A medieval port that disappeared XIVe century under the waters of the North Sea excites the curiosity of scientists and historians, who soon hope to locate it. Besides its archaeological interest, Ravenser Odd could help raise awareness of the problem of coastal erosion.
Ravenser Odd was a prosperous port town, founded around 1235 on sandbanks off the east coast of England, at the outlet of the Humber estuary. Gradually invaded by the waves, the city was abandoned in the middle of the XIVe century, then completely submerged after the passage of a storm in 1362.
Throughout history, this part of the British coastline has seen many small seaside villages disappear due to erosion. Ravenser Odd was one of the most important of them, Explain The Guardian. It was “a city with a national influence, very organized with docks, warehouses, a court of law and a prison. She had two representatives in Parliament and collected taxes from over a hundred merchant ships each year.”
But, now, “the hope of locating this legendary medieval city called ‘the Atlantis of Yorkshire’ and thus revealing secrets buried for more than 650 years is coming to fruition”. Daniel Parsons, geoscientist and professor of sedimentology at the University of Hull, wants to conduct research to find the mysterious city. Ships observe an unusual movement of the current at low tide, suggesting the presence of vestiges of the old port. Using a high-resolution sonar technology, he hopes to finally find his location and he assures:
Funds were raised for a research project, which enabled surveys to be carried out in an area dabout 10 hectares au large de Spurn Point [au bout de la presqu’île du même nom] Last year. Ravenser Odd hasn’t been located yet, but we’re getting close. A second observation will take place in two or three weeks. […] Once the city is located, it will be necessary to finance an underwater archaeological exploration. The expectations are very high.”
In addition to the historical aspect of this research, the objective is also to raise public awareness of the problem of coastal erosion, which is more current than ever. According to Guardianthe Holderness coast is indeed one of the coastlines most strongly affected by this phenomenon, with certain areas seeing the seafront recede by ten meters per year. “Ravenser Odd’s story shows in an extraordinary way the impact of coastal erosion on inhabited areas. For me, the past is a great way to start the conversation about the impact of long-term climate change,” concludes Parsons.
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