The magnificent seven: Marine submerged precontact sites found by systematic geoarchaeology in the Americas

Abstract

Abstract There are significant challenges to answering questions of Native American precontact history with data from sites in marine submerged continental shelf settings. We find seven published examples of projects in the Americas that encountered archaeological sites through systematic and phased geoarchaeological research. These seven projects share similar characteristics: recognition of archaeological potential, mapping and learning paleolandscape configurations, modeling where past human behaviors should be expected and, importantly, testing those places underwater. We summarize the approaches and outcomes of each project, discuss similar characteristics, and recommend additional strategies for future discoveries.