higher competition for natural resources at a somewhat later stage in combination with the development of irrigation techniques and the transgression of the Arabian Gulf seem to have contributed to the formation of complex state-based urban societies at sites such as Eridu, Ur, and Uruk, where landscape dynamics are well-preserved in the stratigraphic record. Against the background of long-term climate trends, it seems that also Rapid Climate Change events—short-term climatic anomalies such as identified around 8,200, 5,200, or 4,200 BP—have taken their toll on Mesopotamian people. Many links between changes in climate and landscape, and socio-technical adaptation based on interdisciplinary research seem straightforward, especially where confirmation exists by cuneiform texts or archaeological evidence. The gap in chronological resolution between rather precise information on historical state development on the one hand, and on climatic changes with a much higher uncertainty on the other hand, may generate an elusive fit between records and requires caution in any attempt of environmental determinism when trying to explain cultural history.

International audience; We combined biostratigraphical analyses, archaeological surveys, and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) models to provide new insights into the relative sea-level evolution in the northeastern Aegean Sea (eastern Mediterranean). In this area, characterized by a very complex tectonic pattern, we produced a new typology of sea-level index point, based on the foraminiferal associations found in transgressive marine facies. Our results agree with the sea-level history previously produced in this region, therefore confirming the validity of this new type of index point. The expanded dataset presented in this paper further demonstrates a continuous Holocene RSL rise in this portion of the Aegean Sea. Comparing the new RSL record with the available geophysical predictions of sea-level evolution indicates that the crustal subsidence of the Samothraki Plateau and the North Aegean Trough played a major role in controlling millennial-scale sea-level evolution in the area. This major subsidence rate needs to be taken into account in the preparation of local future scenarios of sea-level rise in the coming decades.

In southern Iberia, the surroundings of the Strait of Gibraltar are known as a crossroad for population movements, cultural exchanges, and trade from Late Prehistory to modern times. However, questions remain about the impact of this historical development on the environment. The settlement of La Silla del Papa, an important hillfort in southern Andalusia (Cádiz), was occupied during the entire Iron Age, replaced by the coastal town Baelo Claudia during Roman times, and re‐occupied during Early Medieval times. As such, La Silla del Papa and its territory represent an ideal location for long‐term studies on human‐environment interactions. Within the framework of the interdisciplinary project “Archeostraits,” geoarchaeological investigations in the surroundings of La Silla del Papa aimed at constraining ecological conditions and human‐environment interactions during the mid‐ and late Holocene and during major human occupation phases. Our results document an early mid‐Holocene marine embayment in the lower floodplain of the Río del Cachón, rapidly turning into a coastal lagoon and later into freshwater‐dominated wetlands. After approximately 2100 BP (c. 150 BC), fluvial and alluvial deposition i600ing a high anthropogenic impact on the local landscape during Roman or post‐Roman times. Palynological results reveal fluctuating agricultural and pastoral activities and distinct periods of landscape opening during the Neolithic and Iron Age., Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659, Agence Nationale de la Recherche http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001665

Wave-transported boulders represent important records of storm and tsunami impact over geological timescales. Their use for hazard assessment requires chronological information that in many cases cannot be achieved by established dating approaches. To fill this gap, this study investigated, for the first time, the potential of optically stimulated luminescence rock surface exposure dating (OSL-RSED) for estimating transport ages of wave-emplaced coastal boulders. The approach was applied to calcarenite clasts at the Rabat coast, Morocco. Calibration of the OSL-RSED model was based on samples with rock surfaces exposed to sunlight for ~ 2 years, and OSL exposure ages were evaluated against age control deduced from satellite images. Our results show that the dating precision is limited for all boulders due to the local source rock lithology which has low amounts of quartz and feldspar. The dating accuracy may be affected by erosion rates on boulder surfaces of 0.06–0.2 mm/year. Nevertheless, we propose a robust relative chronology for boulders that are not affected by significant post-depositional erosion and that share surface angles of inclination with the calibration samples. The relative chronology indicates that (i) most boulders were moved by storm waves; (ii) these storms lifted boulders with masses of up to ~ 40 t; and (iii) the role of storms for the formation of boulder deposits along the Rabat coast is much more significant than previously assumed. Although OSL-RSED cannot provide reliable absolute exposure ages for the coastal boulders in this study, the approach has large potential for boulder deposits composed of rocks with larger amounts of quartz or feldspar, older formation histories and less susceptibility to erosion.

