Quaternary International
Quaternary International
3 years ago

Late Holocene coastline and landscape changes to the west of Ephesus, Turkey

Palaeogeographical research regarding coastline and landscape changes has been conducted in the Küçük Menderes graben and the environs of the ancient city of Ephesus in Western Turkey for a few decades. Based on geophysical data, multi-proxy and microfaunal analyses of sediment cores, 14C-AMS age estimates and diagnostic ceramics, this study presents for the first time results of an area close to the present coastline, where a Byzantine church is located on top of a small hill. The results reveal that this mica schist hill turned into an island during the 2nd/1st millennium BCE. It was reconnected to the mainland via a tombolo during the 5th century CE. Drill cores and geophysical measurements surrounding the hill show massive stone layers which were deposited intentionally during the 5th/6th century CE when the Byzantine church was built. Geophysical images point to wall structures in the surroundings of the hill. The area to the northeast hosts a small harbour site. When the coastline continued to shift further to the west, this site was still connected to the sea by the Küçük Menderes river.

Publisher URL: www.sciencedirect.com/science

DOI: S104061821631521X

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