Paleogeographic and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of terrain associated with coastal prehistoric archaeological sites, Cape Henlopen, Delaware

Gouge auger sampling within Lewes Creek Marsh and ground penetrating radar (GPR) profiles of three prehistoric archaeological sites at Cape Henlopen, Delaware, reveal the paleogeography and paleoenvironments during the prehistoric occupation of relict recurve spits. Previous archaeological surveys of two of the prehistoric archaeological sites at Cape Henlopen provide a range in age from 500 A.D. to 1600 A.D. The three prehistoric archaeological sites lay upon three separate relict recurve spit tips that are today surrounded by Lewes Creek Marsh. These relict recurve spit tips are related to the evolution of Cape Henlopen. Using the prehistoric archaeological sites as points in time, the evolution of Cape Henlopen is revealed to be one that is episodic and related to changes in sea-level.; Ground penetrating radar is used to determine the depth of spit platform, beach face, and dune deposits related to the development of each relict recurve spit and the locality and depth of the prehistoric shell midden deposits on each relict recurve spit. It is concluded that GPR is a useful tool in examining relict coastal landforms and prehistoric archaeological sites that today lay within coastal marine environments. Furthermore, it is concluded that GPR is a useful tool to image the stratigraphy below Lewes Creek Marsh. This is supported by the fact that the ground penetrating radar reflectors below Lewes Creek Marsh are ground truthed by the use of a gouge auger.