Environmentally transformative human use of land accelerated with the emergence of agriculture, but the extent, trajectory, and implications of these early changes are not well understood. An empirical global assessment of land use from 10,000 BP to 1850 CE reveals a planet largely transformed by hunter-gatherers, farmers and pastoralists by 3,000 years ago, significantly earlier than land-use reconstructions commonly used by Earth scientists. Synthesis of knowledge contributed by over 250 archaeologists highlighted gaps in archaeological expertise and data quality, which peaked at 2000 BP and in traditionally studied and wealthier regions. Archaeological reconstruction of global land-use history illuminates the deep roots of Earth's transformation and challenges the emerging Anthropocene paradigm that large-scale anthropogenic global environmental change is mostly a recent phenomenon.One Sentence Summary: A map of synthesized archaeological knowledge on land use reveals a planet largely transformed by hunter-gatherers, farmers and pastoralists by 3,000 years ago.
This article compares radiocarbon dates and the stratigraphic matrix obtained from excavations at the Piedras Blancas archaeological site, Ambato Valley, NW Argentina. Analysis revealed inconsistencies between 14 C dates and certain events that can be clearly identified in the stratigraphy of the site. This fact led first to recognize the importance of a detailed stratigraphic record to allow a point of control and comparison. Secondly, this article discusses for the present case, (a) the consistency shown by the dating performed on bone materials in relation to the stratigraphic matrix and (b) the inconsistencies identified in relation to the dating performed on charred plant material, although this type of material was chosen for collection and dating using all appropriate caution to prevent dating bias. Finally, the possibility is considered that the dated plant materials could be affected by the high microcharcoal concentrations observed in the valley's sediments as the result of fire regimes with a high frequency, which seem to have existed since at least about 4000 BP.
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