scholarly journals Man and Environment during the Early Peopling of Northeastern Caucasus

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
A. A. Anoikin
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
Human Habitation ◽  
Early Human ◽  
Small Tool

Purpose. Archaeological findings on the western Caspian coast indicate that this part of the Caucasus was populated throughout the Pleistocene. The earliest human habitation in the region is dated back to around 2 million years ago (2 Ма), which corresponds to the period of initial expansion of early Homo beyond Africa. Information on the environment and the features of the early human material culture is crucial for our understanding of the Caucasus’ earliest history. It was alternating processes of transgression and regression of the Caspian Sea throughout the Pleistocene that determined the paleoenvironment in the eastern Caucasus. The Early Pleistocene landscape of the southeastern part of Eastern Europe and northeastern Caucasus was similar to African open landscapes nowadays. The Khapry faunal complex characterizes the environment of that period. Its vertebrate composition is close to that typical for African savanna. Both animal communities included similar types of large herbivores: the elephant, rhinoceros, antelope, giraffe, ostrich and others. The African savanna carnivore community included the lion, guepard, hyena and jakal. The Khapry complex included the hyena, large sabre toothed Felidae, guepard and others. The earliest artifact collections in the Northeastern Caucasus are the artifact assemblage from stratum 5 at Rubas-1 in southeastern Dagestan and the archaeological materials from Ainikab-1, Mukhai-1 and 2 in Central Dagestan. The artifact age has been estimated in the range of ~ 2.3–1.8 Ma. Results. The initial stage of human habitation of the Northeastern Caucasus is characterized by two distinct lithic industries: the small tool industry (Rubas-1, stratum 5) and the Oldowan / pebble-flake industry (the Akushinski group of sites). Early human populations dispersed rather rapidly over the low-altitude savannas in the relative proximity to the seashore under the favorable environmental conditions of the initial Pleistocene. After the initial peopling stage, human communities set apart in particular regions where lithic industries were formed and developed. The first major region represents the Caspian shores (the small tool industry: Rubas-1); the second zone is the higher plateaus at the altitude not exceeding 1 500 m asl (pebble-flake industry: Dmanisi, Central Dagestan sites). Conclusion. It is asserted that the early human populations migrating out of Africa through Western Asia to the Caucasus, and its eastern part in particular, remained in the habitual environment, and it did not require any substantial changes in the adaptation strategies including stone working techniques and lithic tool production.

scholarly journals East Caucasus in the Late Eopleistocene (Calabrian): Palaeogeography and Archaeology

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 46-56
Author(s):  
Anton A. Anoikin
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Quaternary Period ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Archaeological Work ◽  
History Of

Purpose. The results of the archaeological work in the Caucasus in the 21st Century indicate that it has been intensively populated since the beginning of the Quaternary Period. The problems of the natural environments in the Early Pleistocene and the material culture of the early Homo are fundamental for understanding the ancient history of the Caucasus. The Late Eopleistocene (Calabrian) in the East Caucasus corresponds to the Apsheron stage of the history of the Caspian Sea (1.7–0.8 Ma). The palaeolandscape of the southeast of Eastern Europe, including the Eastern Caucasus, during this period is comparable to the modern open landscapes in Africa. Palynological data show that in the East Caucasus, the high-altitude zonation of vegetation was already present in the Apsheron; its formation was associated with the tectonic uplift of the Greater Caucasus. The wildlife is characterized by the Taman complex, indicating the adaptation of the steppe fauna to the fall of temperature and increasing humidity of the climate, as well as expansion of the forested areas. Sites of the Apsheron time have been found in several districts of the Caucasus and Ciscaucasia: Central Dagestan (Akusha group of sites), Kurinskaya Depression in Azerbaijan (Garadzha), Lori Plateau in Armenia (Muradovo, Kurtan), South-Georgian Highlands (Amiranis-Gora), Taman Peninsula (Bogatyri, Rodniki-1-4). Results. For the Calabrian, several stone industries are known in the Caucasus – Oldowan/pebble-flake, Early Palaeolithic small tool industry and Early Acheulean. The most expressive early complexes with bifaces date to the end of the Apsheron period and contain a significant number of Oldowan elements (Garadzha). Conclusion. Analysis of the natural conditions and fluctuations of the Caspian palaeobasin shows that the development of archaeological cultures in the eastern part of the Caucasus occurred during stable and favourable natural conditions, and it was of a weak evolutionary character.

