first glance, like a pile of rubble. But hidden beneath the sandbags and tarpaulin is the Knowe of Swandro, an archaeological site that contains the remains of Iron Age and Norse settlements . Every summer a team of archaeologists descends on Rousay, one of theTime is not on their side. Rising sea levels and more frequent storms are washing away sediment where the site sits.
On the climate change to-do list, archaeological preservation is, understandably, not a top priority. The International Council on Monuments and Sites declared a climate emergency only in 2020. Archaeologists complain of shallow co-ordination efforts among climate policymakers. Funding is the main problem. Archaeology tends to be bankrolled by land developers. But when it comes to climate change, there is “no one to pay for it”, says Jorgen Hollesen from the National Museum of Denmark. Moving sites and other mitigation efforts, such as building protective armour, is costly. Many just have to wait and see what happens.
Digging deeper, it is not all doom and gloom. Changing weather patterns and rising temperatures have brought some unexpected benefits. Several of the most exciting discoveries of recent years, from Nazi warships in the Danube to ancient rock carvings in the Amazon, were revealed after severe drought. Storms can also expose hidden gems., a Neolithic site also in Orkney, was concealed by sand dunes until disturbed by a storm in 1850.
Archaeologists and heritage institutions must answer two pressing questions, says Dr Hollesen: “Which sites should be saved, and which sites should be allowed to decay?” In poor countries, paying for preservation can be hard to justify, thoughprovides funding to its designated World Heritage sites. Countries with fewer resources will get priority in funding, says Lazare Eloundou Assomo, the head ofGiven the number of sites under threat and limited resources available, many will be lost.