High-resolution seismic profiles, combined with the integration of published drilling data, provide a detailed paleoenvironmental history of Lake Yamanaka (Fuji Five Lakes, Japan). This study presents a detailed analysis of the different depositional stages of the area currently occupied by Lake Yamanaka (floodplain wetland, river and lake). From ca. 5500 cal yr BP to ca. 5050 cal yr BP, the Yamanaka basin was occupied by floodplain wetlands. During that period, the landscape was very stable and erosion on northeastern flank of Mt. Fuji was relatively limited. From ca. 5050 cal yr BP to ca. 3050 cal yr BP, the water level increased and the floodplain wetlands became a lake. From ca. 3050 cal yr BP to ca. 2050 cal yr BP, the water level progressively decreased, leading to a reduction in lake extent. During this lowering of the lake's water level, a 1 km2 mass-transport deposit modified the physiography of the lake floor. From ca. 2050 cal yr BP to ca. 1050 cal yr BP, the lake disappeared and a river flowing towards the northwest occupied the depression. Ponds occupied morphological lows formed by mass-transport deposits. From ca. 1050 cal yr BP to the present day, the lake water level rose again, connecting the ponds with the main lake. Since then, the lake water level has continued to rise to the current level. Lake water level fluctuations are the results of several factors that could be interconnected: (i) changes in precipitation rates; (ii) margin destabilization (the Yamanaka mass-transport deposit), (iii) changes in river inlets and therefore variation in water supplies, (iv) volcanic eruptions (scoria fall-out and lava flows) and (v) changes in vegetation cover. This study highlights the importance of coupling sediment cores and high-resolution seismic reflection profiling to identify lateral variation and modification of sedimentary inputs through time.

In light of rising sea levels and increased storm surge hazards, detailed information on relative sea-level (RSL) histories and local controlling mechanisms is required to support future projections and to better prepare for future coastal-protection challenges. This study contributes to deciphering Holocene RSL changes at the German North Sea coast in high resolution by developing a transfer function for RSL change. Recent associations of Foraminifera and Ostracoda from low intertidal to supratidal settings of the barrier island of Spiekeroog in combination with environmental parameters (granulometry, C/N, TOC, salinity) were investigated and quantified in elevation steps of 15 cm in order to generate a first transfer function (TF) of Holocene RSL change. In a future step, the TF can be applied to the stratigraphic record. Our data show a clear vertical zonation of foraminifer and ostracod taxa between the middle salt marsh and the tidal flat with very few individuals in the sand flat area, suggesting removal by the tidal current or poor preservation. Multivariate statistics identify the elevation, i.e. the inundation frequency, as main driving factor. The smallest vertical error (49 cm) is associated with an entirely new approach of combining Foraminifera and Ostracoda for a TF. Advantages of the TF over classical RSL indicators such as basal and intercalated peat – beside the relatively narrow indicative meaning – include the possible application to a wide range of intertidal facies and that it does not depend on compaction-prone peat.

Palaeogeographical research regarding coastline and landscape changes has been conducted in the Kucuk Menderes graben and the environs of the ancient city of Ephesus in Western Turkey for a few decades. Based on geophysical data, multi-proxy and microfaunal analyses of sediment cores, 14 C-AMS age estimates and diagnostic ceramics, this study presents for the first time results of an area close to the present coastline, where a Byzantine church is located on top of a small hill. The results reveal that this mica schist hill turned into an island during the 2nd/1st millennium BCE. It was reconnected to the mainland via a tombolo during the 5th century CE. Drill cores and geophysical measurements surrounding the hill show massive stone layers which were deposited intentionally during the 5th/6th century CE when the Byzantine church was built. Geophysical images point to wall structures in the surroundings of the hill. The area to the northeast hosts a small harbour site. When the coastline continued to shift further to the west, this site was still connected to the sea by the Kucuk Menderes river.

