Coastal occupation and relative sea-level changes during Martinique’s Early Ceramic Period: Reassessment of the impact of Holocene marine transgression in a supposed tectonically stable zone

While the uniformity of settlement dynamics at Martinique’s Early Ceramic sites is beyond dispute, it must be acknowledged that today’s North Atlantic coastlines of the island, characterized by subvertical cliffs and pebble beaches, are poorly suited for canoe landing and other coastal activities. Yet, from both cultural and economic perspectives, these inherently maritime populations remain intrinsically connected to the coast and the sea. Thus, on an island offering many other types of environments, the choice of these early agro-ceramicist groups raises questions. This article aims to challenge this perception, based on the current morphology of the coastline, by reconstructing the evolution of the coastline over the last two millennia, particularly in regard to reassessing the impact of Holocene marine transgression. This is also an opportunity to examine the archaeological potential of the intertidal zone of Martinique.