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This paper presents the first insight into the interpretation of the wood charcoal from the Holocene layers of Wonderwerk Cave. Situated in the Northern Cape Province in the arid interior of South Africa, the site provides a unique and valuable chronological record of past environmental fluctuations and responding human behavioural adaptations spanning the last two million years. The Holocene strata have been dated to cover the last 12.5 ka cal BP years, but exclude the last 100 years because of contamination. A sizeable amount of charcoal was recovered from these strata and remnants have been identified, described and the species composition amongst the strata compared. Most identified species are those that tolerate hot, dry conditions, signalling an arid trend during the Holocene. Comparison with present day species distributions suggests an eastwards shift in modern vegetation. The charcoal data also indicate that during the mid Holocene there was a wetter period from 6.2 to 4.5 ka cal BP, coinciding with stratum 4a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study of firewood use and management by human groups in the Ongamira valley, Córdoba, Argentina (dated between c. 5700-950 BP). In order to understand firewood gathering practices at different periods in the Late Holocene, samples from 63 combustion events recorded in 9 rockshelters were analysed. From the anthracological analysis (14,976 fragments) 19 woody taxa, and 4 botanically indeterminate taxa, were identified belonging to Chaco Serrano forest vegetation. The identification of abundant small flat fireplaces suggests short-lived activities repeated over time. A detailed analysis of the samples (types of fire pits, alterations during combustion and taphonomic processes) permits inferring firewood gathering in the local vegetation around the sites, as well as some taxa belonging to different environmental settings. Archaeological evidence indicates that groups were mobile, with the establishment of a network of places in the landscape where different activities were carried out (tool production, food consumption and pottery manufacture) with fire making as a central activity. People in the past constantly used different places in the valley, focusing many of their activities in rockshelters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a synthetic view of the results of anthracological studies in the Western Pyrenean Region during the Holocene. With this aim, we have compiled the results of wood charcoal analyses from archaeological sites taking into account that this region can be divided into several biogeographic areas. Firstly, we present the Aizpea archaeological site in the Pyrenees. Secondly, the deposits of Pico Ramos, Kobeaga II and El Mirón in the Coastal Area are described. Moving to the central part, into the Transition area, we describe the data of Mendandia as the main representative site, although the nearby sites of Atxoste, Kampanoste, and Kanpanoste Goikoa are also mentioned. Finally, for the southern sector of the Ebro Valley, we explain the archaeological sites of Peña Parda and Peña Larga. In addition, some specific issues that have been observed in some plant species found in this environment are also addressed. The main results show the use of different types of wood located near the archaeological sites and, in some particular cases, the selection of one of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper focuses on the reconstruction of Holocene climatic and environmental changes in two archaeological sites of southwestern and north-central Calabria (southern Italy). It is based on a comparison of geoarchaeological, pedological and pedoanthracological data from soil profiles in the coastal hilly and inland mountainous surroundings of Palmi and Cecita Lake, respectively. At the Palmi site, the representative soil profile includes settlements and artefacts ranging from late Neolithic to late early Bronze Age and undifferentiated historical epochs. The archaeological record of soils at Cecita spans from late Neolithic/early Eneolithic to Roman ages. At both sites, surface A horizons are affected by repeated plough marks. All soils display some Andisol-like features, related to some volcanic input during soil formation originating from late Pleistocene to Holocene explosive eruptions of the Aeolian Islands. The occurrence of clay coatings, their relict nature and overall dominant phyllosilicate clay minerals in the Neolithic soil horizons of both sites, suggest warm climate conditions with high moisture availability and some seasonal contrast, during the late early-middle Holocene climatic optimum. The post-Neolithic soils show comparable or more abundant amounts of short-range order minerals than phyllosilicates, and no to scarce clay coatings. These features indicate a transition towards (probably cooler) prolonged humid conditions, intercalated by one or more drought episodes. Severe land degradation is recorded between these major climatic phases, indicated by human impact (deforestation and agriculture) and soil erosion. Soil charcoal analysis from Cecita soils provide evidence of these anthropogenic environmental changes, as indicated by the dominance of deciduous oak forest in Neolithic soils, followed by a transition to a mountain pine forest recorded in the Roman soils. A deciduous oak forest characterizes the vegetation at Palmi from the Neolithic onward. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]