Woodland vegetation history and human impacts in south-central Anatolia 16,000-6500 cal BP: Anthracological results from five prehistoric sites in the Konya plain

This article addresses the development and palaeoecological history of woodland vegetation in the inland high-altitude plateaux of south-central Anatolia using wood charcoal remains from the sites of Pınarbaşı, Boncuklu, Can Hasan III, Çatalhöyük East, and Çatalhöyük West spanning the period ∼16,000–6500 cal BP. The anthracological evidence highlights the role of Juniperus, Amygdalus and Pistacia as pioneer species during periods of woodland expansion in south-central Anatolia when temperatures started to increase following the Last Glacial Maximum (evidenced at Epipalaeolithic Pınarbaşı). During the early Holocene, three habitation sites (Boncuklu, Can Hasan III, Pınarbaşı A) provide evidence for the presence of diverse semi-arid and riparian woodland habitats in the Konya plain of south-central Anatolia. The anthracological data provide insights into the establishment and spread of regionally significant woodland vegetation types such as the oak and juniper-dominated semi-arid steppe woodlands. It is argued that within the context of early Holocene climatic amelioration, and the first sedentary communities practising agro-pastoral economies, anthropogenic woodland habitats were established

Identification of woodland management practices and tree growth conditions in archaeological fuel waste remains: A case study from the site of Çatalhöyük in central Anatolia, Turkey

This paper presents the results of dendroanthracological analyses conducted on the anthracological assemblage retrieved from Neolithic and Chalcolithic occupations excavated at Çatalhöyük (central Anatolia, Turkey). Besides standard botanical identification of the charcoal macroremains, a range of anatomical features were also recorded including the presence of fungal decay, traumatic growth, tyloses and discontinuous growth rings. The qualitative assessment of growth ring curvature (following Marguerie and Hunot, 2007) was supplemented by quantitative estimations of minimum wood diameter (following Paradis et al., 2013) alongside sequential ring width measurements. Botanical identifications, dendroanthracological features and quantitative measurements obtained from individual charcoal fragments, were analysed using multivariate statistical techniques. These permitted assessing the relative importance of wood size, type and species in prehistoric fuel selection, and obtaining a detailed view of environmental and management impacts on prehistoric woodland growth conditions. The results of this work indicate the deep antiquity of woodland management practices in the semi-arid continental regions of Southwest Asia dating as early as the Neolithic period

Prehistoric vegetation change and woodland management in central Anatolia: late Pleistocene-mid Holocene anthracological remains from the Konya Plain

This thesis presents the results of the analysis of the anthracological remains (charred fuel wood waste debris) retrieved from the archaeological sites of Pınarbaşı, Boncuklu, Can Hasan III, Çatalhöyük East and Çatalhöyük West, located in the Konya plain of south-central Anatolia, Turkey. Together, these sites span the time period between ~15-7.5 ka cal. BP. The main aims of the present study are: (a) to characterise the use of prehistoric woodlands in south-central Anatolia and its changes through time during this critical period for the development of settled life and early agricultural economies, (b) to investigate the nature and scale of woodland management activities and anthropogenic impacts on prehistoric woodland vegetation, and (c) to assess the representativeness of the anthracological assemblages for reconstructing the composition, structure, form and distribution of late Pleistocene and early to mid-Holocene woodland vegetation in south-central Anatolia, and its changing ecologies in relation to climate, woodland growth conditions and human impacts. Anthracological analyses focused on charcoal macro-remains retrieved from a range of primary (fire features) and secondary (middens, building infill, and general dispersed contexts) fuel wood waste deposits. The methodologies applied included the taphonomic assessment of charcoal densities, standard taxon frequency and ubiquity quantitative analyses, and the quantitative and qualitative analysis of wood calibre and the dendroecological features preserved in archaeological charcoal specimens. The results of these analyses were further explored through the application of a range of multivariate quantitative techniques. The same techniques were also used to integrate the results of anthracological analyses with dung fuel seed archaeobotanical and select hunted and herded faunal datasets, in order to evaluate their co-variation, and thus reconstruct the co-evolution of landscape practices and anthropogenic impacts across space and time. This thesis demonstrates the unique potential of anthracology to provide novel and highly original insights in the palaeoecology and palaeoeconomy of Southwest Asia, particularly with regard to the investigation of vegetation history, the origin and developments of early anthropogenic landscapes and the nature of people-environment interactions during the transition from foraging to farming

Sampling and quantitative analysis methods in anthracology from archaeological contexts: Achievements and prospects

