A late Holocene record of environmental changes from Kotihi lagoon, Elis, Northwest Peloponnesus, Greece

The late Holocene instability of the coastline of Elis was investigated using two boreholes. Three evolutionary stages are distinguished. (A) From earlier than 7000 to 3810 cal BP there was a static coastline and predominantly lagoon floor sediments accumulated. (B) From 3810 to 1400 cal BP, the rate of sedimentation was higher than the rate of relative sea level change, possibly because of the proximity of the mouth of the Peneus River, and predominantly fluvial sediments accumulated. (C) From 1400 cal BP to present time, landward migration of the coast and the re-establishment of lagoonal facies was probably the result of the avulsion of the Peneus River. From 150 cal BP until present, the rate of sedimentation in lagoon area was high about 5.2 mm/a.