Late Holocene Environmental Change and the Record of Human Impact at Gravgaz near Sagalassos, Southwest Turkey

Author： Vermoere M. Smets E. Waelkens M. vanhaverbeke H. Librecht I. Paulissen E. vanhecke L.

ISSN： 0305-4403

Source： Journal of Archaeological Science, Vol.27, Iss.7, 2000-07, pp. : 571-595

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Abstract

This paper presents the palaeoecological analysis of a sediment core extracted from the marsh of Gravgaz in the Pisidian Lake District (southwest Turkey). The sediments are Late Holocene, dating back toc. 3300 bp. The research is part of an inter-disciplinary project, aiming to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment of the Sagalassos' territory, and to determine the impact of the former inhabitants of the area on the landscape. The Late Holocene pollen diagram shows four pollen assemblage zones: a phase with dominance of pine forest (zone A:c. 3300–3200 bp; Cal. ∼1640–1520 bc till ∼1520–1430 bc), a deforestation phase (zone B: c. 3200–2300 bp; Cal. ∼1520–1430 bc till ∼410–240 bc) an important cultivation phase (zone C:c. 2300–1300 bp; Cal. ∼410–240 bc tillad 660–770) and a final reforestation phase (zone D: from c. 1300 bp; Cal. ∼ad 660–770, till the present day). The results are complimented with archaeological and sedimentological data.