CORAL-REEFS, SINAI, EGYPT - A HISTORICAL-PERSPECTIVE

Walther (1888) studied a fossil reef at Ras Muhammed at 6 meters below sea level and suggested that it had subside. W.F. Hume (1906) describ ed raised coral reefs along the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba He suggested a Pleistocene or post-Pleistocene movement of the shoreline of the Gulf. Hume cited Walther's observations of the reef at 6 meters below sea-level as evidence for subsidence. I discovered a fossil ree f (Friedman 1966) which gave a radiocarbon age of 4770+/-140 years B.P . This reef reflects either Recent tectonic movement of the Gulf's sho reline or lowering of sea level. Like modem reefs, this fossil reef is composed of aragonite and high-magnesian calcite with subordinate low -magnesian calcite sporadically present (Fig. 1). In modem Red Sea ree fs peloids of high-magnesian calcite in cryptocrystalline high-magnesi an calcite cement are interpreted as calcified algal filaments.