Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Potential Contributions of a Maritime Cultural Landscape Approach to Submerged Prehistoric Resources, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Archaeology of Maritime Landscapes

Part of the book series: When the Land Meets the Sea ((ACUA,volume 2))

Abstract

It is likely that prehistoric peoples occupied the now-submerged offshore continental shelf region of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico when the land mass was subaerially exposed during lower sea-level stands. Archaeologists hypothesize that evidence of potential coastal or maritime cultures in the early prehistoric period is located on the now-submerged outer continental shelf. Previous studies have used comparative landscape approaches in the development of predictive models designed to identify high-probability areas for submerged prehistoric site preservation in the northwestern Gulf. Maritime cultural landscape may serve as a useful framework for an interdisciplinary approach to accurately identify prehistoric archaeological resources below the seafloor. Discrete archaeological features may then be connected to larger models of cultural behavior, to develop a long-term view of the coastal landscape.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aten, Lawrence A. 1983 Indians of the Upper Texas Coast. Academic Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard, H. A., C. F. Major Jr., B. S. Parrott, and R. J. Leblanc, Sr. 1970 Recent Sediments of Southeast Texas: Field Guide to the Brazos Alluvial-Deltaic Plain and the Galveston Barrier Island Complex. Guidebook 11, Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum, Michael D., and Amy E. Carter 2000 Middle Holocene evolution of the Central Texas Coast. Transactions of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies 50:331–341.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blum, Michael D., A. E. Sivers, Tracy Zayac, and Ron J. Goble 2003 Middle Holocene sea-level and evolution of the Gulf of Mexico coast. Transactions of the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies 53:64–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breiner, Sheldon 1973 Applications Manual for Portable Magnetometers. Geometrics, San Jose, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coastal Environments, Inc. (CEI) 1977 Cultural Resources Evaluation of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf. Volume I: Prehistoric Cultural Resource Potential. Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, National Park Service, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman, James M., Harry H. Roberts, and William R. Bryant 1991 Late Quaternary Sedimentation. In The Geology of North America, Volume J, The Gulf of Mexico Basin, A. Salvador, editor, pp. 325–352. Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cranswick, Deborah 2001 Brief Overview of Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Pipelines: Installation, Potential Impacts, and Mitigation Measures. OCS Report MMS 2001–067. Minerals Management Service, New Orleans, LA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curray, Joseph R. 1960 Sediments and History of Holocene Transgression, Continental Shelf, Northwest Gulf of Mexico. In Recent Sediments, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico, F. P. Shepard, F. B. Phleger, and T. H. Van Andel, editors, pp. 221–266. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, OK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dix, Justin, Rory Quinn, and Kieran Westley 2004 A Reassessment of the Archaeological Potential of Continental Shelves. Final Report Submitted to English Heritage, Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund. University of Southampton. <http://www.arch.soton.ac.uk/research/aggregates/shelve-intro.htm>. Accessed 22 May 2006.

  • Duncan, Brad G. 2006 The Maritime Archaeology and Maritime Cultural Landscapes of Queenscliffe: A Nineteenth Century Australian Coastal Community. Doctoral dissertation, School of Anthropology, Archaeology, and Sociology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, Amanda M., Antony Firth, and Mark Staniforth 2009 Old and New Threats to Submerged Cultural Landscapes: Fishing, Farming, and Energy Development. Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites 11(1):44–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faught, Michael K. and Joseph F. Donoghue 1997 Marine Inundated Archaeological Sites and Paleofluvial Systems: Examples from a Karst-Controlled Continental Shelf Setting in Apalachee Bay, Northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Geoarchaeology 12: 417–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Firth, Antony 1995 Three Facets of Maritime Archaeology: Society, Landscape, and Critique. Theoretical Advances in Maritime Archaeology. University of Southampton, Durham, England. <http://splash.wessexarch.co.uk/2010/04/14/three-facets-of-maritime-archaeology/>. Accessed 21 Feb. 2006.

