Paleo-geographic reconstructions of the Ramore Head area, Northern Ireland, using geophysical and geotechnical data: paleo-landscape mapping and archaeological implications

Abstract

We present early to Mid-Holocene paleo-geographic reconstructions for the Ramore Head area (Northern Ireland). This coastal area is characterized by Mesolithic occupation (c. 10–6 ka) and preserved early–Mid-Holocene peats both on- and offshore. This paper improves on previous reconstructions by employing a backstripping methodology, which removes accumulated recent deposits from identified buried paleo-landsurfaces instead of using modern topography as an analogue to the past landscape. Paleo-landsurfaces are identified offshore from seismic profiles supplemented by cores, and onshore through legacy borehole records. The paleo-landsurface can be traced offshore to depths of ?2 to ?19 m and is buried by <5 m of modern sediment. It extends onshore under the coastal town of Portrush and is buried <2.5–10 m below modern ground level. The identified paleo-landsurface is combined with sea-level curves from recent Glacio-Isostatic-Adjustment models to reconstruct marine transgression during the early–Mid-Holocene. Comparison is also made with reconstructions based on modern topography. Together, the identified paleo-landsurfaces and revised reconstructions can assist future site prospection on- and offshore and delimit high-potential areas for heritage management. Revised reconstructions also allow placement of extant archaeology into a more accurate context of landscape change and help develop insights into local-scale site location patterns.

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