12 DieKuste, 74 ICCE (2008), 1-17 
BALTIC ICF. LAKE 
10 300 BP 
i' ISOBASES I 
I B I AND 
| SAUNE W AT I k 
I '1 FRESH WATER 
| ICE 
YOLDIA STAGE 
10.000 BP 
ANCYLUS LAKE 
9300-9200 BP 
Fig. 8: The development of the Baltic Sea during the late glacial and postglacial 
(Eronen et al., 2001) 
sion. Since this time, the connection to the North Sea has been permanent. The first period 
of the Littorina Sea is marked by a very rapid water level rise with rates up to 2.5 cm/year 
(Fig. 7). This transgression into the south-western Baltic region led to a widespread inunda 
tion of the pre-existing glacial relief without any erosion. The landscape was just drowning. 
The typical landforms to be submerged were pronounced ridges and terminal moraines, 
widespread areas of undulating basal moraines and imbedded meltwater channels, all associ 
ated with ice- and glacier-tongue shaped troughs and fjords. During the period of rapid sea 
level rise, all terrain lying below -5 m of the present MSL was flooded. 
Approximately 6,000 years BP, the water level almost reached its present position (Janke 
and Lampe, 2000). At this stage, wave impact as well as nearshore sediment dynamics began 
to effectively modify the coastal profile by intensive redeposition of sediments. Cliff coasts 
were eroded and cut back; longshore sediment transport led to the development of spits, 
sandy hooks and beach ridges (Schwarzer et ah, 2003). In the shallow water, small islands, 
built up of morainic material, were connected by these growing spits, initiating the develop 
ment of the famous baymouth (“Bodden”) coast (the term “Bodden” is the local name for 
the shallow, semi-enclosed coastal lagoons and backwaters behind the exposed Baltic Sea