Demografia del Neolitico e cambiamenti idrologici in Puglia e Montenegro durante l'Olocene antico (DIAMOND)

Responsabili di progetto

Biagio Giaccio, Slobodan Radusinovic

Accordo

MONTENEGRO - MoS-not in force - Ministero della Scienza del Montenegro

Bando

CNR/MoS biennio 2019-2020 2019-2020

Dipartimento

Scienze del sistema terra e tecnologie per l'ambiente

Area tematica

Scienze del sistema Terra e tecnologie per l'ambiente

Stato del progetto

Nuovo

Proposta di ricerca

1. Research proposal
1.1. Introduction and international relevance
For the present interglacial, the Holocene, globally distributed records show a pervasive millennial-scale climate variability and the occurrence of abrupt climate changes (e.g. Mayewski et al., 2004), that in Mediterranean area appear mainly expressed by modifications of rainfall amount and seasonality (e.g. Drysdale et al., 2006). The Mediterranean region is also characterized by an exceptionally long and rich human history, stretching back to the advent of the Neolithic at the start of the Holocene. The assessment of the interaction between Holocene climate and humans is a classical issue of paleoclimatic-archaeological investigations (e.g. Magny et al., 2002; Jalut et al., 2009; Roberts et al., 2011). In spite of the efforts made so far, contrasting patterns emerge when comparing records of different Mediterranean areas, suggesting complex regional expressions of the Holocene climate variability (e.g., Zanchetta et al., 2016).
One of the most prominent hydrological change of the Holocene in the Mediterranean area is documented in a stalagmite from Corchia Cave in the Apuan Alps (central Italy) which shows a remarkable enhanced rainfall between ca 8200 and 7300 years ago (8.2-7.3 ka; Zanchetta et al., 2007). Notably, this time interval would seem to match peculiar technological innovations in the production pottery and development of sophisticated symbolisms of the southern Italy Neolithic. With aim of assessing the inter-regional hydrological variability across this pluvial period and its potential impacts on the central Mediterranean Neolithic societies, we intend to carry out an integrated paleohydrological and paleodemographic investigation in different, key regions of the Balkan and southern Italy areas, specifically in Montenegro and Apulia regions.

1.2. Description of the research: methodology
1.2.1. Getting paleohydrological records from stalagmites
Speleothems are invaluable archives of past climate condition because they combine an high sensitivity to environmental variations, recorded by several geochemical properties, to the capability to be radiometrically dated by U/Th method (e.g. Fairchild and Baker, 2012).
Within DIAMOND we intend to acquire a multiproxy record from several speleothem samples collected from Montenegro and Apulia caves, based on ´18O data (a proxy for precipitation amount; Bard et al., 2002), ´13C data (an indicator of the soil biological activity; Genty et al., 2001) and trace elements composition (complement data on the local hydrological and vegetation a conditions and erosion processes; Fairchild et al., 2009; Regattieri et al., 2016). The records will be then converted in time-series through a robust age-depth model based on high-resolution radiometric U/Th chronology and Bayesian statistic elaboration.

1.2.2. Radiocarbon chronology as proxy of the Neolithic paleodemography
The size and dynamics of the human populations are fundamental data for reconstructing the evolutionary processes of the ancient societies. Although hard to estimate for prehistorical times, a semi-quantitative evaluation of these data can be obtained from the probability density function of the available radiocarbon dating, i.e., assuming that the variation in time of the density of radiocarbon dates is an indirect expression of the size of the prehistoric population.
Starting from this assumption, all the radiocarbon dates of the Balkans and Apulian Neolithic will be collected and organized in GIS- database. Data will be then elaborated in GIS
environment and finally processed to obtain a probability density function of dates, using specifically designed software (e.g. CalPal program; http://monrepos-rgzm.de/research-103/amenities.html).

1.3. Expected Results and Impacts (Scientific impact- Technological impact- Impact on future international scientific relations)
The integrated paleohydrological and paleoethnological investigation we intend to carry out within DIAMOND is expected to provide insights on early Holocene environmental and precipitation evolution and to disentangle how past hydrological change impacted on ancient communities and possibly driven historical processes. As historical data and modelling indicate that, under the pressure of global warming, the Mediterranean basin will undergo a potential rainfall reduction, the record to be developed can be also useful for assessing future scenarios of water availability in the regions and thus for developing appropriate strategies aiming at supporting adaptation of communities and enhancing resilience.
1.4. Resources available
For the development of DIAMOND project the applicants can avail of the IGAG and IGG well consolidated collaborations with leading national and international laboratories. Speleothems will be sampled at high spatial resolution for stable isotope analyses at the Paleoclimatology Laboratory of the Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra of the Pisa University. ´18O and ´13C will be measured with a Gas Bench II (Thermo) coupled to an IR-mass spectrometry at the Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse of the National Research Council (IGG-CNR, Pisa).
Trace elements analyses using a Laser-Ablation MC-ICP-MS and U/Th dating using MC_ICP-MS will be performed at the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Melbourne (Australia).

References
Bard, E., et al., 2002. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 202, 481-494.
Drysdale et al., 2006. Geology 34, 101-104
Fairchild, I.J., Treble, P., 2009. Quat. Sci. Rev. 28, 449-468
Genty, D., et al., 2001. Nature 421, 833-837.
Jalut, G., et al., 2009. Quat. Int. 200, 4-18.
Magny, M., et al. 2002. Palaeo., Palaeo., Palaeo 186, 47-59.
Mayewski, P. A., et al. 2004. Quat. Res. 62, 243-255.
Regattieri E., et al., 2016. Quat. Sci. Rev. 152, 80-92.
Roberts, N., et al., 2011. The Holocene 21, 3-13.
Zanchetta, G., et al., 2006. Quat. Res. 26, 279-286.
Zanchetta, G., et al., 2016. Alp. Mediterr. Quat. 29, 5-17.

Obiettivi della ricerca

2. Objectives
The general objective of the present proposal is the improvement of the current knowledge on mode and tempo of hydrological variability during the Holocene in the Mediterranean region and its potential impact on environments and humans. We intend to achieve this general goal via two specific objectives: i.e.; (i) the reconstruction of the regional-local Holocene hydrological history in the Apulia and Balkan regions, recorded in the stalagmites, and (ii) reconstruction of the paleodemographic dynamics of the prehistoric communities of both regions through statistical elaboration of the existing radiocarbon dating.
The integrated approach will provide the opportunity to diachronically compare paleoenvironmental and archaeological data within and across the two regions and thus to analyse the dynamics of the interactive climate-environment-human system in a consistent, exosystemic framework.

Ultimo aggiornamento: 08/12/2024