Late Neolithic Mondsee Culture in Austria: living on lakes and living with flood risk?

Abstract. Neolithic and Bronze Age lake dwellings in the European Alps became recently protected under the UNESCO World Heritage. However, only little is known about the cultural history of the related pre-historic communities, their adaptation strategies to environmental changes and particularly about the almost synchronous decline of many of these settlements around the transition from the Late Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age. For example, there is an ongoing debate whether the abandonment of Late Neolithic lake dwellings at Lake Mondsee (Upper Austria) was caused by unfavourable climate conditions or a single catastrophic event. Within the varved sediments of Lake Mondsee, we investigated the occurrence of intercalated detrital layers from major floods and debris flows to unravel extreme surface runoff recurrence during the Neolithic settlement period. A combination of detailed sediment microfacies analysis and μXRF element scanning allows distinguishing debris flow and flood deposits. A total of 60 flood and 12 debris flow event layers was detected between 7000 and 4000 varve years (vyr) BP. Compared to the centennial- to millennial-scale average, a period of increased runoff event frequency can be identified between 5900 and 4450 vyr BP. Enhanced flood frequency is accompanied by predominantly siliciclastic sediment supply between ca. 5500 and 5000 vyr BP and enhanced dolomitic sediment supply between 4900 and 4500 vyr BP. A change in the location and the construction technique of the Neolithic lake dwellings at Lake Mondsee can be observed during the period of higher flood frequency. While lake dwellings of the first settlement period (ca. 5800–5250 cal. yr BP) were constructed directly on the wetlands, later constructions (ca. 5400–4700 cal. yr BP) were built on piles upon the water, possibly indicating an adaptation to either increased flood risk or a general increase of the lake level. However, our results also indicate that other than climatic factors (e.g. socio-economic changes) must have influenced the decline of the Mondsee Culture because flood activity generally decreased since 4450 vyr BP, but no new lake dwellings have been established thereafter.

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Late Neolithic Mondsee Culture in Austria: living on lakes and living with flood risk?

Climate of the Past Discussions ◽

10.5194/cpd-8-5893-2012 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 5893-5924 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

T. Swierczynski ◽

S. Lauterbach ◽

P. Dulski ◽

A. Brauer

Keyword(s):

Debris Flow ◽

Bronze Age ◽

Cultural History ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Flood Frequency ◽

Sediment Supply ◽

European Alps ◽

Late Neolithic

Abstract. Neolithic and Bronze Age lake-dwellings in the European Alps became recently protected under the UNESCO World Heritage. However, only little is known about the cultural history of the related pre-historic communities, their adaptation strategies to environmental changes and particularly about the almost synchronous decline of many of these settlements around the transition from the Late Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age. For example, there is an ongoing debate whether the abandonment of Late Neolithic lake-dwellings at Lake Mondsee (Upper Austria) was caused by unfavourable climate conditions or a single catastrophic event. Within the varved sediments of Lake Mondsee we investigated the occurrence of intercalated detrital layers from major floods and debris flows to unravel extreme surface runoff recurrence during the Neolithic settlement phase. A combination of detailed sediment microfacies analysis and μXRF element scanning allows distinguishing debris flow and flood deposits. A total of 60 flood and 12 debris flow event layers was detected between 4000 and 7000 varve yr BP. Compared to the centennial- to millennial-scale average, a period of increased runoff event frequency can be identified between 4450 and 5900 varve yr BP. Enhanced flood frequency is accompanied by predominantly siliciclastic sediment supply between 5000 and 5500 varve yr BP and enhanced dolomitic sediment supply between 4500 and 5000 varve yr BP, revealing a change from regional floods to more local runoff events. Interestingly, during the interval of highest flood frequency a change in the location and the construction technique of the Neolithic lake-dwellings at Lake Mondsee can be observed. While lake-dwellings of the first settlement phase (ca. 5750–5200 cal. yr BP) were constructed on wetlands, later constructions (ca. 5400–4650 cal. yr BP) were built on piles upon the water, possibly indicating an adaptation to either increased flood risk or a general increase of the lake-level. However, also other than climatic factors (e.g. socio-economic changes) must have influenced the decline of the Mondsee Culture because flood activity generally decreased since 4450 varve yr BP, but no new lake-dwellings have been established thereafter.

