Low‐latitude Holocene hydroclimate derived from lake sediment flux and geochemistry

Abstract

24This study investigates hydrological responses to climatic shifts using sediment flux data derived 25 from two dated palaeolake records in southeast (SE) Arabia. Flux values are generally low 26 during the early Holocene humid period (EHHP) (~9.0 to 6.4 k cal a BP) although several short-27 lived pulses of increased detrital input are recorded, the most prominent of which is dated 28 between ~8.3 and 7.9 k cal a BP. The EHHP is separated from the mid-Holocene humid period is noted that the abrupt, short-term phases of aridity observed in both records are coeval with 35 intervals of rapid climate change globally, which triggered non-linear, widespread landscape 36 reconfigurations throughout SE Arabia. 37 38

Human responses to climate and ecosystem change in ancient Arabia

“…This is consistent with other paleoclimate records from Arabia that show major changes in environments between 4.4 and 3.9 ka (48). The abrupt end to humidity at this time, marked by dune reactivation, lake drying, and vegetation loss, corresponds with significant cultural changes in eastern Arabia, and a shift from the Early Bronze Age Umm al-Nar culture (4.7 and 4.0 ka) to the Middle Bronze Age Wadi Suq cultural period (32). The latter is characterized by fewer settlements and a shift from collective funerary sites and monumental tombs to individual and variable burials (21), and evidence for high rates of subadult mortality, malnutrition, and starvation are recorded at the Hili cemetery (49).…”

“…The 4.2 ka event and its effect on human occupations has received considerably less attention in Arabia than in neighboring regions, where it is suggested to have contributed to societal collapses (46,47). Nonetheless, the Awafi and Wahalah lakes between 4.1and 3.9 ka both indicate reduced humidity at this time (32). This is consistent with other paleoclimate records from Arabia that show major changes in environments between 4.4 and 3.9 ka (48).…”

“…The research conducted in southeastern Arabia over the Holocene has been highly influential among researchers working in the region, illustrative of a close interplay between climate, demographic changes, and societal responses. Yet, the extent to which these patterns can be generalized across the peninsula is currently unclear (30,32). Given growing knowledge concerning the climatic and environmental diversity of the 3.3 million km 2 area that makes up Arabia (24), it is essential to examine other subregional archives to understand human responses to a range of environmental changes.…”

Evidence of Neolithic settlement in the foothills of the Western al‐Hajar Mountains

“…Following Parker et al. () this dating would place the Hayy al‐Sarh AH I occupation in a period of more favourable climatic conditions that followed a brief dry spell between c .8300 to 7900 years ago. Given similarities between the AH I lithic assemblage from Hayy al‐Sarh and the Suwayh facies defined by Charpentier at the coastal site Suwayh 1 (Charpentier, ), the question is whether this provides evidence of connectivity between populations occupying the coast and the interior at this time.…”

Sediment-filled karst depressions and <i>riyad</i> – key archaeological environments of south Qatar

“…During glacialinterglacial cycles, and even on millennial timescales over the Holocene, geological records from different parts of the Arabian Peninsula indicate considerable fluctuations (e.g. Fleitmann et al, 2007;Engel et al, 2012Engel et al, , 2017Preston et al, 2012;Dinies et al, 2015Dinies et al, , 2016Guagnin et al, 2016;Parker et al, 2016, Breeze et al, 2017Parton et al, 2018). The closest palaeoclimate record on the Arabian Peninsula is located at Ras al-Khaimah, UAE (Preston et al, 2012;Parker et al, 2016), where lake deposits reflecting a rainfall surplus date between 9.0-8.3 and 3.0 ka cal BP.…”