Energetic conditions during storms cause major geomorphological changes in coastal environments and drive taphonomic transformations of coastal archaeological sites. Facing the emerging realities of modern climate change and sea-level rise, archaeologists have justifiably focused on erosional processes and the loss of cultural heritage. However, sedimentologists have long recognized that storm-forcing also involves significant (re)depositional processes and the formation of supratidal features. Geoarchaeological research at partially inundated Native American shell mound sites in Tampa Bay, Florida, integrated topobathymetric aerial LiDAR with sub-surface testing to reconstruct complex site-formation histories. These histories include reworking of cultural deposits by contemporary, recent-historical, and ancient storms, forming archaeological tempestites—sediment deposits that have been scoured from and/or deposited within archaeological contexts by storm-forcing. Using sedimentological, zooarchaeological, and radiometric data, as well as post-storm observations, we present methods for recognizing storm-driven redeposition in coastal-estuarine archaeological contexts and demonstrate the potential of archaeo-tempestites for improving archaeological and paleoenvironmental interpretation. Storm-reworking of estuarine shell mounds on the Florida Gulf Coast produces diagnostic signatures in stratigraphy, granulometry, organic content, and mollusk-composition. Ephemeral ground surfaces and overwashed sand-sheets provide suitable loci for radiometric dating of past storm events (¹⁴C and OSL). We discuss inter- and intra-site variation among regional archaeo-tempestites to better understand late-Holocene ecosystem transfer and the long-term effects of shell-bearing sites on inshore-estuarine ecological conditions. We consider the absorption of energetic forcing as part of the life-history or use-life of shell-bearing features and suggest that a broader study of Indigenous coastal terraforming may aid modern coastal protection and management efforts.

风暴期间的能量条件会导致沿海环境发生重大地貌变化，并推动沿海考古遗址的埋藏学转变。面对现代气候变化和海平面上升的新现实，考古学家有理由关注侵蚀过程和文化遗产的丧失。然而，沉积学家很早就认识到，风暴强迫还涉及重要的（再）沉积过程和潮上特征的形成。对佛罗里达州坦帕湾部分被淹没的美洲原住民贝丘遗址进行的地质考古研究，将地形测深航空激光雷达与地下测试相结合，以重建复杂的遗址形成历史。这些历史包括当代、近代历史和古代风暴对文化沉积物的改造，形成考古风暴岩——通过风暴的作用从考古环境中冲刷和/或沉积在考古环境中的沉积物。利用沉积学、动物考古学和辐射数据以及风暴后观测，我们提出了在沿海河口考古背景下识别风暴驱动的再沉积的方法，并证明了古暴岩在改善考古和古环境解释方面的潜力。佛罗里达州墨西哥湾沿岸河口贝丘的风暴改造产生了地层学、粒度测定、有机含量和软体动物成分的诊断特征。短暂的地表和过度冲刷的沙层为过去风暴事件（¹⁴ C 和 OSL）的辐射测年提供了合适的位点。我们讨论了区域古风暴岩的场内和场间变化，以更好地了解全新世晚期生态系统的转移以及贝壳场址对近海河口生态条件的长期影响。我们认为能量强迫的吸收是有壳特征的生命史或使用寿命的一部分，并建议对土著沿海地形改造进行更广泛的研究可能有助于现代沿海保护和管理工作。