An Under‑Recognised Geoarchaeological Heritage Asset in Turkey: Dana Island, Mersin

Abstract

Carbonate eolianites on Turkey’s 8333-km long coastline are extremely rare occurrences. Following pioneering studies at Bozcaada Island and Şile on the Aegean and Black Sea coasts, respectively, a new eolian geosite was recently found on Dana Island, an archaeological conservation area on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. The eolianite, which was probably formed in a warm interglacial phase during Late Quaternary, is biogenic calcarenite in composition and contains a thick paleosol and well-preserved rhizoliths as root cast structures. As well as being a geological inheritance, the fact that eolianites are interbedded with very rare hard carbonate-cemented slope debris (colluvium) and both units are home to possibly the largest rock-cut ancient shipyard in the Eastern Mediterranean makes the island a unique geoarchaeological example with immense potential. These geological and archaeological heritage elements on Dana Island are sufcient evidence to identify the eolianites as a geoarchaeological heritage.