Rachel Bynoe

The submerged Palaeolithic, an opportunity not a problem

Supervisors: Dr. Fraser Sturt and Dr. Justin Dix

Abstract:

Fossils of long-extinct megafauna have been recovered from the southern North Sea since the early days of trawler fishing, providing exciting glimpses into the drowned landscapes below the sea surface. Initially thought of as ‘pre-Diluvian’, the idea that these artefacts and areas are of archaeological relevance has been around for almost a century, yet attempts to actively engage with the Palaeolithic aspect of this record have been conspicuously lacking. This research questions the assumption that the submerged Palaeolithic is a lost-cause, and aims to demonstrate that through re-focusing our questions we can not only gain a fuller understanding of the hominin occupation of these areas, but reach new conclusions about the use of this data within Palaeolithic research.

email: Rachel.bynoe@soton.ac.uk