As sea levels rise, we need to find ways to adapt. Ancient civilisations could give us some tips (Image: Paul Kay / SplashdownDirect / Rex) The village of Los Buchillones in northern Cuba is now 150 metres out to sea. This photo shows the dyked excavation area, as it was in 2004 (Image: Jago Cooper) Los Buchillones is a rare chance to study how ancient civilisations adapted to rising sea levels (Image: Jago Cooper) Field directors Jago Cooper and Roberto Valcàrcel Rojas, and colleagues, study the remains of Los Buchillones (Image: Jago Cooper) Cooper is seen here with the original discover of the site, Nelson Torna (Image: Jago Cooper) Houses in Los Buchillones were built on stilts over a lagoon. The 2004 excavation revealed many structural house posts like this one (Image: Jago Cooper) This close-up shows a structural house post, and its supporting posts, in situ following partial excavation (Image: Jago Cooper) This wooden figurine is a Taino weather spirit, which the people consulted to predict storms (Image: Jago Cooper) This wooden vessel with elaborately carved handles was found at Los Buchillones (Image: Jago Cooper)

WITH rising seas lapping at coastal cities and threatening to engulf entire islands in the not-too-distant future, it’s easy to assume our only option will be to abandon them and head for the hills. There may be another way, however. Archaeological sites in the Caribbean, dating back to 5000 BC, show that some ancient civilisations had it just as bad as anything we are expecting. Yet not only did they survive a changing coastline and more storm surges and hurricanes: they stayed put …