Environmental conditions in the SE Balkans since the Last Glacial Maximum and their influence on the spread of agriculture into Europe

QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS

卷:68

Article

Connor, Simon E.^1,2  Ross, Shawn A.³  Sobotkova, Adela³  Herries, Andy I. R.⁴  Mooney, Scott D.⁵  Longford, Catherine⁶  Iliev, Ilia⁷ 

[1] Univ Algarve, Ctr Marine & Environm Res, P-8005139 Faro, Portugal

[2] Monash Univ, Sch Geog & Environm Sci, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia

[3] Univ New S Wales, Fac Arts & Social Sci, Sch Humanities, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

[4] La Trobe Univ, Fac Humanities & Social Sci, Archaeol Program, Australian Archaeomagnetism Lab, Bundoora, Vic 3086, Australia

[5] Univ New S Wales, Fac Sci, Sch Biol Earth & Environm Sci, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

[6] Univ Sheffield, Dept Archaeol, Sheffield S1 4ET, S Yorkshire, England

[7] Yambol Reg Hist Museum, Yambol 8600, Bulgaria

关键词: Pollen;    Charcoal;    Magnetic susceptibility;    Late Quaternary;    Early agriculture;    Neolithic transition;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.02.011

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

The Thracian Plain in the SE Balkans was one of the main corridors through which Neolithic agriculture spread into continental Europe. Previous studies have invoked rapid sea-level and climatic changes to explain the timing of agricultural expansion. We present a new record of vegetation, fire and lacustrine sedimentation from Bulgarian Thrace to examine environmental change in this region since the Last Glacial Maximum. Our record indicates the persistence of cold steppe vegetation from similar to 37,500 to 17,900 cal. a BP, semidesert vegetation from similar to 17,900 to 10,300 cal. a BP, forest-steppe vegetation from similar to 10,300 to 8900 cal. a BP, and mixed oak woods from similar to 8900 to 4000 cal. a BP, followed by widespread deforestation, burning and grazing. Early-Holocene forest expansion in Bulgarian Thrace closely followed changes in the Black Sea's regional moisture balance and appears to have been influenced by solar-forced changes in seasonality. We suggest that climatic aridity and/or enhanced seasonality lasting until at least similar to 8900 cal. a BP could have delayed the spread of early agriculture from the Aegean coast into the continental lowlands of the Balkans and thence into the rest of Europe. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

【 授权许可】

Free