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Geoarchaeology is a multi-disciplinary approach, which
uses the techniques and subject matter to examine topics which
share the archaeological knowledge and thought. During the
archaeological excavation, the geoarcheologists engage with
soil strata and sediment or deposits. For this purpose, different
macroscopic and microscopic techniques are used to obtain
good results. Accordingly, using such techniques, a
geoarchaeologist or a group tries to analyze minerals, rocks
and clay from excavations to reveal the old humans and their
civilizations, artifacts and fossil remains. Thus, based on
physical, chemical and biological approaches, the
geoarchaeologist/archaeologist tries to realize the
palaeoclimatic changes, which incorporated with human and
cultural evolutions from glacial and interglacial periods to
date.
In Sri Lankan submerged planated surface (present
continental shelf), salient features are submerged forest, rock and shelter caves and old river courses. Also, along the
coastline and coastal zone, beachrock shoals, corals, shell
beds, submerged lagoons and river mouths, emerged coastal
sand ridges, sand dunes, wind blown sand ridges have formed
due to the palaeo sea level fluctuations during the Pleistocene
and Holocene epochs. Besides, from 2nd planated surface
(coastal plain) to 4th planated surface (hilly and mountainous
terrain), it is possible to identify wetlands, mounds, rock and
shelter caves as palaeo settlement sites. However, a proper
investigation using geoarchaeological methods and techniques
were not conducted yet by archaeologists. So then,
archaeologists should pay attention to conduct research
emphasizing genealogical techniques and methodologies using
radiometric datings, on minerals, rocks and clay objects found
through archaeological methods to obtain scientific results
from Sri Lanka.