In AD 1755 a strong earthquake-generated tsunami destroyed large parts of the southwest Iberian coastline. Data for the study of the sedimentological characteristics and palaeo-ecological effects of the backwash of this well-known AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami and possible preceding events on the continental shelf was obtained during RV METEOR cruise M152 in November 2018, since the hydrodynamics of tsunami backwash currents are as yet poorly understood. Furthermore, the suitability of the shelf as a reliable sedimentary archive for tsunami deposits was investigated.Along the Algarve coast, prominent AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami deposits have been detected onshore for quite some time. Cruise M152 conducted a geophysical survey on the corresponding shelf area to obtain bathymetry and sub-bottom profiles for the recognition of depositional basins. Subsequently, 19 sediment cores were retrieved from the most suitable depositional basins by vibracoring at water depths from 65 to 114 m. The cores were analysed in a multiproxy approach (granulometry, magnetic susceptibility, P-wave velocities, organic and inorganic geochemistry, micropalaeontology). Deposits of the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami were identified in most of the cores as a thin layer at ca. 20 cm depth.More surprisingly, a second event deposit dating to ca. 3700 years cal. BP was detected at core depths of 122 to 155 cm. It is even traceable in the sub-bottom profiles and consists of a distinctive ca. 30 cm thick well sorted medium-sized siliciclastic sand. Due to the thickness of the deposit an in-depth study of its characteristics was possible. It displays an erosive basal contact followed by a thin matrix-poor shell hash layer, a reversely graded fine sand layer and ultimately a massive, quite homogeneous medium sand resembling the Ta division of the Bouma sequence or the S1, S2 and S3 divisions of the Lowe sequence. The deposit is distinguishable from the silt to silty sand-dominated background sedimentation not only due to the textural and compositional features, but also due to contrasting geophysical and geochemical properties. Terrestrial provenance for (at least parts of) the sediment is revealed by biomarker analysis. Based on these characteristics, the deposit is interpreted as the result of a high density hyperpycnal flow from the coast towards the offshore caused by tsunami backwash. This event layer may be correlated to onshore observations of tsunami deposits along the southwest coast of Spain but has never been identified in Portugal where the onshore record of tsunami deposits only covers the last three millennia.The results of this multiproxy analysis strongly suggest the shallow offshore area below storm wave base to host reliable sedimentary archives for tsunami backwash deposits, which allow the discovery of as yet unknown events. Palaeotsunami research can benefit from the investigation of offshore archives, especially where onshore records are incomplete or sparse.

Research on offshore tsunami deposits is scarce and their depositional processes and preservation potential are virtually unexplored. Therefore, the RV Meteor cruise M152 mapped and sampled one coast-parallel and two coast-perpendicular transects at water depths from 65 to 114 m off the Algarve coast (Portugal). This coast was strongly affected by the well-known Lisbon earthquake and tsunami of November 1st, 1755 AD. Numerous onshore locations have been well documented and studied with historic damage reports and modern scientific investigations of the onshore tsunami deposits. However, very scarce information about the backwash, the water masses flowing back into the sea, exists and their imprint on the shelf is unexplored.In order to fill this gap, a total of 19 vibracores were recovered during the RV Meteor cruise M152. For tracing the sedimentary imprint of the AD 1755 tsunami and potential predecessors, a multi-proxy analysis was carried out (sedimentology, micropaleontology, inorganic and organic geochemistry, radiocarbon and OSL dating). Within the offshore Holocene stratigraphic record, at least two event layers of likely tsunami backwash origin were identified based on their significantly different properties compared to the background shelf sediments. The uppermost tsunami layer (at a depth of 16-25 cm in most cores) displays an erosional contact at the base with heterogeneous compositional changes; its bounding radiocarbon ages allow a correlation with the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami. Organic-geochemical markers, such as n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, steroids and fatty acids, show an increased input of terrestrial matter in this offshore AD 1755 event layer.A surprising discovery was another distinct high-energy deposit, i.e. a potential predecessor to the AD 1755 Lisbon tsunami, at a core depth of about 122-155 cm, which was 14C-dated to approx. 3700 yrs cal BP. Due to its erosional base and coarse-grained composition (well-sorted medium sand), as well as the increased terrestrial influence (displayed by biomarkers), it can be assumed that this deposit originates from the backwash of a paleo-tsunami.This multi-proxy approach with sedimentological, micropaleontological, inorganic and organic-geochemical criteria, enabled us to (1) identify of backwash tsunami deposits; (2) establish a recurrence interval; and (3) estimate the hazard potential for the related coastal areas. Results of the M152 cruise demonstrate for the first time that the depositional basins on the Algarve shelf have the potential to reliably archive Holocene tsunami backwash deposits. The low-energy environment of the outer Algarve shelf sets prime conditions for the preservation of tsunami backwash deposits. Thus, these geoarchives offer the possibility to study the mechanisms and hydrodynamics of backwash currents, and to investigate tsunami strata that are not preserved elsewhere.

