Ancient wells and their geoarchaeological significance in detecting tectonics of the Israel Mediterranean coastline region

Research Article| January 01, 1987 Ancient wells and their geoarchaeological significance in detecting tectonics of the Israel Mediterranean coastline region Yaacov Nir; Yaacov Nir 1Geological Survey of Israel, 30 Malkhe Israel Street, Jerusalem 95501, Israel Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Iris Eldar Iris Eldar 2Archaeological Survey of Israel, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Yaacov Nir 1Geological Survey of Israel, 30 Malkhe Israel Street, Jerusalem 95501, Israel Iris Eldar 2Archaeological Survey of Israel, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1987) 15 (1): 3–6. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1987)15<3:AWATGS>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Yaacov Nir, Iris Eldar; Ancient wells and their geoarchaeological significance in detecting tectonics of the Israel Mediterranean coastline region. Geology 1987;; 15 (1): 3–6. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1987)15<3:AWATGS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Eight ancient water wells, representing the late Bronze Age to the Crusades period (ca. 3100–700 B.P.), have recently been excavated (six by the authors) and reopened at archaeological sites (tels) along the southern and central Mediterranean coast of Israel. Evidence of ancient freshwater levels directly reflects on possible neotectonics of the region and on eustatic changes of sea level. There is substantial disagreement about the tectonic stability of the Israel Mediterranean coastal region during the past 3500 yr, whether there was a large-magnitude tectonic event (one of the largest known for recent times) during the period in discussion or whether the region was tectonically quiet. We tested the instability hypothesis by using geoarchaeological data from the wells and found no evidence for significant tectonic deformation of the central and southern Israel coast in the past 3100 yr. The “ancient water-well” method can, with appropriate modifications, be used all around the Mediterranean and other coasts elsewhere in the world where ground-water-sea-level relations are alike. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.