The Geoarchaeology of Intertidal Shipwreck Sites: Case-Studies from Highly Dynamic Settings in Southern Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay

Shipwreck sites often occur in highly dynamic intertidal environments, posing major challenges in terms of preservation and coherence of the archaeological record. These sites typically consist of widely scattered materials located either in the intertidal zone or above the high waterline. Exposure to winds, waves, surges, tides, currents, and sediment transportation occurs continuously across space and over time, and within various significant spatial-temporal scales, resulting in natural cycles of flood, burial and exposure of stranded wrecks. Ultimately, however, the survival of shipwrecks in the archaeological record in these environments will depend on an array of interactions with natural and cultural post-depositional processes. The following chapter presents the current knowledge regarding the archaeology of intertidal shipwreck sites in South America, based on case studies from highly dynamic settings in Southern Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. It aims at highlighting regional themes and defining the gaps which need to be filled towards a more systematic macro-regional approach.