Large herbivores transform plant-pollinator networks in an African savanna

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis J. Guy ◽  
Matthew C. Hutchinson ◽  
Katherine C.R. Baldock ◽  
Elisha Kayser ◽  
Benjamin Baiser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
African Savanna ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Plant Pollinator

Dispersal ofAcaciaseeds by ungulates and ostriches in an African savanna

1996 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxine F. Miller
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Tree Crown ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Mammalian Herbivores ◽  
Open Environments ◽  
Presence And Absence

ABSTRACTThe dispersal of AfricanAcaciaseeds in the presence and absence of large mammalian herbivores and ostriches was assessed in a savanna ecosystem in South Africa. In the absence of large herbivores,A. tortilisandA. niloticapods were mainly dispersed in the shade, directly beneath the tree crown and seeds remained in pods for over 18 months. In the presence of large herbivores,A. tortilis, A. niloticaandA. karrooseeds were freed from pods and were dispersed into open, non-shaded habitats. Impala dispersed mostA. tortilisseeds (18,900 ha−1), giraffe mostA. niloticaseeds (1060 ha−1) and giraffe and kudu mostA. karrooseeds (452 and 448 ha−1, respectively). Seedling survival in dung in open environments may exceed that of seedlings in soil shaded beneath the tree crown. It appears that seed dispersal by large herbivores may be advantageous to future seedling recruitment.

The gall wasp fauna of Iran (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae): species checklist and biogeographical assessment

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4948 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-335
Author(s):  
MAJID TAVAKOLI ◽  
ASADOLLAH HOSSEINI-CHEGENI ◽  
GRAHAM N. STONE ◽  
SEYED E. SADEGHI ◽  
R. J. ATKINSON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
The Caspian Sea ◽  
Gall Wasp ◽  
The Caucasus ◽  
Western Asia ◽  
Species Checklist ◽  
Present Distribution ◽  
Western Palaearctic

We provide a checklist of the gall wasps (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae: Cynipinae) of Iran, and place these records in a biogeographical perspective on three spatial scales, comprising (i) the Western Palaearctic, (ii) Western Asia (Turkey, the southern Caucasus and the Middle East) and (iii) regions within Iran. We present distribution and biological data for 121 species in 24 genera, representing nine of the 12 known cynipid gall wasp tribes. The most species–rich tribe in Iran is the oak gall wasp tribe Cynipini, with 74 species and 11 genera. Cynipid species richness is highest in the central and northern Zagros, with a distinctively different fauna in the forests along the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. Of the species found in Iran, 63 have distributions that extend westwards far into Europe, and can be considered Western Palaearctic species. Twenty four species comprise a distinct eastern component within the Western Palaearctic, with distributions that include Iran and some or all of Turkey, the Middle East and the Caucasus. Twenty one species are apparently endemic to Iran, with distinct Zagros and Caspian components. We highlight biological and phylogeographic processes that may underlie these patterns. 

Large herbivores suppress liana infestation in an African savanna

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (41) ◽  
pp. e2101676118
Author(s):  
Tyler C. Coverdale ◽  
Ryan D. O’Connell ◽  
Matthew C. Hutchinson ◽  
Amanda Savagian ◽  
Tyler R. Kartzinel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stable State ◽  
Life Forms ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Alternative Stable State ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Large Herbivore ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Woody Vines ◽  
Plant Life Forms ◽  
Canopy Area

African savannas are the last stronghold of diverse large-mammal communities, and a major focus of savanna ecology is to understand how these animals affect the relative abundance of trees and grasses. However, savannas support diverse plant life-forms, and human-induced changes in large-herbivore assemblages—declining wildlife populations and their displacement by livestock—may cause unexpected shifts in plant community composition. We investigated how herbivory affects the prevalence of lianas (woody vines) and their impact on trees in an East African savanna. Although scarce (<2% of tree canopy area) and defended by toxic latex, the dominant liana, Cynanchum viminale (Apocynaceae), was eaten by 15 wild large-herbivore species and was consumed in bulk by native browsers during experimental cafeteria trials. In contrast, domesticated ungulates rarely ate lianas. When we experimentally excluded all large herbivores for periods of 8 to 17 y (simulating extirpation), liana abundance increased dramatically, with up to 75% of trees infested. Piecewise exclusion of different-sized herbivores revealed functional complementarity among size classes in suppressing lianas. Liana infestation reduced tree growth and reproduction, but herbivores quickly cleared lianas from trees after the removal of 18-y-old exclosure fences (simulating rewilding). A simple model of liana contagion showed that, without herbivores, the long-term equilibrium could be either endemic (liana–tree coexistence) or an all-liana alternative stable state. We conclude that ongoing declines of wild large-herbivore populations will disrupt the structure and functioning of many African savannas in ways that have received little attention and that may not be mitigated by replacing wildlife with livestock.

scholarly journals Desert Habitation History by 14C Dating of Soil Layers in Rural Building Structures (Negev, Israel): Preliminary Results from Horvat Haluqim

Radiocarbon ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 54 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 391-406 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hendrik J Bruins ◽  
Johannes van der Plicht ◽  
Mordechai Haiman
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Negev Desert ◽  
Building Structures ◽  
Building Structure ◽  
Relative Probability ◽  
14C Dating ◽  
Undisturbed Soil ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Human Habitation

