Dynamics of the Caspian Sea shoreline in the concept of the “Atlas of cultural and natural heritage of Dagestan”

Atlas of the cultural and natural heritage of Dagestan is a comprehensive cartographic work, which displays objects of archeology, history, ethnography, socio-economic sphere and nature, cultural, historical and natural heritage. The development of the Atlas is based on previously acquired experience in creating the Geographic and other atlases of Dagestan and involves the use of a number of methodological innovations, one of which is the use of typical contour maps with different physical and geographical outlines of coastal territories in specific historical eras. We are talking primarily about the coastline of the Caspian Sea, which has noticeably changed in the historical timescale. This approach allows to map the main historical milestones of the interaction of resettlement systems and households of the inhabitants of the Mountain Country with a very dynamic natural environment of this region. So, archaeological maps revealing the sites of pre-historic humans within the modern borders of the Republic of Dagestan include the lines of the Caspian coast in the ancient periods of sea transgressions and regressions. The atlas includes maps showing information on the dynamics and evolution of the Caspian coast for different historical eras as a result of sea level fluctuations and the variability of the Dagestan hydrographic network and the dynamics of the Terek delta and the mouth of Sulak. The history of the Caspian Sea level fluctuations was reconstructed starting from the regressive phase of sea level stand during pre-Bakinian time, when sufficiently reliable geological and geomorphological data were available to estimate, the amplitude and age of level changes. The Bakinian transgression, which consisted of two stages: Early Bakinian and Late Bakinian took place in the beginning of the Brunnes Era. Even more data is available for reconstruction of Early and Late Khazarian, and subsequent transgressions and regressions of the Caspian Sea, the boundaries of which are reflected on the map of the Paleolithic Era. The Atlas is divided into two parts, the first is represented by historical and cultural maps, the second – by the maps on natural and economic heritage of the Mountain Country. The introductory section includes basic maps on physical geography, the modern administrative-territorial division of Dagestan and its position in the North Caucasus Federal District. In total and in accordance with the work plan, the Atlas includes 100 major maps and more than 30 inset maps. A total of about 50 scientists and practitioners with different scientific profiles from the Dagestan Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences institutes, Makhachkala universities, and Lomonosov Moscow State University took part in this work.

Atlas of Dagestan, mapping, coastal dynamics, cultural-historical and natural heritage, Terek delta, Sulak estuary

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