Deeper than expected: the finding of a remarkable ancient harbour at Gadir/Gades and an exceptional sedimentary archive (Cadiz, Southern Spain)

Abstract

Geoarchaeological cores were retrieved in the centre of the old "Bahia-Caleta" palaeochannel located between the Erytheia and Cotinusa islands in the former Cadiz archipelago, in present-day southern Spain. The unprecedented coring depth (~ 35-50 m) allowed us to identify the bottom of a Phoenician-Punic and Roman harbour. Located at 20-40 m b.s.l. in the sedimentary sequence, silty sand deposits reveal a deep semi-protected shelter with abundant ceramic and archaeobotanical findings. Based on these new results, the palaeotopography of the islands of Cadiz is reinterpreted, demonstrating the presence of a harbour accessible from the west and possibly from the east until (at least) the Roman period. This major discovery opens meaningful perspectives for archaeological, geomorphological and palaeoenvironmental research.