Environment and SubsistenceChronology and climateLandscape ArchaeologyPlants & Environment

Animals & Environment

Chronology & ClimateReconstruction on a macro-scale/global changes in water sources.

Oceans

Ice Sheets

Coast Lines

Climate & Past Lifeways

Changes in climate also affected cultures.

Major differences in ice age vs. Holocene populations.

Lifeways change such as onset of settlements, population increase, domestication, etc.

Ocean

Ocean floor sediments accumulate slowly.

Consist of microfossils called foraminifera (one-celled marine organisms that live in surface water and sink when they die) which are environmentally sensitive.

Deep sea cores show change through time in environment (in some cases up to 2 million years ago).

Deep Sea Cores

Coring Split Core

http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/CORE_REPOSITORY/RHP5c.html

Ice Sheets

Also use oxygen isotope samples from ice sheets.

information gathered from Greenland Ice Core Project can be applicable to archaeology.

Greenland Ice Core Project

Movie clip of drill and structure.

http://www.glaciology.gfy.ku.dk/ngrip/billeder_eng.htm

Coast Lines

Change in climate affected available land.During last glacial maximum sea level was about 120 meters lower than at present.Siberia and N. America where connected.British isles and mainland also connected.

Changes in coast lines

http://instaar.colorado.edu/QGISL/bering_land_bridge/downloads/beringlandbridge1m.mov

18,000 years ago, a "land bridge" emerged as sea level fell.

http://www.theotherside.co.uk/tm-heritage/background/channelform.htm#map1

Landscape Archaeology

Glaciated Landscapes

Varves

Rivers

Caves

Buried Land surfaces

Glaciated LandscapesGlaciers wrought changes in northern North America, Europe.

U-shaped valleys, polished rocks (petrified sea gardens).

http://www.petrifiedseagardens.org/main.htmhttp://nsidc.org/glaciers/gallery/Taku_tidewater.html

Varves

Glacial phenomenon of layers of sediment around the edges of glacial lakes.

Thick layers of sediment represent warm years, thin layers represent cold years.

Varves

Varves in cross-section, note alternating clay and sandy layers;

knife haft = 10cm

http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/varves.html

Rivers

Changes in the course of rivers affected landscape/settlement

Nile and Tigris/Euphrates river valleys were areas of early domestication due to rich floodplains.

Tigris Euphrates River Valley:Site of Ancient Mesopotamia and Modern Baghdad

Caves

Sediments deposited under certain conditions-wind, water, animals, people (i.e. tracking in mud).Soil micromorphology

microscopic study of soil components important part of excavation of any site, but particularly cave. Info on source, soil formation, and human modified.

Dust Cave, Alabama

Buried Land surfaces

Volcanic eruptions

Bogs

Volcanic Eruptions: Pompeii

When Vesuvius erupted on 24 August 79 AD it engulfed the two flourishing Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as the many rich villas in the area.

Excavations 1910-1961

Excavating through ash layers

Pompeii. House of the Vettii. Paintings http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/ac880908.html

Pompeii-Casts of bodies

http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/italy_except_rome_and_sicily/pompeii/thumbnails_contents.html

Plants & Environment

Microbotanical RemainsPollen, etc.

Macrobotanical RemainsSeeds, nuts, etc.

Environmental SensitiveConifers vs. Deciduous

Grassland vs. Forests

Animals & Environment

MicrofaunaMice, rodents.

MacrofaunaLarge mammals, fish, invertebrates.

Environmentally SensitiveLarge bodied=cold climates, Small=warm.

Certain species in certain habitats.

Environment and Subsistence

Environment significantly affects human subsistence.Foragers-Gather wild plants and animals.

Resource Catchment areasSubsistence Variability

DomesticationSpecies domesticatedReason for domestication