A sand or gravel bar that connects an island to the mainland or to another island. Formed by wave action and sediment deposition in the sheltered water behind the island.
From Italian 'tombolo,' originally meaning a cushion or pillow, referring to the rounded shape of these coastal features. The term was adopted by geologists studying Mediterranean coastal formations.
Mont-Saint-Michel in France is connected to the mainland by a tombolo that disappears at high tide, making it an island twice a day! This tidal action has protected the medieval abbey for over 1,000 years by making it nearly impossible to attack.
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