Vertical land movements and sea level changes along the coast of Crete (Greece) since Late Holocene

摘要

Geomorphological survey along the coasts of Crete revealed widespread evidence of uplifted and submerged tidal notches, different phases of beachrock formation, and many relics of ancient coastal constructions. About 1.6 ka BP, when the sea level was at -1.25 +/- 0.05 m, the western tectonic block of the island uplifted by 9.15 +/- 0.20 m in its westernmost extremity and by 2.00 m approximately in its eastern boundary and tilted southeastward. Repeated preceding episodes of subsidence submerged the western part of the island by 1.60 m in a period of 2300 years. Along the western coast, the younger phase of the submerged beachrocks was identified and measured at nineteen locations, together with the submerged tidal notches and archaeological remains. Land subsidence by 1.25 +/- 0.05 m, subsequent to the uplift of the western part, occurred after the late Venetian occupation period (similar to AD 1600), coincident with the submersion of the eastern part of the island.