Traditional archaeological approaches in the central Negev Desert used to employ excavation techniques in post-prehistoric periods in which stratigraphy is based on architecture, while material culture forms the basis for dating assessment and chronology. Such an approach was understandable, as it focused on the most visible remains of past human habitation. However, the detailed habitation record is in the soil rather than in the walls. Moreover, ceramics and stone tools in desert cultures often have limited time resolution in terms of absolute chronology. The rural desert site of Horvat Haluqim in the central Negev yielded 2 habitation periods with the traditional methodology: (1) Roman period, 2nd–3rd centuries CE; (2) Iron Age IIA, 10th century BCE. We have conducted at Horvat Haluqim initial excavations in small building remains that were never excavated before. Our excavation methodology focuses on detailed examination of the archaeological soil in building structures, coupled with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating for chronology, and micromorphology of undisturbed soil samples to study stratigraphy and soil contents at the microscopic scale. Here, we report preliminary results, concentrating on the 14C dates. These suggest a much longer habitation history at the site during the Iron Age. The 14C dates obtained so far from these building remains cover Iron Age I, II, III, and the Persian period. The oldest calibrated date (charred C4 plants) in a rectangular building structure (L100) is 1129–971 BCE (60.5%, highest relative probability). The youngest calibrated date in a round building structure (L700) is 540–411 BCE (57.9%, highest relative probability). This excavation methodology provides additional “eyes” to look at past human habitation in the Negev Desert, seeing more periods and more detail than was possible with traditional schemes and ceramic dating.

scholarly journals Using Astragalus to Model Body Mass, Habitat Preference, and Population Density of Prehistoric Bovid Duboisia santeng (Dubois, 1891) in Eastern Java island in The Early Pleistocene

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andri Wibowo
Keyword(s):  
Population Density ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Habitat Preference ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
The Body ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Large Herbivores ◽  
Length Width ◽  
Fossil Records ◽  
The Relationship

Astragalus bone is one of the most important fossil records as it can reconstruct the prehistoric life. Respectively, this study aims to model the body mass, habitat preference, and population density of prehistoric bovid Duboisia santeng (Dubois 1891) in eastern Java island in the early Pleistocene. The astragali from 9 specimens were used to estimate the body mass and population density. Likewise regression models are used to analyze the relationship between astragalus lateral length, width, and body mass compared to the astragalus of extant Bovid species. The result revealed the body mass average was 60.3 kg (95%CI: 58.9-61.7) and this indicates the D. santeng belongs to large herbivores. While the population density was estimated at about 5.39 individuals per km2 (95% CI: 3.18-7.6).

scholarly journals On Vastness and Variability: Cultural Transmission, Historicity, and the Paleoindian Record in Eastern South America

2015 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 1239-1258 ◽  
Author(s):  
ASTOLFO G.M. ARAUJO
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
South America ◽  
Material Culture ◽  
Cultural Transmission ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
South American ◽  
Human Occupation ◽  
Cultural Traditions ◽  
Early Human

Eastern South America, or what is today Brazilian territory, poses interesting questions about the early human occupation of the Americas. Three totally distinct and contemporaneous lithic technologies, dated between 11,000 and 10,000 14C BP, are present in different portions of the country: the Umbu tradition in the south, with its formal bifacial industry, with well-retouched scrapers and bifacial points; the Itaparica tradition in the central-west / northwest, totally unifacial, whose only formal artifacts are limaces; and the "Lagoa Santa" industry, completely lacking any formal artifacts, composed mainly of small quartz flakes. Our data suggests that these differences are not related to subsistence or raw-material constraints, but rather to different cultural norms and transmission of strongly divergent chaînes opératoires. Such diversity in material culture, when viewed from a cultural transmission (CT) theory standpoint, seems at odds with a simple Clovis model as the origin of these three cultural traditions given the time elapsed since the first Clovis ages and the expected population structure of the early South American settlers.

Evolutionary Aspects of Bone Health: Development in Early Human Populations

2002 ◽  
Vol 1 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 169-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy A. Nelson ◽  
Norman J. Sauer ◽  
Sabrina C. Agarwal
Keyword(s):  
Bone Health ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Health Development ◽  
Evolutionary Aspects ◽  
Early Human

scholarly journals An archaeological reconstruction of Saqqaq bows, darts, harpoons, and lances

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bjarne Grønnow
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
New World ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Complex Material ◽  
West Greenland ◽  
Wood Shavings ◽  
Archaeological Reconstruction ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Small Tool

Abstract Permafrost-preserved materials from two Saqqaq sites (ca. 3900-2600 BP) in Disko Bay, West Greenland, have provided unique insight into woodworking in the early Arctic Small Tool tradition. Use of driftwood played a decisive role in the complex material culture of Saqqaq society, and analyses of more than 15,000 artifacts, fragments, and wood shavings enable us to reconstruct the woodworking processes and all categories of toolkits. This article presents an archaeological reconstruction of the remarkably diverse and technologically advanced Saqqaq hunting toolkit, which includes darts, harpoons, lances, and bows and arrows—among the earliest preserved specimens in the New World.

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