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Local geomorphology and geology are important to understanding human settlement patterns (Rossignol, 1992; Stafford, 1995, 2004; Dodonov, A.W. Kandel, A.N. Simakova, et al., 2007). The geomorphology of a landscape reveals when elements of the landscape initially formed, the processes involved in their formation, and the processes involved in subsequent landscape changes over time. Understanding these factors allows for a better interpretation of the archaeological record. Ideally, the analysis of the archaeological record should be separate from the geomorphology, but they are sometimes so intertwined that it is necessary to analyze them simultaneously. This is especially true in dynamic coastal settings, where environmental changes can occur yearly, seasonally, and even daily (Wells, 2001; also see Jordan and Maschner, 2000; Peros, Graham, and Davis, 2006; Dickinson and Burley, 2007; Bicho and Haws, 2008; Pollard, 2009; Erlandson and Braje, 2011).To refine our understanding of Georgia coastal evolution, a campaign of vibracoring, dating (radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence), and sediment analyses were performed in four diverse intertidal settings: back-barrier, nondeltaic interbarrier, deltaic interbarrier, and southern end barrier/recurved spit. The results were then compared to the archaeological records of these areas, noting the implication of landscape history for settlement patterns, as well as how archaeology can speak to geomorphological studies.

Turck, J.A. and Alexander, C.R. Jr. 2013. Coastal Landscapes and their Relationship to Human Settlement on the Georgia Coast. Pages 169-189 in: Thompson, V.D. and Thomas, D.H. (editors). Life Among the Tides - Recent Archaeology on the Georgia Bight. American Museum of Natural History—Scientific Publications, New York, NY.