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Holocene Environmental Changes in Western Hungary

Radiocarbon ◽

10.1017/s0033822200035748 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 46 (2) ◽

pp. 691-699 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Zsuzsanna Szántó ◽

Zsófia Medzihradszky

Keyword(s):

Bronze Age ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Accumulation Rate ◽

Sediment Accumulation ◽

Anthropogenic Activity ◽

Late Neolithic ◽

Forest Clearing ◽

Plant Cultivation ◽

Radiocarbon Data ◽

Middle Bronze Age

We review the reasons for change in paleoecological conditions and their effects on different cultures at the beginning and during the Holocene period in western Hungary using radiocarbon data combined with paleoecological and paleolimnological results. Two sites were investigated in the southern and northern part of the ancient bay of Balaton Lake: Keszthely-Úsztatómajor and Főnyed I. 14C dating of 2 core samples represented a chronology from 11,000 cal BC to 2000 cal BC (10,700 BP to 3700 BP) and from 6200 cal BC to 1200 cal BC (7300 BP to 3000 BP), respectively. A relatively constant inverse sediment accumulation rate was observed in both cases (23 yr/cm and 33 yr/cm, respectively). In the case of Főnyed I, a sharp break was observed in the sedimentation curve around 6000–4800 cal BC (6000 BP). Changes in the vegetation due to human activity were observed in a larger extent only at the end of Late Neolithic, with the most significant changes detected in the landscape coinciding with the presence of Lengyel III culture in the region. The appearance of higher amounts of pollen of cereals at the sites proved the presence of crop cultivation. However, the role of plant cultivation may have been limited for the ancient inhabitants of the Kis-Balaton region due to a limited amount of soil suitable for agriculture and due to the extensive water table. Further changes in vegetation were observed during the Late Copper Age (Baden culture) and the period of Early and Middle Bronze Age, respectively. Signs of forest clearing during the period have not been detected and the increased peak of Fagus indicates climatic change. The low intensity of anthropogenic activity should not be attributed to geographic isolation.

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Early human impact on soils and hydro-sedimentary systems: Multi-proxy geoarchaeological analyses from La Narse de la Sauvetat (France)

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/0959683620950390 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (12) ◽

pp. 1780-1800

Author(s):

Alfredo Mayoral ◽

Salomé Granai ◽

Anne-Lise Develle ◽

Jean-Luc Peiry ◽

Yannick Miras ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bronze Age ◽

Middle Ages ◽

Iron Age ◽

Late Antiquity ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Anthropogenic Impacts ◽

Late Neolithic ◽

Societal Factors ◽

Late Iron Age ◽

Middle Bronze Age

We analysed the late-Holocene pedo-sedimentary archives of La Narse de la Sauvetat, a hydromorphic depression in the southern Limagne plain (central France), where chronologically accurate studies are scarce. The multi-proxy geoarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental analysis of two cores from different areas of the basin was carried out through sedimentological, geochemical, micromorphological and malacological investigations. Integration of these datasets supported by a robust radiocarbon-based chronology allowed discussion of socio-environmental interactions and anthropogenic impacts from Late Neolithic to Early Middle Ages. Until the Middle Bronze Age, there was no clear evidence of anthropogenic impact on soils and hydro-sedimentary dynamics of the catchment, but two peaks of high alluvial activity probably related to the 4.2 and 3.5 kyr. BP climate events were first recorded in Limagne. Significant anthropogenic impacts started in the Late Bronze Age with increased erosion of the surrounding volcanic slopes. However, a major threshold was reached c. 2600 cal BP with a sharp increase in the catchment erosion interpreted as resulting from strong anthropogenic environmental changes related to agricultural activities and drainage. This implies an anthropogenic forcing on soils and hydro-sedimentary systems much earlier than was usually considered in Limagne. These impacts then gradually increased during Late Iron Age and Roman periods, but environmental effects were certainly contained by progress in agricultural management. Late Antiquity environmental changes are consistent with regional trend to drainage deterioration in lowlands, but marked asynchrony in this landscape change suggests that societal factors implying differential land management were certainly predominant here.

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Neolithic to Bronze Age (4850–3450 cal. BP) fire management of the Alpine Lower Engadine landscape (Switzerland) to establish pastures and cereal fields

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/0959683616658523 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 181-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Benjamin Dietre ◽

Christoph Walser ◽

Werner Kofler ◽

Katja Kothieringer ◽

Irka Hajdas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bronze Age ◽

Iron Age ◽

Cultural Landscape ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Continuous Cultivation ◽