  • Fisher, W. L., J. H. McGowen, L. F. Brown Jr., and C. G. Groat 1972 Environmental Geologic Atlas of the Texas Coastal Zone: Galveston – Houston Area. Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flemming, Nic 1983 Survival of Submerged Lithic and Bronze Age Artifact Sites: A Review of Case Histories. In Quaternary Coastlines and Marine Archaeology: Towards the Prehistory of Land Bridges and Continental Shelves, P. M. Masters and N. C. Flemming, editors, pp. 135–173. Academic Press, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frazier, D. E. 1974 Depositional Episodes: Their Relationship to the Quaternary Stratigraphic. Framework in the Northwestern Portion of the Gulf Basin. Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gagliano, Sherwood M. 1983 Geoarchaeology of the Northern Gulf Shore. In Perspectives on Gulf Coast Prehistory, Dave D. Davis, editor, pp. 2–40. University Presses of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gagliano, Sherwood M., Charles E. Pearson, Richard A. Weinstein, Diane E. Wiseman, and Christopher M. McClendon 1982 Sedimentary Studies of Prehistoric Archaeological Sites: Criteria for the Identification of Submerged Archaeological Sites of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf. Division of State Plans and Grants, National Park Service, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, Ervan G., Charles F. Giammona, Frank J. Kelly, Anthony R. Tripp, and Gary A. Wolff 1989 Historic Shipwrecks and Magnetic Anomalies of the Northern Gulf of Mexico: reevaluation of Archaeological Resource Management Zone 1. OCS Study MMS 89–0023 Minerals Management Service, New Orleans, LA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, G. H., Fred Townsend, and Warren Norville 1977 Nautical Education for Offshore Extractive Industries: Transportation. Sea Grant Publication LSU-B-77-001. LSU Center for Wetland Resources, Baton Rouge, LA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunter, J. R. 1994 “Maritime Culture”: Notes from the Land. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 23(4):261–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, Matthew 1999 Archaeological Theory: An Introduction. Blackwell, Oxford, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, Lucille L. and Melanie Stright 1992 Paleoshorelines and Prehistory: An Investigation of Method. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, R. Barry 2000 Sea-Level Rise and Subsidence Effects on Gulf Coast Archaeological Site Distributions. American Antiquity 65(3):525–541.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masselink, Gerhard and Michael G. Hughes 2003 Introduction to Coastal Processes and Geomorphology. Hodder Arnold, London, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • McErlean, Thomas, Rosemary McConkey, and Wes Forsythe 2002 Strangford Lough: An archaeological survey of the maritime cultural landscape. Northern Ireland Archaeological Monographs No. 6. Environment and Heritage Service, Built Heritage. Blackstaff Press, Belfast, Ireland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minerals Management Service (MMS) 1995 Information Paper on the Recent changes in the MMS Archaeological Resource Management Program. New Orleans, LA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Minerals Management Service (MMS) 2005 Archaeological Resource Surveys and Reports. Notice to Leasees (NTL) 2005-G07. Herndon, VA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton, Robert A. 1994 Texas Barriers. In Geology of Holocene Barrier Islands, R. A. Davis, editor, pp. 75–114. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mussett, Alan E. and A. Aftab Khan 2000 Looking into the Earth: An Introduction to Geological Geophysics. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newcomb, W. W., Jr. 1961 The Indians of Texas from Prehistoric to Modern Times. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, A. J. 2001 Maritime Landscapes. Landscapes 1:22–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearson, Charles E., David B. Kelley, Richard A. Weinstein, and Sherwood M. Gagliano 1986 Archaeological Investigations on the Outer Continental Shelf: A Study Within the Sabine River Valley, Offshore Louisiana and Texas. OCS Study MMS 86-0119. Minerals Management Service, New Orleans, LA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rainbird, Paul 2007 The Archaeology of Islands. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ragan, Elizabeth A. 2001 Coastal Archaeology and Complex Societies: The Maritime Cultural Landscape of South Argyll. Doctoral dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricklis, Robert A. 2004 The Archaeology of the Native American Occupation of Southeast Texas. In The Prehistory of Texas, Timothy K. Perttula, editor, pp. 181–204. Texas A&M University Press, College Station.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ricklis, Robert A. and Michael D. Blum 1997 The Geoarchaeological Record of Holocene Sea Level Change and Human Occupation of the Texas Gulf Coast. Geoarchaeology 12:287–314.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, Harry H. 1997 Dynamic Changes of the Holocene Mississippi River Delta Plain: the Delta Cycle. Journal of Coastal Research 13:605–627.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rönnby, Johan 2007 Maritime Durées: Long-term Structures in a Coastal Landscape. Journal of Maritime Archaeology 2:66–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simms, A. R., J. B. Anderson, K. T. Milliken, Z. P. Taha, and J. S. Wellner 2007 Geomorphology and Age of the Oxygen Isotope Stage 2 (Last Lowstand) Sequence Boundary on the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf. In Seismic Geomorphology: Applications to Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production, R. J. Davies, H. W. Posamentier, L. J. Wood, and J. A. Cartwright, editors, pp. 29–46. Special Publications 277. Geological Society, London, England.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, David J. 1999 Formation Processes Affecting Submerged Archaeological Sites: An Overview. Geoarchaeology 14:565–587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stright, Melanie J. 1986 Human occupation of the Continental Shelf during the Late Pleistocene / Early Holocene: Methods for Site Location. Geoarchaeology 1:347–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stright, Melanie J., Eileen M. Lear, and James F. Bennett 1999 Spatial Data Analysis of Artifacts Redeposited by Coastal Erosion: A Case Study of McFaddin Beach, Texas. OCS Study MMS 99-0068. Minerals Management Service, Herndon, VA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Texas Historical Commission (THC) 1984 State of Texas Archaeological Site Data Form, 41GV81. Recorded by Lawrence A. Aten. Document on file Texas Historical Commission, Austin, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Texas Historical Commission (THC) 1988 State of Texas Archaeological Site Data Form, 41GV101. Recorded by Jeffrey A. Huebner. Document on file Texas Historical Commission, Austin, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters, Michael R. 1992 Principles of Geoarchaeology: A North American Perspective. University of Arizona Press, Tucson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerdahl, Christer 1992 The Maritime Cultural Landscape. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 21(1): 5–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westerdahl, Christer 1994 Maritime Cultures and Ship Types: Brief Comments on the Significance of Maritime Archaeology. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 23(4):265–270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westerdahl, Christer 2005 Seal on Land, Elk at Sea: Notes on and Applications of the Ritual Landscape at the Seaboard. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 34(1):2–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westley, Kieran and Justin Dix 2006 Coastal Environments and their Role in Prehistoric Migrations. Journal of Maritime Archaeology 1:9–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wille, Peter C. 2005 Sound Images of the Ocean in Research and Monitoring. Springer, Heidelberg, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tesla Offshore, LLC, 36499 Perkins Rd, Prairieville, LA, 70769, USA

    Amanda M. Evans

Authors
  1. Amanda M. Evans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matthew E. Keith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amanda M. Evans .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Anthropology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, 15705, Pennsylvania, USA

    Ben Ford

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Evans, A.M., Keith, M.E. (2011). Potential Contributions of a Maritime Cultural Landscape Approach to Submerged Prehistoric Resources, Northwestern Gulf of Mexico. In: Ford, B. (eds) The Archaeology of Maritime Landscapes. When the Land Meets the Sea, vol 2. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8210-0_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation