Holocene Sea-Level Changes and the Archaeological Record of Al-Subiyah, Kuwait Bay

This paper examines the correlation between coastal archaeological sites and Holocene sea-level changes in Kuwait Bay, focusing on specific historical periods. Recent investigations in Al-Subiyah revealed diverse sites, including late Neolithic Ubaid settlements, a Bronze Age tumulus cemetery, scattered pottery from the late pre-Islamic period and later stone-lined wells possibly from the Islamic period. Radiocarbon dating of marine mollusk shells from former seabed deposits and paleo-shorelines in Bahra refines the chronology of sea transgressions, showing that peak sea levels coincided with the Early and Middle Bronze Age. Fluctuations likely influenced the location of coastal sites, such as stone structures oriented toward the sea. By adding new radiocarbon dates linked to the paleo-coastline of Kuwait Bay, this study advances research on Holocene sea-level fluctuations in the Gulf, emphasizing the interplay between marine processes and human activity in the region.