In the hyperarid environment of the Atacama Desert, alluvial fans are the principle fluvial geo-archive reflecting variations in climate and tectonics in their architecture. While they have been studied in the core of the desert to reconstruct long-term palaeoenvironmental changes from the Oligocene to the Quaternary and, in particular, to constrain the onset of hyperaridity, alluvial fans along the coast (20.5°S – 25.5°S) are younger and show a much higher activity; thus, they can serve as archives during the Pleistocene to Holocene evolution. However, past and recent morphodynamics of the coastal alluvial fans (CAF) are yet poorly reconstructed so that the understanding of an interplay between climatic, geologic, and biotic controls is still challenging.We related climatic, lithologic, and tectonic source-area characteristics to geomorphometric parameters of the CAF and their catchments. Geomorphometric analyses were conducted based on the 12.5 m TanDEM‑X WorldDEM™, lithological and tectonic data were extracted from regional geological maps, and the frequency of heavy rainfall events derived from a regional Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was used as a climate parameter. We further combined luminescence dating, cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating, and existing chronological data to constrain the timing of Pleistocene alluvial fan deposition as well as the ages of interbedded marine terraces.Results indicate a primary climatic control on CAF dynamics shown in the functional relationships with catchment hydromorphometrics that mirror a high susceptibility to debris-flows as well as in the temporal pattern of CAF activity. Distinct phases of CAF activity occurred during the late Pleistocene (95–80 ka, 60–45 ka, and 35-20 ka) and the Holocene – driven by atmospheric changes from the Pacific Ocean. The primary source of precipitation is reflected along the latitudinal gradient: frontal systems and cut-off lows mainly originating from the extratropics. Towards the south, an increasing density of Loma vegetation can be observed so that also possible feedback mechanisms of biota on sediment supply need to be considered. While source-area lithology is of negligible relevance for CAF morphodynamics, an important long-term influence of tectonics can be seen in the regional uplift, which in turn controls the catchment shape and relief. From the numerical dating of the marine terraces, uplift rates ranging between ~0.06 and ~0.57 m/ka were derived for the late Pleistocene period.Acknowledgement: TanDEM-X WorldDEM™ data is provided by a DLR Science grant, 2017.References: Bartz, M., Walk, J., Binnie, S.A., Brill, D., Stauch, G., Lehmkuhl, F., Hoffmeister, D., Brückner, H., in press. Late Pleistocene alluvial fan evolution along the coastal Atacama Desert (N Chile). Global and Planetary Change, 103091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.103091Walk, J., Stauch, G., Reyers, M., Vásquez, P., Sepúlveda, F.A., Bartz, M., Hoffmeister, D., Brückner, H., Lehmkuhl, F., 2020. Gradients in climate, geology, and topography affecting coastal alluvial fan morphodynamics in hyperarid regions – The Atacama perspective. Global and Planetary Change 185, 102994. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.102994

The Lagoa de Santo André is a coastal lake located ca. 80 km south of Lisbon at the Atlantic coast of Portugal. The region is highly vulnerable to earthquake-triggered tsunami events due to its exposure to the very active tectonic boundary between the Eurasian and the African plates. Despite several natural and artificial breaches of beach barrier in the past, the lagoon still represents an appropriate geo-bio-archive for reconstructing the Holocene palaeoenvironmental evolution. For this purpose, a 10-m-long sediment core was taken from the centre of the lake by using a floating platform. Sedimentological, geochemical and micropalaeontological analyses were performed in order to unravel the former geological and climatic conditions, and to identify short-term events like tsunamis or storm surges that might have crossed or breached the shielding barrier, leaving their footprint in the sedimentary record of the lagoon.The sediment core covers the palaeoenvironmental evolution of Lagoa de Santo André for at least the last eight millennia. The sandy deposits of the lowermost part of the core most likely represent the littoral phase of a palaeo-beach that had developed when the postglacial marine transgression had reached the area. Above alternating layers indicate varying environmental conditions that are characterised by peat growth, stagnant-water areas and intercalating sand layers that deposited during disconnections from and reconnections with the open sea. Since 3000 BC at the latest, the longshore transport had formed a beach barrier that separated the coastal lake from the open sea. As yet no deposits of an extreme wave event have been detected. However, the ongoing microfaunal analysis will clarify, if sudden changes of the salinity have occurred due to significant saltwater intrusions, which would hint at potential extreme wave events.