Ice Age ◽

European Alps ◽

Neolithic Period ◽

Late Neolithic ◽

Coprophilous Fungi

Agro-pastoral activities in the past act as environmental legacy and have shaped the current cultural landscape in the European Alps. This study reports about prehistoric fire incidents and their impact on the flora and vegetation near the village of Ardez in the Lower Engadine Valley (Switzerland) since the Late Neolithic Period. Pollen, charcoal particles and non-pollen palynomorphs preserved in the Saglias and Cutüra peat bog stratigraphies were quantified and the results compared with the regional archaeological evidence. Anthropogenic deforestation using fire started around 4850 cal. BP at Saglias and aimed at establishing first cultivated crop fields (e.g. cereals) and small pastoral areas as implied by the positive correlation coefficients between charcoal particles and cultural and pastoral pollen indicators, as well as spores of coprophilous fungi. Pressure on the natural environment by humans and livestock continued until 3650 cal. BP and was followed by reforestation processes until 3400 cal. BP because of climatic deterioration. Thereafter, a new, continuous cultivation/pastoral phase was recorded for the Middle to Late Bronze Age (3400–2800 cal. BP). After rather minor human impact during the Iron Age and Roman Period, intensive agriculture was recorded for the Medieval Period. The area around Ardez was used for crop cultivation from about 1000 cal. BP until the start of the ‘Little Ice Age’ (600 cal. BP). Despite a land-use reorganisation, the following gradual decrease in agricultural activities led to the extant mixture of a cultivated, grazed and forested landscape in the Lower Engadine. In addition, this study demonstrates the excellent value of the fungus Gelasinospora as a highly local marker of past and today’s fire incidents, as well as of the use of micro-charcoals from pollen slides and macro-charcoals (>150 µm) from pollen sample residues for the reconstruction of short- and long-term fire histories.

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New 14C evidence for the Late Neolithic-Early Bronze Age transition in Southeast Europe

Open Journal of Archaeometry ◽

10.4081/arc.2014.5262 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Yannis Maniatis ◽

Zoï Tsirtsoni ◽

Christine Oberlin ◽

Pascal Darcque ◽

Chaido Koukouli-Chryssanthaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bronze Age ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Early Bronze Age ◽

Human History ◽

Southeast Europe ◽

Late Neolithic ◽

Radiocarbon Dates ◽

Different Types ◽

The One ◽

Neighbouring Island

The transition from the Late Neolithic (LN) period (locally also called Final Neolithic or Chalcolithic) to the Early Bronze Age (EBA) in Greece and the Southeast Balkans is an obscure period in human history. Previous radiocarbon evidence showed that in settlements with stratigraphical sequences stretching out on both periods, the absolute dates featured a gap ranging from 700 to 1000 years (roughly between 4000 and 3300/3000 cal. BC). On the other hand, there is only scarce evidence about settlements that would have been founded during the missing period, thus arising questions of paramount importance about the human occupational strategies in this period. Investigation tackling this particular problem is carried out within the framework of a broader research project (Balkans-4000) funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR). Here we discuss the latest radiocarbon results from three recently excavated multilayer settlements on the continental Greek Eastern Macedonia: Dikili Tash, Kryoneri and Sidirokastro. In all cases, the existing LN radiocarbon dates do not go beyond about 4000 BC, whereas the earliest EBA layer dates begin at around 3300 BC. A date in the last 1/3rd of the 4th millennium BC is also the date suggested for the one-layer transitional settlement on the neighbouring island of Thasos (Aghios Ioannis). The fact that the gap affects settlements of different types and locations, although there are no signs of major environmental changes, suggests that the reasons of their possible total or partial abandonment are more likely to be social than strictly environmental.

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Steady transformation of primeval forest into subalpine pasture during the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age (2300−1700 BC) in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/0959683619887419 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 355-368 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Benjamin Dietre ◽

Thomas Reitmaier ◽

Christoph Walser ◽

Theresa Warnk ◽

Ingmar Unkel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bronze Age ◽

Iron Age ◽

Early Bronze Age ◽

Dairy Production ◽

European Alps ◽

Late Neolithic ◽

Vegetation Development ◽

Coprophilous Fungi ◽

Geochemical Analyses ◽

Xrf Analyses

The question of the origin of Alpine farming and pastoral activities associated with seasonal vertical transhumance and dairy production in the Silvretta Alps (Eastern Switzerland) has recently benefitted from renewed interest. There, pastoral practises began during the Late Neolithic (2300 BC), but alpine dairy farming was directly evidenced so far only since the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age (1300–500 BC). The vegetation development, timberline shifts at 2280 m a.s.l. and environmental conditions of the subalpine Urschai Valley (Canton of Grisons, Switzerland) were reconstructed for the small (8 m2) Plan da Mattun fen based on palynological and geochemical analyses for the last six millennia. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses are among the first ones performed on a European peatland in such altitudes. A high Rb/Sr ratio in the fen peat sediments revealed an increase in catchment erosion during the time when the forests of the Upper Urschai Valley were steadily diminished probably by fire and livestock impact (2300–1700 BC). These landscape openings were paralleled by increasing micro-charcoal influx values, suggesting that prehistoric people actively set fire on purpose. Simultaneously, palynological evidence for pastoralism was revealed, such as pollen from typical herbs indicating livestock trampling, and abundant spores from coprophilous fungi. Since then, vertical transhumance and pastoral activities remained responsible for the open subalpine landscape above 2000 m a.s.l., most probably also in the context of milk and dairy production since 1300 BC, which is characteristic for the European Alps until today.

