Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
The mystique of beachrock
EUGENE A. SHINN
University of South Florida Marine Science Center, 140 Seventh Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
(E-mail: eshinn@marine.usf.edu)
ABSTRACT
Parallel rows of intertidal beachrock composed of large (up to 4 m), oblong, pillow-
shape blocks submerged by rising Holocene sea level occur throughout the Caribbean.
Such blocks have recently been discovered in 90 m of water off southwest Florida. The
best known example is in 5-7 m of water off the northwest side of Bimini, Bahamas,
where the feature is known as the Bimini Road. 'New-Age' alternative thinkers assert
that the arrangement of the Bimini stones, and similar stones off Andros Island in the
Bahamas, is actually man-made. The theory holds that ancient humans, principally
citizens of the mythical city of Atlantis rearranged blocks of beachrock to form a har-
bour. This paper demonstrates that the stones and their arrangement are natural and
suggests that some villages protected by ancient harbours in the Mediterranean may in
fact have been developed on naturally occurring beachrock.
Keywords
Atlantis, Bimini Road, Bahamas, Beachrock, Cayce Foundation,
Keystone Vug
.
INTRODUCTION
aligned in several rows in approximately 7 m of
water (Fig. 2), has continued to resonate among
alternative thinkers. Since their discovery, made
possible after erosion of overlying sediment, the
proposition that the stones are man-made and/
or 'intelligently' placed by ancient cultures has
proliferated and gained credibility. The anthropo-
genic-origin hypothesis initiated with Valentine
(1969, 1976), Rebikoff (1972, 1979) and followed
the suggestion of Cayce (1968). Berlitz (1969,
1984) and Zink (1978) related the origin of the
Bimini Road to the legend of the lost contin-
ent of Atlantis. Zink's study was funded by the
Cayce Foundation, a spirit-based group located in
Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Little was published about the Bimini Road
during the 1980s. However, after a decade-long
hiatus of interest and activity, the anthropogenic-
origin hypothesis was revived in a two-part
pro/con article (Hearty & Donato, 1998) in which
Donato argues for a human origin and Hearty
argues for a natural origin. More recently, Menzies
(2002) proposed that the stones were placed on
the sea fl oor by ancient Chinese merchantmen
who he maintains travelled to the Bahamas before
Columbus. The stones were thought to be part of
a system for hauling and repairing damaged ships
(Menzies, 2002).
Although many scientists have examined the
Bimini rocks and their peculiar alignment John
The purpose of this paper is to highlight opposing
interpretations that currently exist between geolo-
gists and a growing number of 'New-Age' alterna-
tive thinkers/archaeologists. A general account of
beachrock formation, especially beachrock sub-
merged by rising Holocene sea level, is provided;
however, the main intent is to discuss the various
alternative origins for submerged beachrock. That
beachrock forms in the intertidal zone has been
known for almost two centuries, although the pre-
cise mechanism of origin has been debated for more
than 50 years. For the most recent and detailed
history of beachrock distribution and theories of
origin, the reader is directed to Gischler (2007).
A pivotal paper on beachrock at Loggerhead Key,
Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico, was Robert N.
Ginsburg's fi rst paper in 1953.
ANTHROPOGENIC VERSUS
NATURAL ORIGIN
Rows of large oblong and polygonal limestone
blocks popularly called the 'Bimini Road', lie
off the northwest coast of the Bahamian island
of Bimini (Fig. 1). The underwater feature fi rst
attracted the attention of adventurers/divers in
the mid-1960s. The mystique of these huge rocks,
