Late Holocene vegetation change, climate deterioration and human response in the Strath of Kildonan, Sutherland, Scotland : an investigation into the theory of settlement discontinuity during the later Bronze Age
Using complementary methods of palaeoecological reconstruction (pollen, microscopic charcoal, organic content, peat humification and tephrochronology) integrated with a critical and contrastive re-evaluation of archaeological data, this PhD project is the first to test the hypothesis that marginal, upland settlements were abandoned because of 'catastrophic' climatic or environmental changes during the Later Bronze Age (ca. 1200 BC). The Strath of Kildonan possesses a remarkably rich and well preserved record of multi-period settlement and land-use situated in an area, currently and historically, perceived as culturally, economically and environmentally 'marginal'. Previous archaeological work has been used to support the abandonment hypothesis, making it an ideal location for reconstructing associated palaeoclimatic and vegetation changes from 'off-site' environmental contexts. There are no extant palaeoclimatic reconstructions and existing pollen work is of low spatial/temporal resolution. Three deep peat sites were selected for their relationship to archaeological sites which reflect a gradient of increasing ecological 'marginality', thus sensitivity to climate change. Palaeohydrological reconstructions
Gillie, Darcey Francis
Late Holocene vegetation change, climate deterioration and human response in the Strath of Kildonan, Sutherland, Scotland : an investigation into the theory of settlement discontinuity during the later Bronze Age. Using complementary methods of palaeoecological reconstruction (pollen, microscopic charcoal, organic content, peat humification and tephrochronology) integrated with a critical and contrastive re-evaluation of archaeological data, this PhD project is the first to test the hypothesis that marginal, upland settlements were abandoned because of 'catastrophic' climatic or environmental changes during the Later Bronze Age (ca. 1200 BC). The Strath of Kildonan possesses a remarkably rich and well preserved record of multi-period settlement and land-use situated in an area, currently and historically, perceived as culturally, economically and environmentally 'marginal'. Previous archaeological work has been used to support the abandonment hypothesis, making it an ideal location for reconstructing associated palaeoclimatic and vegetation changes from 'off-site' environmental contexts. There are no extant palaeoclimatic reconstructions and existing pollen work is of low spatial/temporal resolution. Three deep peat sites were selected for their relationship to archaeological sites which reflect a gradient of increasing ecological 'marginality', thus sensitivity to climate change. Palaeohydrological reconstructions
late_holocene vegetation_change climate deterioration human response sutherland scotland investigation theory settlement discontinuity later bronze_age using complementary method palaeoecological reconstruction pollen microscopic charcoal organic content peat integrate critical contrastive re_evaluation archaeological_data phd project first test_hypothesis marginal upland settlement abandon catastrophic climatic environmental_change later bronze_age possess remarkably rich well_preserve record multi_period settlement_land use situated area currently historically perceive culturally economically environmentally marginal previous archaeological_work use_support abandonment hypothesis make ideal location reconstruct associate palaeoclimatic vegetation_change off_site environmental_context extant palaeoclimatic reconstruction exist pollen work low spatial_temporal resolution deep peat site select relationship archaeological_site reflect gradient increase ecological marginality thus sensitivity climate_change reconstruction