Paleoshoreline (original) (raw)

A paleoshoreline (ancient shoreline) is a shoreline which existed in the geologic past. (Paleo is from an ancient Greek word meaning "old" or "ancient".) A perched coastline is an ancient (fossil) shoreline positioned above the present shoreline. Just off the coast of parts of North America, in the last 15,000 years sea level has varied from over 100 metres (330 ft) below, to as high as 10 metres (33 ft) above its present level. That entire time, humans have lived in North America. A lake may also have a paleoshoreline.