Coastal geology of northeast Africa and implications for prehistory
The coast of northeast Africa is characterized by ridges of disputed origin. The authors investigations clearly demonstrate that the ridges consist of littoral cycles and that they are neither wholly marine nor eolian. For example, Gebel Maryut Ridge in Egypt consists of several cycles, each consisting of beach or lagoonal deposits of a transgressive marine hemicycle followed by a regressive hemicycle represented by eolianite, which may be followed by soil development and colluviation. Paleontologic evidence, morphostratigraphy and correlation with the littoral cycles of Spain suggest that the marine sediments in the Gebel Maryut Ridge at 3, 4, 7 and 9 m asl are of Middle Pleistocene age (about 0.9->.25 my). The next and youngest ridge overlooking the modern beach consist of eolianite overlying supratidal gypseous sand and lagoonal shelly sand dating most probably to the last interglacial transgressive hemicycle. The coast today is erosional and the sea level has risen from -2 or -4 m to the present level since Graeco-Roman times. This suggests that sites that may have been located near the seashore from the last interglacial transgression and the recent transgression may have been destroyed. This is confirmed by a lack of prehistoric remains along the Egyptian Mediterranean Coast.
- Research Organization:
- Washington State Univ., Pullman (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6594722
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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