Human Settlements and the Last Deglaciation in the French Alps

Abstract

According to most geological and geomorphological studies, the maximal advance of the Würmian glaciers in the French Alps occurred at least before 40 ka bp and cannot be dated by 14C. Scientists believed that this dating method could be used for dating the last glacial advance and late deglaciation in the region. The scarce and scattered 14C dating results available from geological samples do not confirm an early (ca. 18 or 20 ka bp) age for the total cooling of the ice nor do they prove that residual ice sheets remained at low elevations. Attempting to solve this chronological problem, we compiled current archaeological knowledge of the oldest Late Paleolithic sites. A review of their 14C results shows that no site older than 15 ka bp (with Gravettian, Solutrean or early Magdalenian industries) can be found east of the Saône-Rhône Valley, even at low elevations. Only rare sites, dated to ca. 14.5 ka bp, may be found close to the mountain regions that were suddenly occupied around the beginning of the Bølling period (ca. 13.5 ka bp). Thus, it seems that the eastern Alps offer no evidence for direct association between glacial retreat and human settlement or simultaneous occurrence in early or late deglaciated areas.

Meteorological and land use controls on past and present hydro‐geomorphic processes in the pre‐alpine environment: an integrated lake–catchment study at the Petit Lac d'Annecy, France

“…The non-diamagnetic properties of the limestones are almost completely dominated by goethite, and the marls contain iron-bearing paramagnetic minerals and goethite (Hu, 1997). Rissian and Würmian glaciers (Evin et al, 1994) deposited at least two types of till: one contains abundant schist erratics derived from the inner Alps and is dominated by paramagnetic minerals with low concentrations of primary ferrimagnetic minerals (Hu, 1997); the other is composed of limestones and marls considered to be of local origin (Beck et al, 1996;Hu, 1997;Hu et al, 2001). Early magnetic and Mössbauer studies showed that many of the surface soils in the well-drained parts of the catchment are relatively rich in fine-grained secondary ferrimagnetic minerals (SFMs) produced by pedogenic enhancement mechanisms (Dearing, 1979;Longworth et al, 1979;Dearing et al, 1996).…”

Deep-seated gravitational slope deformations as possible suitable locations for prehistoric human settlements: An example from the Italian Western Alps

“…Significant climatic events occurred in the beginning of the eighth millennium BC in Europe that are responsible for profound changes in the distribution of natural habitats and ecological niches (Guerreschi, 1992;Evin et al, 1994;Broglio and Lanzinger, 1996;Davis et al, 2003;Tinner and Theurillat, 2003;Jalut, 2005;Aceti, 2006;Brugiapaglia, 2007;Badino et al, 2010;Pini et al, 2011). These climatic features certainly conditioned the settlement choices and subsistence strategies of Mesolithic groups (Kozlowski, 1973;Bagolini, 1980;Broglio, 1980;Angelucci, 1997;Guerreschi, 1998).…”

Direct Sediment Dispersal from Mountain to Shore, with Bypassing via Three Human-Modified Channel Systems to Lake Annecy, SE France

“…Exposures crossed by the 3 rivers include primarily limestone, dolomitic limestone, and marl of Jurassic and Cretaceous age ( Figure 4A). Late Pleistocene (primarily Würmian) tills (EVIN et al, 1994;NICOUD and MANALT, 2001), fluvio-glacial and lacustrine deposits, and slope scree are also locally important in the southern drainage basin and lake margin ( Figures 4A, 5A-C).…”

“…Currently, this is no longer the case. As a result of human modification, especially during the past few centuries (CIIAVOUTIKR, 1977;EVIN et al, 1994;BUII.LIT et al, 1997;NEGREL et al, 1997;BEARING, 2000), the rivers are almost completely confined along their lower stretches ( Figure 5F), and flow from 3 separate, but proximal, source areas directly to the delta and lake shore (Figure 2). Sediment remains confined in each channel as it crosses the Bou du Lac, with records of only minor overbanlc deposition and flooding between the base of deeply incised river valleys and southern lake margin (Figures IB,2A,B).…”