La représentativité paléo-écologique des charbons de bois archéologiques issus du bois de feu
01 Jan 1992-Vol. 139, pp 213-236
TL;DR: In this paper, a methode precise d'echantillonnage, excluant les foyers, and une analyse statistique de la fragmentation sont developpees ici.
Abstract: ResumeLes methodes d'etude et d'interpretation anthracologique pour la reconstitution paleo-ecologique de la vegetation manquent souvent de rigueur. Une methode precise d'echantillonnage, excluant les foyers, et une analyse statistique de la fragmentation sont developpees ici. Le probleme de la reduction de masse n'est pas encore resolu. Sur ces bases, l'hypothese de representativite paleo-ecologique des charbons de bois peut etre argumentee. Des principes d'interpretation paleo-ecologique sont proposes.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the significance of the analysis of archaeological wood charcoal macro-remains as a tool for the reconstruction of woodland vegetation and its exploitation is discussed, drawing from both older and more recent publications a number of theoretical and methodological approaches are examined.
Abstract: In this paper the significance of the analysis of archaeological wood charcoal macro-remains as a tool for the reconstruction of woodland vegetation and its exploitation is discussed. Drawing from both older and more recent publications a number of theoretical and methodological approaches are examined. It is suggested that greater integration of charcoal and archaeological data is needed when evaluating charcoal preservation and sample composition, and that a more coherent theory of the complex ecological and cultural processes affecting species availability and firewood management needs to be developed.
296 citations
TL;DR: This case study demonstrates that behavioral ecology modeling can help to distinguish between multiple wood acquisition strategies potentially used in the past and improve the understanding of wood use from archaeological charcoal remains.
94 citations
Cites background or result from "La représentativité paléo-écologiqu..."
...06 of the ‘‘Montpellier school’’ (Chabal, 1992; Chabal et al., 1999), as well as the implicit assumptions of other authors (e....
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...It also matches the expectations of the ‘‘principle of least effort’’ (Shackleton and Prins, 1992) and scholars of the ‘‘Montpellier school’’ (Chabal, 1992; Chabal et al., 1999), as well as the implicit assumptions of other authors (e.g., Asouti and Hather, 2001; Pearsall, 1983; Willcox, 1974),…...
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...…assemblages to modern local woodland composition and then aims to interpret differences as the result of climatic or geomorphological change (e.g., Chabal, 1992; Delhon, 2006; Newton, 2005) or humaninduced landscape modification, including selective harvesting and widespread deforestation (e.g.,…...
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TL;DR: The taphonomy is a powerful and requisite tool for environmental reconstructions of ancient plant communities, which can be drawn from necrobiotic studies such as the retention of leaf organs on plants, the relative quantity of pollen grains produced by different fossil species or the significance of wildfire dynamics in ancient plants communities as discussed by the authors.
69 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The taphonomy is a powerful and requisite tool for environmental reconstructions of ancient plant communities, which can be drawn from necrobiotic studies, such as the retention of leaf organs on plants, the relative quantity of pollen grains produced by different fossil species or the significance of wildfire dynamics in ancient plants communities.
68 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used data from pollen analyses of lakes and peat-bogs, plant macrofossils, archaeobotanical finds and radiocarbon dating to infer the human impact on the vegetation and landscape during the last 8 millennia.
Abstract: Palaeoecological reconstructions from the region of southwestern Bulgaria were used for inferring the human impact on the vegetation and landscape during the last 8 millennia. They are based on data from pollen analyses of lakes and peat-bogs, plant macrofossils, archaeobotanical finds and radiocarbon dating. During the early Holocene, after 7900 cal. b.p. (5950 cal. b.c.) the climate changed to cooler summers, milder winters and higher precipitation resulting in the formation of a coniferous belt dominated by Pinus sp. and Abies alba. These favorable environmental pre-conditions had a positive influence on the Neolithisation of the Balkans after the 8200 cal. b.p. (6250 cal. b.c.) cold event, which caused drought in the Eastern Mediterranean. Direct evidence from wood charcoal records from the Neolithic settlement layers in the study area shows a slight modification of the surrounding woodlands and an increase of the light-demanding components, probably expressed through larger forest border zones and thinning out of the wood stands. The increase in the number of settlements in the valleys of southwestern Bulgaria intensified the human activity visible in the palaeobotanical record from 6950 cal. b.p. (5000 cal. b.c.) onwards. Between ca. 5700–5100 cal. b.p. (3800–3200 cal. b.c.) signs of anthropogenic influence on the vegetation are virtually absent. The intensity of human impact increased notably after 3200 cal. b.p. (1400–1250 cal. b.c., approx. Late Bronze Age), documented by a rise of pollen anthropogenic indicators. The final transformations in the natural forest cover after 2750 cal. b.p. (800 cal. b.c. onset of the Iron Age) marked the reduction of the coniferous forests dominated by Abies alba and Pinus sp. and the expansion of Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies. These vegetation changes are contemporaneous with increase of the palaeofire activities and the next peak of anthropogenic indicators. The changes in the landscape during the Roman period and the medieval period reflect regional environmental features and were forced by the diversification of anthropogenic activity.
