Papers by Ciprian Astalos
Satu Mare. Studii și Comunicări. Seria Arheologie, 2020
Archaeology International, Oct 2013
Cristian Virag (ed.), NEOLITHIC CULTURAL PHENOMENA IN THE UPPER TISA BASIN
This paper presents the excavation methods utilized on the Early Neolithic (Criş) site of Tăşnad... more This paper presents the excavation methods utilized on the Early Neolithic (Criş) site of Tăşnad–Sere (North-Western Romania) in the larger context of a discussion about the emergence of villages as a marker of the Neolithisation process. In the UCL excavation at Tăşnad–Sere we
document the exact threedimensional location of every find in order to understand the taphonomic processes responsible for the formation of occupational layers and pit assemblages.
Starting from the different defnitions of a village, theories about early villages from the Near East and South-East/Central Europe are presented. The excavations in Tăşnad are, in this context, an occasion for a contribution to the theoretical debates about early villages and houses at the beginning of the Neolithic way of life.
Journal of Biogeography, 2015
AimThe forest steppe of the Transylvanian Plain is a landscape of exceptionally diverse steppe-li... more AimThe forest steppe of the Transylvanian Plain is a landscape of exceptionally diverse steppe-like and semi-natural grasslands. Is this vegetation a remnant of a once continuous temperate forest extensively cleared by humans, or has the area, since the last glacial, always been a forest steppe? Understanding the processes that drive temperate grassland formation is important because effective management of this biome is critical to the conservation of the European cultural landscape.LocationLake Stiucii, north-western Romania, central-eastern Europe.Methods
We analysed multi-proxy variables (pollen, coprophilous fungi, plant macroremains, macrocharcoal) from a 55,000 year discontinuous sequence (c. 55,000–35,000; 13,000–0 cal. yr bp), integrating models of pollen-based vegetation cover, biome reconstruction, global atmospheric simulations and archaeological records.ResultsNeedleleaf woodland occurred during glacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, but contracted at the end of this period. Forest coverage of c. 55% (early Holocene) and 65% (mid-Holocene) prevailed through the Holocene, but Bronze Age humans extensively cleared forests after 3700 cal. yr bp. Forest coverage was most widespread between 8600 and 3700 cal. yr bp, whereas grasses, steppe and xerothermic forbs were most extensive between 11,700 and 8600 cal. yr bp and during the last 3700 cal. yr bp. Cerealia pollen indicate the presence of arable agriculture by c. 7000 cal. yr bp.Main conclusionsWe have provided the first unequivocal evidence for needleleaf woodland during glacial MIS 3 in this region. Extensive forests prevailed prior to 3700 cal. yr bp, challenging the hypothesis that the Transylvanian lowlands were never wooded following the last glaciation. However, these forests were never fully closed either, reflecting dry growing season conditions, recurrent fires and anthropogenic impacts, which have favoured grassland persistence throughout the Holocene. The longevity of natural and semi-natural grasslands in the region may explain their current exceptional biodiversity. This longer-term perspective implies that future climatic warming and associated fire will maintain these grasslands.
The Holocene 19,6 (2009) pp. 967–981
Studia Universitatis Babeş-Bolyai, Geologia, 2005, 50 (1-2), 63 – 72
The examination of pollen and charcoal from the Gutâiului Mountains in northwestern Romania and
... more The examination of pollen and charcoal from the Gutâiului Mountains in northwestern Romania and
the archaeological evidence from surroundings provides some information on how past human activities have
changed the vegetation in this region. The first evidence of potential human influence upon the woodlands is
manifested by fire clearance recorded at approximately 7900 cal. yr BP coinciding with the Early Neolithic. The
charcoal peaks at ca. 5750, 3300, 2700, 1500, 1000 cal. yr BP, and during the last 300 years are associated with
episodes of decline of main woodland constituents (Ulmus, Tilia, Fraxinus, and Corylus), and the expansion of
fire-precursors (Betula, Alnus, and Corylus), and of herb species that indicate an anthropogenic disturbance. The
small openings created within the woodlands were probably used as grazing areas. The first signs of agriculture
appear at ca. 1500 cal. yr BP. Only during the last 300 years does pollen of the cereals e.g. Secale, Hordeumgroup,
Poaceae >40 μm, suggest the spread of arable field in the lowlands (Oaş Depression), but not in the
proximity of the study basins.
