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Fig. 5. A) Stacked histogram of intercalated, basal, fixed biological, beachrocks and archaeological index points. B) Total plots of the 469 index points used for the RSL reconstructions in the
22 regions. Index points are divided into intercalated, basal, fixed biological, beachrocks and archeological indicators.

5.2. Northern Spain (#2) 5.3. Central France (#3)

The Northern Spanish coast database is composed of 19 index points The RSL history of central France is based on 80 index points and
and 6 limiting points (Fig. 6, #2). Index points and limiting dates derive 16 limiting points (Fig. 6, #3). Data derive from marsh and lagoon
from cores on the Ebro and Llobregat deltas and Cubelles coastal plain, in cores on the Rhone Delta, Berre lagoon and the Languedoc coastal
addition to beachrocks and L. byssoides samples collected in Costa Brava. area. Samples comprise L. byssoides collected at Port Cros National
Archeological investigations near Empuriès provided marine limiting Park and La Ciotat, as well as fixed fauna from archeological excava-
samples. At ~12 ka BP, RSL was at −40 ± 0.9 m. Younger index points tions in Marseille. One basal index point places the RSL at −43.3 ±
document that RSL rose rapidly to −12.1 ± 0.7 m at ~8.3 ka BP. The 1.5 m at ~11.7 ka BP. Index and limiting points constrain a rapid
suite of mid-Holocene index points from Cubelles coastal plain indicates sea-level rise to the early Holocene. At ~10.6 and at 7.5 ka BP, RSL
RSL was at −3.4 ± 0.8 m at ~5.7 ka BP and at −1.2 ± 1.2 m at was at −29.9 ± 0.4 m and at −7.4 ± 0.4 m, respectively. The rate
~4.0 ka BP. Intercalated index points from the Ebro Delta show evidence of RSL declined in the mid-Holocene. At 5.0 ka BP, multiple basal
of compaction, most likely due to the weight of the overlying sediment index points indicate RSL was ~−2.8 m. Index points for the last
body. In fact, at ~5.9 ka BP, one index point from the Ebro Delta places 4.6 ka BP show significant scatter. Basal peat samples from the
the RSL at −9.1 ± 0.7 m and at ~3.6 ka BP at −6.6 ± 0.7 m. One Rhone Delta indicate a sea-level stillstand at ~−2.5 m between
L. byssoides index point indicates RSL was already at −0.4 ± 0.5 m at ~4.6 and ~3.5 ka BP. Conversely, in the same period, both archaeo-
~2.3 ka BP. Thereafter, RSL remained within −0.7 m of present day. logical index points and L. byssoides index points indicate a