Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
human communities and spawned ancient flood stories when sea level rose by several hun-
dred feet as the ice caps melted at the end of the last glaciation. His hypothesis did not win
many converts, as no one would need an ark to escape a sea rising less than a foot a year.
Map of the Black Sea showing connection to the Mediterranean through the Dardanelles, Sea of Marmara, and Bosporus.
However, the collapse of the North American ice sheet during deglaciation did cause a
rapid five-foot rise in sea level between 8,300 and 8,200 years ago, right about the time of
the last big flood from Lake Agassiz. The rising sea flooded coastal areas across Europe
and led to the sudden loss of land favored by early farmers. This event coincided with an
abrupt migration of Neolithic peoples and an expansion of early agriculture into areas pre-
viously occupied by hunter-gatherers. Earlier, Neolithic sites in Europe were restricted to
Anatolia and Greece. Following the abrupt rise in sea level, farming began spreading across
the continent. How did a rising sea level trigger a Stone Age migration?
