Establishing a high‐resolution stratigraphy in the Holocene marine sequence of the ancient Theodosian harbor of Istanbul with the help of dendrochronology

Abstract

Salvage excavations in the Theodosian harbor (Yenikapı‐Istanbul) have uncovered diverse archaeological objects including 36 shipwrecks and various Byzantine period wooden docks. The sequence of these docks provided a unique opportunity to obtain a high‐resolution stratigraphy. The new approach is based on stratigraphic interpretation of deformation patterns created by the posts in soft sediments, combined with dendrochronological dating of the posts. Dendrochronology offers the potential to date the posts to within one calendar year of felling, a level of precision and accuracy rare in sedimentological analysis. The posts, most of them Quercus, were rammed during six different time periods. The first period is associated with posts cut in 528 AD. The second and third periods are dated by posts cut in 583 and 594 AD, respectively. The fourth‐period dates within 8–10 years of 639 AD. The fifth period could be dated only roughly to between 690 and 770 AD. The last period produced a possible placement of after 778 AD. This new approach helps to establish a high‐resolution stratigraphy. Furthermore, it provides information about sedimentation history and specific anthropogenic events.

Organic geochemical characterization of Early-Mid-Holocene swamp deposits near the Neolithic settlement in Yenikapı-Istanbul: Assessment of environmental variability and anthropogenic impacts

“…In addition to this, the sedimentary sequence exposed during the excavations was studied from geological and geoarchaeological points of view in order to obtain new data on the Black Sea-Mediterranean connection and sea-level changes during the Holocene (Algan et al, 2009, 2010, 2011; Perinçek, 2010a, 2010b; Yalçın et al, 2019). From top to bottom a sequence consisting of soil and artificial fill, fluvial deposits, marine sediments, a dark gray to black clay at the eastern part of the excavation area, and late Miocene deposits underlying these units have been uncovered (Algan et al, 2007, 2009, 2011; Bony et al, 2011; Sezerer-Bulut et al, 2019; Yalçın et al, 2019). Lithological properties, age, thickness, and areal extension of this dark-colored clay unit, which is a new unit of the geology of the Istanbul area, were recently addressed by Yalçın et al (2015).…”

SEDIMENTOLOGICAL PROPERTIES and DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS of the HOLOCENE SEQUENCE in YENİKAPI, ISTANBUL

“…The lithological, stratigraphic and geoarchaeological features of these units have been investigated by various researchers (Algan, et al, 2007;2014;Perinçek, 2010a;2010b;Yalçın et al, 2015Yalçın et al, , 2019. The sequence uncovered in the ancient Thedosian Harbor excavation contains important evidences of the Holocene sedimentary environments and their changes.…”