Abstract

Based on global sea level history we can, in general terms, delineate the broad areas of the BC continental shelf that would have been subaerially exposed 12,000 to 13,000 years ago. Specific regional differences can be anticipated primarily due to isostatic factors but, at least on the outer coast, these will include forebulge effects which will tend to augment subaerial exposure. We now have a sea-level curve that details the last 12,000-plus years history of relative sea-level change in western Hecate Strait. Using this curve and existing bathymetric data we can reconstruct the regional landscape at 12,000 to 13,000 BP. From this we can see that the environment of eastern Haida Gwaii was very different to that of today. Most recently, imaging early post-glacial landscapes in parts of western Hecate Strait has progressed to the point where a variety of terrestrial landforms, now deeply drowned, can be resolved and positioned to the sub-metre level. Swath bathymetric imagery in southern Juan Perez Sound provides landscape detail superior to the air photo coverage of adjacent Moresby Island. We can predict potential locations of archaeological sites on this landscape, however, the challenge is to overcome the logistics of sampling at ocean depths of 100 to 140 metres.