Marine inundated archaeological sites and paleofluvial systems: examples from a karst-controlled continental shelf setting in Apalachee Bay, Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Underwater geoarchaeological research in Apalachee Bay, in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico off northwest Florida, has enabled the reconstruction of portions of the karst‐controlled paleodrainage system, the discovery of several inundated prehistoric archaeological sites, and the exposure of sediments accumulated during the drowning of the continental shelf. Diagnostic artifacts discovered at the sites included chipped stone tools and debitage indicating Paleoindian, Early Archaic, and Middle Archaic occupation. A geoarchaeological model using terrestrial analogs was used to locate and investigate inundated sites. Methods employed include seismic profiling, vibracoring, diver tow surveys, diver collection transects, and induction dredge excavations. We document evidence for sea‐level rise, related environmental succession and site formation processes for indundated prehistoric sites in the Apalachee Bay region from approximately 8000 to 6000 yr B.P. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Implications of Declining Ground Water and Water Quality in the US Southeastern Coastal Plain Ecoregion and Areawide Environmental Impact Statement Required for Mining in the Greater Okefenokee Swamp Basin—Part 1

“…Examples are shown in Figure 1 of Faught & Donoghue (1997). Those sinkholes, in addition to paleochannels of streams, also occur in submarine portions of this karst aquifer system submerged by glacial sealevel rise, as illustrated in Figure 2 of Faught & Donoghue (1997). Bacchus et al (2014) provided examples of previously-documented relict sinkholes located in the portion of the Floridan aquifer system submerged by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.…”

“…Submarine sinkholes, indicating past sealevel low-stands, have been observed across the width of the continental shelf. Examples are shown in Figure 1 of Faught & Donoghue (1997). Those sinkholes, in addition to paleochannels of streams, also occur in submarine portions of this karst aquifer system submerged by glacial sealevel rise, as illustrated in Figure 2 of Faught & Donoghue (1997).…”

“…Bacchus et al (2014) provided examples of previously-documented relict sinkholes located in the portion of the Floridan aquifer system submerged by the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Faught & Donoghue (1997) used sub-bottom seismic data and bathymetry to identify buried sinkholes, including those which were marine-inundated, prehistoric archaeological sites, during their reconstruction of the Apalachee Bay paleodrainage system along the Florida's northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Their study area included the possible submerged paleochannel of the Pinhook River located east of the submerged paleochannels of the St. Marks River and Stony Bayou and west of the submerged paleochannels of the karst-controlled Aucilla River and Ecofina River.…”

Mobility and Ancient Society in Asia and the Americas

“…20,000 and 10,000 cal year BP (Anderson et al 2013 :190). The archaeological investigation of the submerged continental shelf has received increasing attention in recent decades, with particular attention directed to shorelines, river channel margins, scarps, and 76 chert sources (e.g., Dunbar 2006 ;Edwards and Emery 1977 ;Edwards and Merrill 1977 ;Emery and Edwards 1966 ;Faught 1996Faught , 2004aFaught and Donoghue 1997 ;Faught and Guisick 2011 ;Guisick and Faught 2011 ;Harris et al 2013 ;Holliday and Miller 2013 ;Lowery et al 2012 ;Stright 1990 ). Prehistoric sites have been found in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico along the paleo-Aucilla River channel, most in fairly shallow waters in areas submerged in the Holocene, although Paleoindian materials have been found on them (Faught 2004a , b ).…”

Geoarchaeological framework of Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene sites in the Aucilla River Basin, Northwest Florida, USA

“…The Aucilla River inundated record contains numerous terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene sites, with even more diagnostic artifacts discovered ex situ. A few of these early localities were the focus of intensive investigations throughout the late 20th and early 21st centuries (Dunbar et al, 2006; Faught & Carter, 1998; Faught & Donoghue, 1997; Faught, 2004a, 2004b; Halligan et al, 2016; Halligan, 2012; Hemmings, 1999b; Smith, 2020; Webb, 2006). The dozens of recorded Aucilla Basin mid‐late Holocene components, generally in terrestrial settings, are monitored regularly, but are known in much less detail (Halligan, 2020), so this paper focuses on the geoarchaeological context of the cultural components that predate 8000 calibrated years before present (calbp).…”