ARCHAEOLOGY TO REFINE HOLOCENE SUBSIDENCE RATES ALONG THE NILE DELTA MARGIN, EGYPT

Archaeological material and sites in the northern Nile delta record ra tes of land subsidence that are higher than those derived from radioca rbon-dated subsurface sediments- Reassessment of subsidence-rate calcu lations reveals that previous subsidence measurements of 1-5 mm/yr for the delta are minimum rates, because sediment reworking can result in radiocarbon-dated core ages that are older than the ages of final bur ial. Integration of archaeological and geologic subsurface data is ess ential for accurate age determinations, differentiation of subsidence from sea-level rise, and more precise calculation of vertical earth mo vement. Application herein of archaeological data to geological proble ms helps to refine subsidence-rate measurements between the flexure zo ne (landward margin of the Holocene Nile delta depocenter) and the coa st.