Holocene climate change and prehistoric settlement in the lower Danube valley

摘要

An analysis of the summed probability distributions of 293 radiocarbon dates from Late Glacial to mid-Holocene sites in the Danubian Iron Gates highlights the existence of well-marked C-14 discontinuities at c. 9.5-9.0 ka, 8.65-8.0 ka and after 7.8 ka cal BP. These coincide with climate anomalies recorded in Greenland ice cores and palaeoclimate archives from the Danube catchment. Four possible explanations are considered: dwindling fish resources, changes in the social environment, flood-induced settlement relocations, and taphonomic effects. On present evidence, the last two factors are thought to be the most likely cause of the discontinuities observed in the Iron Gates Mesolithice-Early Neolithic radiocarbon record. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd and INQUA. All rights reserved.