Atlit-Yam: A Unique 9000 Year Old Prehistoric Village Submerged off the Carmel Coast, Israel – The SPLASHCOS Field School (2011)

The site of Atlit-Yam is one of the best preserved and most thoroughly investigated submerged prehistoric settlements in the world, with a wealth of finds of material culture and organic remains characteristic of a Pre-Pottery Neolithic village based on a mixed economy of farming and fishing 9000 years ago. Stone-lined water wells were also found, providing a precise measure of sea-level position when the site was in use, as well as a megalithic structure and human burials. Eventually the site was abandoned in the face of progressive sea-level rise, and later Neolithic settlements, were occupied at a higher level, and are now submerged closer to the shore. SPLASHCOS funding to support a Training School, allowed renewed investigations in 2011, providing an unusual opportunity for early stage researchers to gain experience and training on a submerged prehistoric settlement which also resulted in the discovery of some new features. This chapter provides a summary of the finds recovered from Atlit-Yam, the evidence for sea-level change, and a detailed description of the methods used in underwater survey and excavation.