Noah's flood

1.

2.

Europe
Africa
Asia

3.

Black Sea

4.

Bosphorus

5.

Present-day Black Sea

6.

Bathymetry: deep basin in the south, very shallow
shelves in the north

7.

10,000 years ago, the Black Sea was an overflowing freshwater lake, fed by glacial melt-water from the north. Then…

8.

By about 8000 years ago it had dried up (really down) and
lost its connection to the world ocean.

9.

Meanwhile, global sea level was rising.

10.

About 7500 years ago, it overtopped the ridge at the
Bosphorus, and…

11.

FLOOD!