The Roman burgus of Trebur/Astheim in FDEMI multi-system data

We present a rare multi-system FDEMI survey at a Roman burgus in Hesse (Germany). The dataset shows the benefits of EMI/ERT system combination for investigating archaeology and embedding paleolandscape

Olympia’s Harbour Site Pheia (Elis, Western Peloponnese, Greece) Destroyed by Tsunami Impact

It is well known from historic catalogues that the Greek coast has repeatedly been struck by large earthquakes and associated tsunami events during the past millennia. The seismically highly active Hellenic Arc, where the African plate is being subducted by the Aegean microplate, is considered to be the most significant tsunami source in the wider region. The study presented in this paper focuses on sedimentary and geomorphological tsunami traces encountered at Pheia, western Peloponnese (Greece), one of the harbours of the nearby cult site Olympia. Sedimentological, pedological, geoarchaeological and geochemical analyses revealed tsunami sand and gravel of mostly marine origin reaching far inland. Wave refraction and channeling effects seem to have steepened tsunami waters up to 18-20 m above present sea level and induced tsunami water passage across the narrow Katakolo Pass into adjacent coastal plains. Tsunami deposits that were accumulated onshore were partly cemented and later exposed in the form of beachrock. By radiocarbon dating and archaeological age estimation of ceramic fragments, three distinct tsunami events were found, namely for the 6th millennium BC, for the time around 4300 ± 200 cal BC and for the Byzantine to post-Byzantine period. Olympia’s harbour site Pheia was finally destroyed by tsunami landfall, most probably in the 6th century AD and accompanied by co-seismic submergence

The "Lake of Olympia": geoarchaeological evidence of a lake environment in the vicinity of ancient Olympia (western Peloponnese, Greece)

Our results yield evidence of a large lake environment that existed near the ancient site of Olympia which was so far unknown. The limnic sequence reveals considerable changes in the ecological conditions over time, based on Direct Push sensing, sedimentary and micropalaeontological analyses. Radiocarbon data show that the “Lake of Olympia“ existed from the 8th/7th millennium BC until, at least, the 1st century AD. The existence of the “Lake of Olympia” next to the cult site of Olympia has considerable historical, archaeological and geographical implications (e.g., as waterway or water supplier)

Combining teaching and research: a BIP on geophysical and archaeological prospection of North Frisian medieval settlement patterns

We performed a research-oriented EU Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP) with participants from four countries focused on North Frisian terp settlements from Roman Iron Age and medieval times. We show that the complex terp structure and environment can be efficiently prospected using combined magnetic and EMI mapping, and seismic and geoelectric profiling and drilling. We found evidence of multiple terp phases and a harbor at the Roman Iron Age terp of Tofting. In contrast, the medieval terp of Stolthusen is more simply constructed, probably uni-phase. The BIP proved to be a suitable tool for high-level hands-on education adding value to the research conducted in on-going projects

Silting up Oiniadai’s harbours (Acheloos River delta, NW Greece). Geoarchaeological implications of late Holocene landscape changes

L’ancienne cité d’Oiniadai se localise au sommet des collines de Trikardo au cœur du delta de l’Acheloos au nord-ouest de la Grèce (Bousquet, 1976). Ce site est de nos jours éloigné de neuf kilomètres du rivage actuel, alors que la présence de cales de halage, datées entre le cinquième et le troisième siècle avant Jésus-Christ témoignent d’une relation avec la mer Ionienne durant l’Antiquité (Philippson, 1958 ; Villas, 1984 ; Bousquet et al., 1987 ; Kolonas, 1992 ; Fouache et al., 2005 ; Vött et al., 2004). Cet article analyse la localisation successive des ports antiques de cette ancienne île ainsi que les principaux changements environnementaux qui ont affecté le delta de l’Acheloos depuis environ 6 000 ans. Les échantillons de quinze carottages ont été analysés du point de vue sédimentologique, géochimique, faunistique, palynologique et géo-chronologique (23 datations au radiocarbone et détermination des céramiques). Ces analyses à haute résolution ont aussi été croisées avec l’étude tomographique du sous-sol. Nos données montrent que, à partir de 3 000 ans avant Jésus-Christ (période helladique ancienne), un port était présent dans le secteur lagunaire au sud-est de l’ancienne île. Par comparaison, des flux hydriques importants à partir de 1 300-1 000 avant Jésus-Christ (période mycénienne, âge du bronze) ont favorisé un ralentissement du colmatage du port nord et de la baie de la nécropole. Cette phase a été la plus favorable à l’établissement d’un port protégé et en eau douce entre 1 000 et 100 avant Jésus-Christ. Durant les périodes classique, hellénistique et romaine, quand les cales de halages étaient fonctionnelles, le bassin nord communiquait donc avec la mer par l’intermédiaire d’une lagune. La baie de la nécropole était aussi un abri côtier favorable. Aux époques romaine et byzantine, un port fluvial était localisé le long d’un méandre de l’Acheloos. Dans l’état actuel de nos connaissances, nous n’avons pas pu démontrer la présence d’un port maritime le long des rivages de l’ancienne île de Trikardo. Ce site représente ainsi l’archétype d’un avant-port fluvial au cœur d’un système deltaïque, milieu paralique à la fois protégé par les lagunes et en relation rapide avec le plan d’eau marin.Ancient Oiniadai lies on top of the Trikardo hills in the centre of the Acheloos River delta (NW Greece) at a distance of 9 km from the present coast. Its shipsheds testify to a former connection with the Ionian Sea. This paper focuses on the harbours of the former island and their palaeoenvironmental changes during the past millennia. Sedimentological, geochemical, micro- and macrofaunal and palynological analyses of sediment samples from 15 vibracores as well as detailed earth resistivity tomography were carried out. A geochronology of environmental changes was established using 23 14C AMS dates and relative age determinations of ceramic fragments. Based on sedimentary and archaeological evidence, it was found that around 3000 cal yr BC, during early Helladic times, a harbour existed on the swampy lagoonal shore in the southeast. High river water inflow into the northern embayment and the necropolis bay started at 1300–1000 cal yr BC, during Mycenaean times, resulting in a decrease of the siltation of the lagoon rates and inducing ideal anchoring conditions. During Classical-Hellenistic to Roman times – when the shipsheds were in use – the northern harbour experienced ongoing water inflow from the Acheloos River and communicated with the sea via a lagoon. The necropolis bay was also a favourable harbour site. During Roman to Byzantine times, a river harbour existed near a palaeo-Acheloos meander flowing by the southeastern fringe of Trikardo. No sedimentary evidence was found that the island ever had a harbour at the seafront. Trikardo, throughout the millennia, represented an excellent terrestrial outpost amidst a low lying coastal zone, well protected by the almost impenetrable lagoonal and marshy grounds and, at the same time, providing rapid access to the sea