Assessing Coastal Landscape Change for Archaeological Purposes: Integrating Shallow Geophysics, Historical Archives and Geomorphology at Port Angeles, Washington, USA

摘要: To mitigate saltwater flooding, the waterfront and downtown areas of Port Angeles, Washington were built-up with up to 8 m anthropogenic fill beginning in 1913. Shoreline modification continued into present as this important natural deep-water harbour along Strait Juan de Fuca was developed for maritime industries. This other historical activities obscured at least two historically occupied villages burial sites indigenous Coast Salish Klallam people. Since these archaeological remain buried beneath modern Angeles knowledge distribution landforms, coastal zone processes, estimates site preservation disturbance potential is needed identification efforts. We created a model thickness by combining data from: (i) field observations, where could be observed directly landscape; (ii) topographic differences between pre-fill sounding maps present-day LIDAR-determined elevations; (iii) ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys. The GPR surveys also helped reconstruct now palaeoenvironment identifying tidal lagoons, beach berms stream channel features layer. history post-glacial sea-level change, here impacted global eustasy, glacio-isostatic tectonic factors first control on development quasi-stable landforms suitable long-term human occupation. Knowledge past landscapes critical component future catchment ‘predictive’ models based upon spatial stability resource accessibility prior Euro-American historic period intensive shoreline modification. geophysical geomorphic reconstruction provides insight geology subsurface its flow groundwater contaminants across nearshore environment. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.