Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics
This study presents the results of a marine geophysical survey performed in the Igaliku fjord in southern Greenland in order to understand the harbour setting of the former Norse settlement Garðar (modern Igaliku). The aims of the survey were (a) to reconstruct the former coastline during the first...
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ftmdpi:oai:mdpi.com:/2072-4292/11/16/1889/ 2023-08-20T04:06:52+02:00 Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics Dennis Wilken Tina Wunderlich Peter Feldens Joris Coolen John Preston Natascha Mehler agris 2019-08-13 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889 EN eng Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Remote Sensing in Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrology https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Remote Sensing; Volume 11; Issue 16; Pages: 1889 Greenland Norse period Garðar side-scan sonar reflection seismics bathymetry Text 2019 ftmdpi https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889 2023-07-31T22:30:58Z This study presents the results of a marine geophysical survey performed in the Igaliku fjord in southern Greenland in order to understand the harbour setting of the former Norse settlement Garðar (modern Igaliku). The aims of the survey were (a) to reconstruct the former coastline during the first centuries of the Norse settlement period (c. 11/12th centuries) and (b) to search for archaeological remains on the seabed connected to maritime traffic and trade. In order to approach these goals, we used an integrated marine survey system consisting of a side-scan sonar and a reflection seismic system. The system was designed for lightweight transport, allowing measurements in areas that are logistically difficult to access. The side-scan sonar data revealed no remains of clear archaeological origin. Bathymetric data from seismic seabed reflection and additional Differential GPS height measurements yielded a high-resolution bathymetric map. Based on estimates of Holocene relative sea level change, our bathymetry model was used to reconstruct the shift of the high and low-water line since the early Norse period. The reconstructed coastline shows that a small island, which hosts the ruins of a tentative Norse warehouse at the mouth of the present harbour, was connected to the shore at low tide during the early Norse period. In addition, reflection seismics and side-scan sonar images reveal a sheltered inlet with steep slopes on one side of the island, which may have functioned as a landing bridge used to load ships. We also show that the loss of fertile land due to sea level rise until the end of the Norse settlement was insignificant compared to the available fertile land in the Igaliku fjord and is thus not the reason for the collapse of the colony. Text Greenland Igaliku MDPI Open Access Publishing Greenland Igaliku ENVELOPE(-45.421,-45.421,60.988,60.988) Garðar ENVELOPE(-22.667,-22.667,64.750,64.750) Igaliku Fjord ENVELOPE(-45.599,-45.599,60.801,60.801) Remote Sensing 11 16 1889 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
op_collection_id |
ftmdpi |
language |
English |
topic |
Greenland Norse period Garðar side-scan sonar reflection seismics bathymetry |
spellingShingle |
Greenland Norse period Garðar side-scan sonar reflection seismics bathymetry Dennis Wilken Tina Wunderlich Peter Feldens Joris Coolen John Preston Natascha Mehler Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics |
topic_facet |
Greenland Norse period Garðar side-scan sonar reflection seismics bathymetry |
description |
This study presents the results of a marine geophysical survey performed in the Igaliku fjord in southern Greenland in order to understand the harbour setting of the former Norse settlement Garðar (modern Igaliku). The aims of the survey were (a) to reconstruct the former coastline during the first centuries of the Norse settlement period (c. 11/12th centuries) and (b) to search for archaeological remains on the seabed connected to maritime traffic and trade. In order to approach these goals, we used an integrated marine survey system consisting of a side-scan sonar and a reflection seismic system. The system was designed for lightweight transport, allowing measurements in areas that are logistically difficult to access. The side-scan sonar data revealed no remains of clear archaeological origin. Bathymetric data from seismic seabed reflection and additional Differential GPS height measurements yielded a high-resolution bathymetric map. Based on estimates of Holocene relative sea level change, our bathymetry model was used to reconstruct the shift of the high and low-water line since the early Norse period. The reconstructed coastline shows that a small island, which hosts the ruins of a tentative Norse warehouse at the mouth of the present harbour, was connected to the shore at low tide during the early Norse period. In addition, reflection seismics and side-scan sonar images reveal a sheltered inlet with steep slopes on one side of the island, which may have functioned as a landing bridge used to load ships. We also show that the loss of fertile land due to sea level rise until the end of the Norse settlement was insignificant compared to the available fertile land in the Igaliku fjord and is thus not the reason for the collapse of the colony. |
format |
Text |
author |
Dennis Wilken Tina Wunderlich Peter Feldens Joris Coolen John Preston Natascha Mehler |
author_facet |
Dennis Wilken Tina Wunderlich Peter Feldens Joris Coolen John Preston Natascha Mehler |
author_sort |
Dennis Wilken |
title |
Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics |
title_short |
Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics |
title_full |
Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics |
title_fullStr |
Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics |
title_full_unstemmed |
Investigating the Norse Harbour of Igaliku (Southern Greenland) Using an Integrated System of Side-Scan Sonar and High-Resolution Reflection Seismics |
title_sort |
investigating the norse harbour of igaliku (southern greenland) using an integrated system of side-scan sonar and high-resolution reflection seismics |
publisher |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889 |
op_coverage |
agris |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-45.421,-45.421,60.988,60.988) ENVELOPE(-22.667,-22.667,64.750,64.750) ENVELOPE(-45.599,-45.599,60.801,60.801) |
geographic |
Greenland Igaliku Garðar Igaliku Fjord |
geographic_facet |
Greenland Igaliku Garðar Igaliku Fjord |
genre |
Greenland Igaliku |
genre_facet |
Greenland Igaliku |
op_source |
Remote Sensing; Volume 11; Issue 16; Pages: 1889 |
op_relation |
Remote Sensing in Geology, Geomorphology and Hydrology https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs11161889 |
container_title |
Remote Sensing |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
16 |
container_start_page |
1889 |
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1774718228264648704 |