FACING THE TEMPEST: UNDERSTANDING PATTERNS OF COASTAL CHANGE

Coastal archaeology is under threat from coastal change. This can be caused by the changing climate, sea level rise or human activity. There is a need to understand this change if we are to mitigate its effects and minimise damage to the submerged and coastal heritage. However, it is not just ancient buildings and isolated archaeological sites that are under threat, it is also coastal communities (including their cultural heritage) that are now at the forefront of the ‘battle’ against the sea. The response of the coastal engineer is often to deal with the immediate problem by building bigger and stronger defences. Unfortunately, this can destroy cultural heritage within its footprint, while unforeseen impacts to adjacent intertidal and marine seascapes can have negative consequences where developments are not in harmony with long-term patterns of coastal change. When managers do contemplate past change, this is invariably within a historical perspective being from the time when ‘records began’. This is where the coastal and maritime cultural heritage can help. It should not just be seen as an asset that needs to be protected but viewed in the broader context as an archive of data that can be used to provide long term insights into past change whereby helping coastal mangers better understand the processes and the impacts of previous climatic scenarios. This paper will present the work of the Maritime Archaeology Trust on archaeological, paleo-environmental as well as historical resources that can be used to interpret patterns of change. If policy makers were better informed when responding to immediate threats, they could make decisions that would ensure the long-term sustainability of economic as well as heritage assets along the coastline. If society recognises this added significance of the cultural resource, it will then have a better chance of attracting added protection.

Author(s): Momber, Garry (Maritime Archaeology Trust; University of York; Maritime Archaeology Ltd) - Satchell, Julie (Maritime Archaeology Trust; Maritime Archaeology Ltd) - Mason, Brandon (Maritime Archaeology Ltd; Maritime Archaeology Trust)