A catastrophic flood in the Black Sea area in pre-historic times is something that has interested me for some time, especially the idea that a major disaster in that area may have been the genesis (so the speak) of the great flood stories that appear in so many early cultures (including Noah of course).
However new research by a team led by Liviu Giosan, a geologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, indicates that there was not a huge flood. The Black Sea was originally a fresh water lake but 9500 years ago rising sea levels caused the Mediterranean to raise sufficient to be able to flow into the Black Sea. Initially it was thought this caused a catastrophic flood indicating a sudden change of water from fresh to salt water. However by analysing sediments in the Danube delta researchers think the flood was much smaller than thought as the original level of the Black Sea was higher to start with. However the results are not accepted by other researchers and it is hoped further analysis can take place now the region is more accessible following the end of the Cold War.
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Tectonic movements cause apparent variation in rise of sea level between S.W., S.E. and Northern shores.Remember, preeceeding Younger Dryas was VERY dry, lake levels likely to be recorded in submerged beach sequence. Land barrier in two parts with small Marmora lake between, perhaps breaking in two discreet events with the first giving (audible?) warning to those like Utu-Napishtim with ears to hear?? Has anyone calculated the extant of the flood after 40 days? might be interesting. Evidence of dessication in Anatolia and movement of people to lowlands(see Catel Huyuk). Later extensive population distribution of survivor groups from the Black Sea culture(s) suggested by study of legends to extend from borders of China to Ireland thereby linking origin myths of British (brute), Irish(Tuatha da Daanan), French(Parisii) to those of Etruscans and Romans. Clue to origin of mythic corpus to western Black Sea area given by Gilgamesh destroying the stones which propelled the boat used to find Utu-Napishtim...as used to harness the underlying outflowing current in the Bospherus in historical times. All evidence suggests that, whatever the physical form the flood took, it's impact on the highly sophisticated human populations was deeply traumatic.
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