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TINA

Denizcilik Arkeolojisi Dergisi

The first settlers in this exacting environment were past sea-level changes, human response and adapta-
compensated by the diverse terrestrial and marine re- tion.
sources. A coastal settlement placed several hundred G. CuLturAL reSOurCe mAnAGement OF SubmerGeD SIteS
meters inland, such as Atlit-Yam, was at an optimal Managing submerged prehistoric sites is a multi-
distance from the sea. This location enabled easy task and continuous activity. It is associated with
access to marine resources and protection against laws, regulations, planning authorities, government
sea storms (direct and indirect wave and sea spray muster planning, inspection and monitoring, assess-
impact). Moreover, it was still within a reasonable ment and impact studies, archaeological excavations
and efficient utilization distance from sea resources and surveys, collaboration with industries and public
and simultaneously, was able to offer access to an awareness .
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appreciable amount of inland resources and arable Given their archaeological and scientific value and
land for cultivation . Occupation of the coastal uniqueness, the inundated prehistoric settlements off
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plain resulted in the invention of water wells relying the Israeli Mediterranean coast need to be preserved
on the high-water table. That invasion established in situ, and the significant ones should be declared
an artificial, year-round, source of water. Following ‘world heritage sites’. In Israel, the inundated pre-
sea-level rise the coastal dwellers had to cope with historic settlements are protected under the Law of
salinization of water wells, as evident in the At- Antiquities (1978), and most of them are declared as
lit-Yam well . This was done by artificially raising protected archaeological sites. As such, any excava-
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the fresh water level of Atlit-Yam wells by placing tion, building or disturbance of the terrain requires a
layers of stones in the well and raising its bottom. written permit from the Israel Antiquities Authority
The rising sea forced people to adapt or to change (IAA) prior to any activity. The IAA examines ev-
settlement location. The earlier PPNC site of At- ery request for any of the aforementioned activities
lit-Yam was finally abandoned due to a global Holo- and evaluates the request according to the known ar-
cene, sea-level rise from −16 m to −8 m bsl. Relative chaeological value of the site and the extent and type
to the PN sites, Atlit-Yam lies in deeper water off the of planned activities. Thus, the IAA dictates what
Carmel coast, implying that post-PPNC settlements is needed to protect the site and the archaeological
shifted inland and were re-established on the new information.
coastline further to the east. However, the currently In addition, the IAA, or an institution delegated
submerged PN settlements were also abandoned by it, can conduct and initiate rescue surveys and
following continued sea-level rise, from −8 m bsl to excavations aimed at documenting and studying
the present level . Post-PN occupation of this region submerged antiquities expected to be destroyed or
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on the new coastline was less intensive, perhaps damaged due to anthropogenic intervention (e.g.
because the Carmel coast became quite narrow and building, mining, trenching) or endangered by nat-
marshier as the sea level rose. ural processes (e.g. erosion, exposure and storms).
Models published during 2001-2009 have predict- In cases of such preplanned works, the costs of the
ed a global sea-level rise of up to 190 cm during the archaeological activity are covered by the builders,
21th century . The authors concluded that: “Adapta- while in cases of natural processes, such coasts are
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tion to climate and environmental changes has been usually covered by the IAA.
a feature of human societies since prehistory. The Protecting the submerged prehistoric cultural
current challenges associated with sea-level rise are heritage: Based on previous experience, it is pro-
considerably greater than those faced by humanity posed that any building activity in areas surrounding
before. They will necessitate new approaches, tech- known submerged prehistoric settlements should
niques and strategies including: protection, accom- be prohibited. In these areas year-round monitoring
modation, retreat and precaution”. As demonstrated surveys, and when needed, rescue excavation should
in our research, the study of submerged prehistoric be undertaken, to prevent loss of valuable archaeo-
settlements can provide valuable information about logical assets.

77 GALILI -ROSEN 2011.
78 GALILI et al. 2005a, 2008, 2017a, 2017b.
79 WEISENBERGER-CHOINARD 2015: 11, Table 2.2.
80 see. GALILI-ROSEN 2010; GALILI-ARNESON 2014; FLATMAN-EVANS 2014; SALTER et al. 2014; STURT et al. 2018; WICK-
HAM-JONES 2010, 2018.
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