How prehistoric coastal flooding shaped the Northern Adriatic
Researchers have shown how dramatic sea-level rise over a 5,000-year period profoundly changed the coasts of northern Italy, Slovenia and northern Croatia. Successive shaping and reshaping of coastal features influenced the lives of Mesolithic and Neolithic people and the development of local communities. Land that hunter-gatherers once roamed and farmers later tended now lies deep beneath the…
Researchers from the University of Southampton and the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) in Italy have uncovered how dramatic sea-level rise over a 5,000-year period significantly altered the coastal landscapes of northern Italy, Slovenia, and northern Croatia. The study, published in Quaternary Science Reviews, reveals how successive rises in sea level—sometimes up to 25 millimeters per year—transformed previously dry land into wetlands and lagoons, ultimately shaping the coasts we see today.
This research sheds light on the prehistoric lives of Mesolithic and Neolithic people, highlighting how the constantly changing environment influenced their habitats, resources, and the eventual development of farming in the region.
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