Knight, J. and Burningham, H., 2007. Coastal morphodynamics and prehistoric human occupation, County Donegal, NW Ireland. Journal of Coastal Research, SI 50 (Proceedings of the 9th International Coastal Symposium), 104 – 108. Gold Coast, Australia, ISSN 0749.0208

The complex interrelationship between coastal morphodynamics and prehistoric human occupation of coastal landscapes is explored from two important sand dune sites in County Donegal, NW Ireland. These sites, which are Atlantic-facing and which are morphologically responsive to decadal to millennial-scale climate changes, have a long record of human occupation as evidenced by the presence of Neolithic to Medieval artifacts, occupation horizons, soils and shell middens. Relationships between sand dune development and human activity are identified at these sites through description of archaeological horizons exposed in section, and surrounding dune sands. Results show the role of human-induced land surface changes that impact on succeeding dune sedimentation patterns. Feedback between the physical processes of dune accumulation and human activity within sand dune systems – not previously discussed in the literature – are key to understanding human-landscape relationships over decadal to millennial time scales and can be usefully applied to such relationships in other sensitive geomorphic settings.