International audienceThis paper provides a critical review of the main methodological achievements in sampling and quantitative analysis in anthracology, the study of wood charcoal macro-remains from archaeological contexts. The application of appropriate sampling protocols is a prerequisite for the study of all types of archaeo-anthracological assemblages, particularly when it comes to the study of wood fuel waste. Sampling directly impacts the quantitative taxonomic composition of a charcoal assemblage and its representativeness with regard to reconstructing ancient woodland composition. The selection of contexts and deposits appropriate for this purpose, the spatial sampling of charcoal scatters, sieving methods and mesh size, what constitutes optimal sample size and the outcomes of charcoal fragmentation, are all discussed. Provided that appropriate methods are followed, the case for the palaeoecological representativeness of archaeo-anthracological fuel waste deposits is argued in detail. This also includes a discussion of the contribution of laboratory experiments to understanding the impacts of combustion and post-depositional processes on archaeological charcoal preservation and the implications of fuelwood properties for wood collection. We argue that ancient firewood use was predicated principally on wood availability in past vegetation and its interdependence with ancient landscape management practices. Lastly, we discuss the application of multivariate methods in anthracology, and the insights they may provide for reconstructing archaeological charcoal taphonomy, and past woodland vegetation and fuel uses.Cet article propose un examen critique des principaux acquis méthodologiques en matière d'échantillonnage et d'analyse quantitative dans le domaine de l'anthracologie, étude des macro-restes de charbons de bois provenant de contextes archéologiques. L'application de protocoles d'échantillonnage appropriés est une condition préalable à l'étude de tous les types d'assemblages archéo-anthracologiques, en particulier lorsqu'il s'agit de l'étude des résidus de bois de feu. L'échantillonnage a un impact direct sur la composition taxonomique quantitative d'un assemblage de charbon de bois et sur sa représentativité pour restituer la composition des boisements passés. La sélection des contextes et des dépôts appropriés à cette fin, l'échantillonnage spatial des charbons de bois "dispersés", les méthodes de tamisage et la maille des tamis, la taille optimale de l'échantillon et les conséquences de la fragmentation des charbons de bois, sont traités. Sous réserve que les méthodes appropriées soient suivies, la représentativité paléoécologique des résidus de combustibles archéo-anthracologiques est discutée en détail. Est également inclus un rappel sur la contribution des expérimentations de laboratoire à la compréhension des effets de la combustion et des processus post-dépositionnels sur la préservation des charbons de bois archéologiques et les implications des propriétés du bois de feu concernant la collecte du bois. Nous argumentons le fait que l'utilisation du bois de feu était principalement basée sur la disponibilité du bois dans la végétation environnant les sites, et son interdépendance avec les pratiques anciennes de gestion des milieux. Enfin, nous discutons de l'application de méthodes d'analyse multivariée en anthracologie et des informations qu'elles peuvent fournir pour reconstruire la taphonomie du charbon de bois archéologique, et les utilisations passées de la végétation forestière et du combustibl

Risperidone in the treatment of conduct disorder in preschool children without intellectual disability

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4^thedition Textrevision) highlights the especially poor outcomes of early-onset conduct disorder (CD). The strong link between the patient's age at treatment and its efficacy points the importance of early intervention. Risperidone is one of the most commonly studied medications used to treat CD in children and adolescents. The aim of this study is to obtain preliminary data about the efficacy and tolerability of risperidone treatment in otherwise typically developing preschool children with conduct disorder and severe behavioral problems.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>We recruited 12 otherwise normally developing preschoolers (ten boys and two girls) with CD for this study. We could not follow up with 4 children at control visits properly; thus, 8 children (six girls, two boys; mean age: 42.4 months) completed the study. We treated the patients with risperidone in an open-label fashion for 8 weeks, starting with a daily dosage of 0.125 mg/day or 0.25 mg/day depending on the patient's weight (<20 kg children: 0.125 mg/day; >20 kg children: 0.25 mg/day). Dosage titration and increments were performed at 2-week interval clinical assessments. The Turgay DSM-IV Based Disruptive Behavior Disorders Child and Adolescent Rating & Screening Scale (T-DSM-IV-S) as well as the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) assessed treatment efficacy; the Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale (ESRS) and laboratory evaluations assessed treatment safety.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean daily dosage of risperidone at the end of 8 weeks was 0.78 mg/day (SD: 0.39) with a maximum dosage of 1.50 mg/day. Based on the CGI global improvement item, we classified all patients as "responders" (very much or much improved). Risperidone was associated with a 78% reduction in the CGI Severity score. We also detected significant improvements on all of the subscales of the T-DSM-IV-S. Tolerability was good, and serious adverse effects were not observed. We detected statistically significant prolactin level increments (p < 0.05), but no clinical symptoms associated with prolactinemia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that risperidone may be an effective and well-tolerated atypical antipsychotic for the treatment of CD in otherwise normally developing preschool children. The findings of the study should be interpreted as preliminary data considering its small sample size and open-label methodology.</p

Understanding resource choice at the transition from foraging to farming: An application of palaeodistribution modelling to the Neolithic of the Konya Plain, south-central Anatolia, Turkey

