GROUND-PENETRATING RADAR AS A COASTAL CULTURAL RESOURCE TOOL

Coastal erosion related to sea level rise is most often considered within the framework of land loss and infrastructure damage. However, it is a significant factor in the loss of cultural heritage sites within the coastal zone. While threatened historic structures, such as lighthouses and forts attract the public’s attention and remediation dollars, literally thousands of indigenous shell middens and coastal occupation sites are disappearing. Composed of shells, artifacts, and bones of extant and extinct species, these sites represent an important cultural and paleoenvironmental archive. Characterization of shell middens is largely based on archaeological testing, but budget and time constraints limit extensive excavations to a handful each year. Work in coastal Maine has demonstrated the applicability of ground-penetrating radar as a noninvasive and rapid survey tool for the characterization of the areal and thickness of remaining shell middens. Resulting information informs coastal cultural resource management decisions for preservation and data recovery.