66 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate what information is available from charcoals recovered by modern methods, and determine if it is possible to draw sound conclusions about vegetational changes which have not been fully recorded for the late Holocene in Eastern Anatolia.
Abstract: During the 1972 season of the Asvan excavations (see French, 1973, p. 77) it was decided that, given the huge quantity of charcoal recovered (292 samples) from the four sites by water-sieving and trench sampling from strata which cover a period of c. 4,500–5,000 years, an analysis of the charcoals would prove revealing. Part of the aim of the research is to evaluate what information is available from charcoals recovered by modern methods, and to determine if it is possible to draw sound conclusions about vegetational changes which have not been fully recorded for the late Holocene in Eastern Anatolia. Although some data has been made available through pollen analysis (see van Zeist, 1968, pp. 19–39) the distribution, duration and composition of the forest which existed before deforestation is not entirely understood.A dearth of necessary data on which to base this work made contemporary studies a prerequisite. Firstly an adequate comparative collection of identified modern woods had to be built up to aid identification of ancient charcoals. Secondly, a reliable method of sub-sampling had to be devised in order to deal with the copious material.
81 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a systematic controlled carbonization of 21 common SE U.S. tree species to understand the structural characteristics of wood and its potential for charcoal identification. But no methodologies or general principles have emerged that recognize the subtle complexities of wood-charcoal identification.
Abstract: The study of archaeological plant remains, archaeobotany, is becoming an increasingly important component of archaeological interpretation. Woodcharcoal analysis is an informative aspect of this specialization. The data bases for a wide range of archaeological research problems depend on this type of analysis. No studies, however, have assessed the taphonomy of different carbonized wood species, and no methodologies or general principles have emerged that recognize the subtle complexities of wood-charcoal identification. The systematic controlled carbonization of 21 common SE U.S. tree species provides insight into archaeological wood-charcoal preservation and analysis. Measurements of volumetric shrinkage and weight loss imply great diversity in preservation potential. Certain structural characteristics of wood take on added significance in charcoal identification since other characteristics are distorted or obliterated during the carbonization process. In this paper general principles of wood c...
42 citations
01 Jan 1972
TL;DR: In this article, a prehistorical analysis of charbons de bois provenant of vingt-trois localites prehistoriques permet de retracer les etapes du peuplement forestier postglaciaire des Causses.
Abstract: ResumeL'etude de pres de deux mille charbons de bois provenant de vingt-trois localites prehistoriques permet de retracer les etapes du peuplement forestier postglaciaire des Causses. Apres la fin du Wurm, les pineraies a Pinus silvestris et les chenaies de Chenes a feuillage caduc s'etendent a toute la surface des plateaux. Vers—2500 (dates 14C), a la limite Atlantique-Subboreal, sur le Larzac, les chenaies prennent de l'importance, beneficiant sans doute d'une amelioration climatique. Des la deuxieme moitie du Subboreal, le climat devient plus frais et humide. Le Hetre connait une extension limitee contrecarree par l'influence humaine. Ces resultats sont compares, en particulier, avec ceux obtenus sur le versant sud-est des Cevennes (analyses de charbons de grottes de la moyenne vallee de la Ceze, de la grotte de Camprafaud) ainsi qu'avec les analyses polliniques de divers auteurs.
23 citations
19 citations