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Considering change with archaeological data: Reevaluating local variation in the role of the ~4.2k BP event in Northwest China

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/0959683620970254 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 095968362097025

Author(s):

Yitzchak Y Jaffe ◽

Anke Hein

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Bronze Age ◽

Large Scale ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Local Variation ◽

Northwest China ◽

Explanatory Models ◽

Interdisciplinary Studies ◽

Environmental Data ◽

Late Neolithic

Over the past two decades, environmental studies in research on prehistoric China have been gaining popularity and importance. For Northwest China in particular, climate change, especially the so-called ~4.2k BP event has been seen as the main reason for an alleged collapse of Late Neolithic societies and a transition to pastoral-heavy economies and mobile lifeways. Yet, these explanatory models tend to rely on limited archaeological and environmental data and non-contemporaneous historical data, resulting in simplistic causal relationships between environmental changes and social response. This paper re-evaluates the Incipient Bronze Age in China’s Northwestern region, discussing evidence for climate change and its exact dates, as well as textual and archaeological evidence. We argue that the old narratives perpetuating the image of a dichotomy between Steppe and Sown are inaccurate, while large-scale models of region-wide subsistence change in response to climate cooling tend to disregard local developments and group-specific responses as well as chronological issues. Focusing on the Xindian and Siwa archaeological phenomena, this paper provides a view into sub-regional responses to this climate event, warning against simplistic broad-brush reconstructions and calling for both a return to archaeological fundamentals and large-scale intensive fieldwork and interdisciplinary studies involving archaeologists, paleobotanists, zooarchaeologists, isotope specialists, and climate scientists.

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Sediment-filled karst depressions and <i>riyad</i> – key archaeological environments of south Qatar

E&G Quaternary Science Journal ◽

10.5194/egqsj-68-215-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 68 (2) ◽

pp. 215-236 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Max Engel ◽

Stefanie Rückmann ◽

Philipp Drechsler ◽

Dominik Brill ◽

Stephan Opitz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cultural History ◽

Surface Runoff ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Sediment Supply ◽

Surface Discharge ◽

Small Scale ◽

Western Coast ◽

Western Basin ◽

Climatic Fluctuations ◽

Geomorphic Mapping

Abstract. Systematic archaeological exploration of southern Qatar started in the 1950s. However, detailed local and regional data on climatic fluctuations and landscape changes during the Holocene, pivotal for understanding and reconstructing human–environment interactions, are still lacking. This contribution provides an overview on the variability of geomorphic environments of southern Qatar with a focus on depression landforms, which reveal a rich archaeological heritage ranging from Palaeolithic(?) and Early Neolithic times to the Modern era. Based on a detailed geomorphic mapping campaign, sediment cores and optically stimulated luminescence data, the dynamics of riyad (singular rawdha; shallow, small-scale, sediment-filled karst depressions clustering in the central southern peninsula) and the larger-scale Asaila depression near the western coast are studied in order to put archaeological discoveries into a wider environmental context. Geomorphic mapping of the Asaila basin shows a much greater geomorphic variability than documented in literature so far with relict signs of surface runoff. An 8 m long sediment core taken in the sabkha-type sand flats of the western basin reveals a continuous dominance of aeolian morphodynamics during the early to mid-Holocene. Mounds preserved by evaporite horizons representing capillarites originally grown in the vadose zone are a clear sign of groundwater-level drop after the sea-level highstand ca. 6000–4500 years ago. Deflation followed the lowering of the Stokes surface, leaving mounds where the relict capillarites were able to fixate and preserve the palaeo-surface. Abundant archaeological evidence of Early and Middle Neolithic occupation – the latter with a clear focus inside the central Asaila basin – indicate more favourable living conditions than today. In contrast, the sediment record of the investigated riyad in the south is very shallow, younger and controlled by surface discharge, deflation and the constantly diminishing barchan dune cover in Qatar over the Middle and Late Holocene. The young age of the infill (ca. 1500 to 2000 years) explains the absence of findings older than the Late Islamic period. Indicators of current net deflation may relate to a decrease in surface runoff and sediment supply only in recent decades to centuries. In the future, geophysical prospection of the riyad may help to locate thicker sedimentary archives and the analysis of grain size distribution, micromorphology, phytoliths or even pollen spectra may enhance our understanding of the interplay of regional environmental changes and cultural history.

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