Changes in Coastal Configuration Since Mid-Holocene

The study of former shorelines is of considerable importance to a variety of disciplines. The changes in shorelines directly affect the dawn and devolution of civilization along the coast. Archaeologists have long been aware that in the past the coastline had been a focus for man’s activities and thus archaeological sites can be one of the most promising indicators of former shorelines, particularly of the late Quaternary period. Several Mesolithic and Neolithic sites are located along the coastal belt of India, and there are ample evidences of their maritime importance. Gujarat has several sites which witnessed extensive maritime activity during the Harappan period (3000-1500 BC). There are several direct and indirect references in Ancient Indian literature about the behaviour of the shoreline which significantly affected coastal human settlements.