THEORETICAL PROCEDURES
FOR CONTINENTAL SHELF UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGY

I. Reconstruct the cultural history, settlement patterns, and environmental adaptations of the inhabitants of the continental shelf from initial settlement to inundation.

Identify and inventory relict terrestrial features commonly associated with prehistoric archaeological sites and seek out areas with preserved terrestrial sediments (e.g. chert outcrops, and relict river channels, sinkholes, and rock shelters). This should be accomplished by sidescan sonar and subbottom profiler remote sensing, diver survey, transect collection testing, vibra-coring, and induction dredge excavations.  This data needs then to be GPS tethered to GIS database of site locations. 

II.  Reconstruct the process and pattern of the marine transgression of the continental shelf, and the response of the inhabitants to it.

Determine the condition and  characteristics of sites and site formation processes.  Identify and date sea level indicators (beach lines, brackish water sediments, wave cut rock featrues) to build a rradiocarbon controled inundation sequence for Northwestern Florida. Model relationships between dwindling offshore sites and onshore population dynamics.

III. Integrate submerged data with local culture history, inovate and regularize multidisciplinary research techniques to contribute to inundated prehistoric sites research in general.  Consult with agencies in the assessment of modern develoments, sea level rise, land use planning, and other environmental and cultural resource management concerns