Early-mid Holocene environmental change and human impact around the Inner Sound, Scotland
The islands and shores of the Inner Sound in the northwest of Scotland were perceived as potentially supporting human settlement during the Mesolithic Period (c. 10000-5500 BP) and subsequent survey and excavation unearthed considerable evidence of hunter-gatherer activity dating to this time. These discoveries precipitated the present study, which aims to provide an environmental background to the inferred Mesolithic populations, while seeking to detect any perturbations in the environmental record that could be ascribed to human interference. To this end, bog and lake sediments were removed from suitable locations for further analysis in the laboratory. Pollen and microscopic charcoal analyses form the backbone of the investigation, which also includes loss on ignition and sedimentological analyses, and radiocarbon dating. Environmental reconstruction using these data supports the current theory that this region hosted a rich variety of woodland habitats during the early Holocene, with geology and exposure exerting the greatest control on spatial and physiognomic variability. Close resolution pollen sampling of a loch in northern Skye provides useful insights into plant colonisation after the Loch Lomond
Green, F. M.
Early-mid Holocene environmental change and human impact around the Inner Sound, Scotland. The islands and shores of the Inner Sound in the northwest of Scotland were perceived as potentially supporting human settlement during the Mesolithic Period (c. 10000-5500 BP) and subsequent survey and excavation unearthed considerable evidence of hunter-gatherer activity dating to this time. These discoveries precipitated the present study, which aims to provide an environmental background to the inferred Mesolithic populations, while seeking to detect any perturbations in the environmental record that could be ascribed to human interference. To this end, bog and lake sediments were removed from suitable locations for further analysis in the laboratory. Pollen and microscopic charcoal analyses form the backbone of the investigation, which also includes loss on ignition and sedimentological analyses, and radiocarbon dating. Environmental reconstruction using these data supports the current theory that this region hosted a rich variety of woodland habitats during the early Holocene, with geology and exposure exerting the greatest control on spatial and physiognomic variability. Close resolution pollen sampling of a loch in northern Skye provides useful insights into plant colonisation after the Loch Lomond
environmental_change human_impact around inner sound scotland island shore inner sound northwest scotland perceive potentially support human_settlement mesolithic_period subsequent survey_excavation unearth considerable evidence hunter_gatherer activity date time discovery precipitate present_study aim_provide environmental background infer mesolithic population seek detect environmental record could ascribe human interference end bog lake sediment remove suitable location analysis laboratory pollen microscopic charcoal analyse form backbone investigation also_include loss ignition analysis radiocarbon_dating environmental reconstruction use data support current_theory region host rich variety woodland habitat geology exposure exert great control spatial variability close resolution pollen sample loch northern skye provide_useful insight plant colonisation loch