Climate change, water stress and agriculture in the Indus Civilisation, 3000-1500 BC
This thesis investigates the relationship between climate, agriculture and social change in South Asiaâs Bronze Age urban Indus Civilisation. Specifically, my research tests the hypothesis that an abrupt weakening of the Indian Summer Monsoon ca 2100 cal BC led to increasing crop water stress, and hence potentially contributed to the Civilisationâs decline by reducing food supply. This hypothesis is frequently invoked in discussions of the Civilisationâs end, yet until now, has not been empirically tested. Using material excavated from several Indus settlements, this study uses a novel combination of isotopic techniques to directly test the connection between climate change and agricultural stress. These techniques are first, oxygen isotope analysis of faunal bones and teeth; and second, stable carbon isotope analysis of crop remains. The oxygen analyses provide detailed records of monsoon intensity at a local, human scale, while the carbon analyses provide an empirical test of whether crop water stress increased. Applied in parallel across a diverse suite of Indus sites, these techniques together provide an archaeologically and ecologically-nuanced analysis of climatic impacts. The archaeological analyses
Jones, Penelope Jean
climate change ; Indus Civilisation ; Indus archaeology ; archaeology ; stable carbon isotope analysis ; stable oxygen isotope analysis ; Indian Summer Monsoon ; palaeoclimate ; water stress ; food security
Climate change, water stress and agriculture in the Indus Civilisation, 3000-1500 BC. This thesis investigates the relationship between climate, agriculture and social change in South Asiaâs Bronze Age urban Indus Civilisation. Specifically, my research tests the hypothesis that an abrupt weakening of the Indian Summer Monsoon ca 2100 cal BC led to increasing crop water stress, and hence potentially contributed to the Civilisationâs decline by reducing food supply. This hypothesis is frequently invoked in discussions of the Civilisationâs end, yet until now, has not been empirically tested. Using material excavated from several Indus settlements, this study uses a novel combination of isotopic techniques to directly test the connection between climate change and agricultural stress. These techniques are first, oxygen isotope analysis of faunal bones and teeth; and second, stable carbon isotope analysis of crop remains. The oxygen analyses provide detailed records of monsoon intensity at a local, human scale, while the carbon analyses provide an empirical test of whether crop water stress increased. Applied in parallel across a diverse suite of Indus sites, these techniques together provide an archaeologically and ecologically-nuanced analysis of climatic impacts. The archaeological analyses
climate_change water stress agriculture civilisation investigate_relationship climate agriculture social_change south asia bronze_age urban civilisation specifically test_hypothesis abrupt indian summer cal lead_increase crop water stress hence potentially_contribute civilisation decline reduce food_supply hypothesis frequently invoked discussion civilisation end yet empirically test using material excavate several settlement study novel combination isotopic technique directly test connection climate_change agricultural stress technique first oxygen_isotope analysis_faunal bone teeth second stable_carbon isotope_analysis crop remain oxygen analysis provide_detailed record intensity local human scale carbon analysis provide_empirical test_whether crop water stress increase applied parallel across diverse suite sit techniques together provide archaeologically nuanced analysis climatic impact archaeological_analysis