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Interpretation of Holocene sediments is often used for reconstruction of sea-level development in the frame of global warming subsequent to the last glaciation ca. 10000 years ago. Sea-level curves are fixed by sea-level index points. The uppermost sequence of unconsolidated sediments is characterised by highly differential compaction to about 20 m depth. Such compaction lowers the sea-level index points. This paper presents a novel method and software to calculate decompaction of any layered sequence of unconsolidated near surface sediments. Consequently depositional positions of sea-level index points are calculated. Application of the method to reconstruct the compaction behaviour of typical sediment sequences in the south-western Baltic Sea shows compaction effects of the order of several meters, Examples from a cross section and a core log respectively are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]