Share Page
Archives For November 30, 1999
The Archaeology Program is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Director. As of July 1, Dr. Scott Harris will be Director of Archaeology.
Dr. Harris received a PhD in geology from the University of Delaware and is a specialist in paleo-landscape evolution, primarily within coastal plain and contintental shelf environments. His most recent research has taken him to spaces off of the coast of the US southeast and Greece (the latter for which he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship).
He follows James Newhard, who has served as Director of Archaeology since the inception of the major in 2013. Dr. Newhard steps down in order to more fully devote time to his responsibilities as interim Chair of the Department of Classics and as the Director of the newly-created Center for Historical Landscapes.
We wish Dr. Harris the best of good fortune, and thank Dr. Newhard for his years of service.
This story is reproduced from its original posting the School of Science and Mathematics blog
Dr. Harris’ core research will allow for quantitive and qualitative analysis of coastal change in response to varied sea-level rise scenarios across a complex landscape in the North Euboean Gulf of Central Greece. Data gathered, analyzed, and interpreted through this project will also inform several major Bronze Age archaeological sites about their submerged paleolandscapes along the Southwestern edge of the gulf. The research site covers the marine portions of the ancient sites of Kynos, Mitrou, and Halai and from modern Arkitsa to the Theologos Peninsula about two hours north of Athens. The derived scientific products and interpretations will not only inform the maritime aspects of the terrestrial sites, but will also assist in the identification of submerged sites before, during and after the significant periods of seafaring in the Bronze Age along this major seaway. While many studies of the submerged portions of Greece focus strictly on submerged cities, specific shipwrecks, or the deep sea, this collaborative project will form a coherent regional investigation focused on paleolandscapes and coastal changes throughout antiquity. The broader context of the study will influence disciplinary thoughts on the preservation of ancient landscapes, of coastal deposits, and of submerged archaeological sites along an important ancient maritime seaway.
Submerged paleolandsc
apes hold a record of antiquity that informs us about past coastal conditions and human adaptations. Understanding the influence of how variable local sea-level changes have influenced the preservation potential of submerged coastal systems is crucial to understanding these interactions. Working with host faculty and two other Greek universities, we will map the seafloor between Theologos and Arkitsa Greece to answer questions of preservation potential in a natural experiment of differential sea-level change in this actively tectonic and rich Bronze Age maritime region. The scholar will bring expertise in coastal dynamics and advanced seafloor mapping techniques while the host institution provides expertise in understanding ancient sea-level histories in this region.