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd The role of the environment in shaping agricultural origins is still not fully understood, despite a century of debate on this topic. Comparison of the expected prevalence of a resource in the landscape with actual archaeological presence of the same resource can provide a metric for assessing resource choice in prehistory. However, the palaeoenvironmental data that would allow resource choice to be evaluated in this way are rarely available. Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) techniques allow independent palaeoenvironmental datasets to be computed, which when compared to actual species’ presence at sites as attested by archaeological datasets, can provide data on resource choice. Following recent calls for SDM to be applied more widely in archaeological contexts, we outline a simple method for predicting the presence of plant species in prehistory using modern analogues and palaeoclimatic datasets. These modelled distributions provide an independent dataset for comparison with archaeological data, thus providing a window into human resource choice in prehistory. We outline the method with specific reference to the transition from foraging to farming in the Neolithic of Central Anatolia, but the method could be applied to any period or region. We have used exclusively open source data and provided all code in our online supplementary materials, so that our method can be utilized by researchers interested in human resource choice in any region of the world and any period

The impact of environmental change on Palaeolithic and Mesolithic plant use and the transition to agriculture at Franchthi Cave, Greece

The multi-period (~38,000–6000 cal BP) site of Franchthi Cave, located in the Argolid peninsula of southern mainland Greece, is unique in the Eastern Mediterranean for preserving a long archaeological sequence extending from the Upper Palaeolithic through to the end of the Neolithic period. In this paper, we present new anthracological (carbonized fuel wood waste) evidence from Franchthi Cave with which we reconstruct the changing ecology of woodland vegetation in its environs during the late Pleistocene and the early-mid Holocene. The integrated archaeobotanical record (charred wood and non-wood macro-remains) demonstrates that in the Lateglacial the now-submerged coastal shelf of the southern Argolid peninsula was covered by steppe grassland vegetation dominated by junipers, almonds, cereals and legumes. The rapid climatic amelioration that marked the start of the Holocene brought about the disappearance of juniper and the expansion of deciduous woodland, cereals and lentils. This woodland-grassland biome bears no analogues in the modern and historical vegetation ecology of the Aegean basin. Instead, it is directly comparable to the steppe woodland biomes exploited by late Pleistocene and early Holocene hunter-gatherers in Southwest Asia, and points to the convergent evolution of late Pleistocene and early Holocene plant exploitation strategies between the two regions. Continuous sea-level rise during the early Holocene led to the gradual extinction of this unique palaeohabitat, which acted as the catalyst for the selective introduction of domesticated cereal crops at Franchthi Cave in the early 9th millennium cal BP. Our meta-analysis of the non-wood archaeobotanical data puts into question the concept of the wholesale introduction of a crop “package” by pioneer settler groups arriving from the East. It is proposed instead that selective cereal crop introduction formed part of a complex pattern of sociocultural interactions that brought together indigenous and immigrant groups into new communities

The Zagros Epipalaeolithic revisited: New excavations and ¹⁴C dates from Palegawra cave in Iraqi Kurdistan

Palegawra cave, alongside its neighbouring Zarzi, has been an emblematic site of the Epipalaeolithic (Zarzian) cultural horizon in the NW Zagros of Southwest Asia ever since its first exploration in 1951 by Bruce Howe and Robert Braidwood in the context of the Iraq-Jarmo project. At the time scientific excavation, sampling and analysis methods were either under-developed or did not exist. In this paper we present the first results of new excavations at Palegawra conducted in 2016-2017 by the Eastern Fertile Crescent (EFEC) project, a research collaboration of the University of Liverpool and the Sulaymaniyah Directorate of Antiquities and Heritage. Our research has produced the first radiometric evidence pushing back the chronology of the NW Zagros Epipalaeolithic to the Last Glacial Maximum, thus fully aligning it with Epipalaeolithic facies until now known only from the Levant and the south Anatolian coast. We have also unearthed, for the first time in the Palaeolithic of the Zagros, direct archaeobotanical evidence for hitherto elusive Zarzian plant exploitation and the vegetation of the NW Zagros piedmont zone from the LGM to the end of the Lateglacial (~19,600-13,000 cal BP). The new Palegawra chronology alongside our detailed studies of its material culture and faunal and botanical assemblages suggest that the prevailing Epipalaeolithic habitation pattern in the NW Zagros (centred on generalised persistent occupations of small caves and rock-shelters alongside task-oriented ephemeral open-air campsites) remained an enduring characteristic of the Zarzian horizon throughout this period. The Palegawra data clearly show that neither resource levels and climate conditions nor geographic and/or cultural isolation provide adequate explanations for the stability and longevity of Zarzian lifeways during this long timespan. More fieldwork is required, including the discovery, excavation and intensive sampling of other Zarzian sites, for reaching a data-informed understanding of the nature and evolution of the NW Zagros Epipalaeolithic