Studii şi comunicări–Satu Mare. Seria Arheologie. XXIII-XXIV/1 2006-2007
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Papers by Ciprian Astalos
document the exact threedimensional location of every find in order to understand the taphonomic processes responsible for the formation of occupational layers and pit assemblages.
Starting from the different defnitions of a village, theories about early villages from the Near East and South-East/Central Europe are presented. The excavations in Tăşnad are, in this context, an occasion for a contribution to the theoretical debates about early villages and houses at the beginning of the Neolithic way of life.
We analysed multi-proxy variables (pollen, coprophilous fungi, plant macroremains, macrocharcoal) from a 55,000 year discontinuous sequence (c. 55,000–35,000; 13,000–0 cal. yr bp), integrating models of pollen-based vegetation cover, biome reconstruction, global atmospheric simulations and archaeological records.ResultsNeedleleaf woodland occurred during glacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, but contracted at the end of this period. Forest coverage of c. 55% (early Holocene) and 65% (mid-Holocene) prevailed through the Holocene, but Bronze Age humans extensively cleared forests after 3700 cal. yr bp. Forest coverage was most widespread between 8600 and 3700 cal. yr bp, whereas grasses, steppe and xerothermic forbs were most extensive between 11,700 and 8600 cal. yr bp and during the last 3700 cal. yr bp. Cerealia pollen indicate the presence of arable agriculture by c. 7000 cal. yr bp.Main conclusionsWe have provided the first unequivocal evidence for needleleaf woodland during glacial MIS 3 in this region. Extensive forests prevailed prior to 3700 cal. yr bp, challenging the hypothesis that the Transylvanian lowlands were never wooded following the last glaciation. However, these forests were never fully closed either, reflecting dry growing season conditions, recurrent fires and anthropogenic impacts, which have favoured grassland persistence throughout the Holocene. The longevity of natural and semi-natural grasslands in the region may explain their current exceptional biodiversity. This longer-term perspective implies that future climatic warming and associated fire will maintain these grasslands.
the archaeological evidence from surroundings provides some information on how past human activities have
changed the vegetation in this region. The first evidence of potential human influence upon the woodlands is
manifested by fire clearance recorded at approximately 7900 cal. yr BP coinciding with the Early Neolithic. The
charcoal peaks at ca. 5750, 3300, 2700, 1500, 1000 cal. yr BP, and during the last 300 years are associated with
episodes of decline of main woodland constituents (Ulmus, Tilia, Fraxinus, and Corylus), and the expansion of
fire-precursors (Betula, Alnus, and Corylus), and of herb species that indicate an anthropogenic disturbance. The
small openings created within the woodlands were probably used as grazing areas. The first signs of agriculture
appear at ca. 1500 cal. yr BP. Only during the last 300 years does pollen of the cereals e.g. Secale, Hordeumgroup,
Poaceae >40 μm, suggest the spread of arable field in the lowlands (Oaş Depression), but not in the
proximity of the study basins.
document the exact threedimensional location of every find in order to understand the taphonomic processes responsible for the formation of occupational layers and pit assemblages.
Starting from the different defnitions of a village, theories about early villages from the Near East and South-East/Central Europe are presented. The excavations in Tăşnad are, in this context, an occasion for a contribution to the theoretical debates about early villages and houses at the beginning of the Neolithic way of life.
We analysed multi-proxy variables (pollen, coprophilous fungi, plant macroremains, macrocharcoal) from a 55,000 year discontinuous sequence (c. 55,000–35,000; 13,000–0 cal. yr bp), integrating models of pollen-based vegetation cover, biome reconstruction, global atmospheric simulations and archaeological records.ResultsNeedleleaf woodland occurred during glacial Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3, but contracted at the end of this period. Forest coverage of c. 55% (early Holocene) and 65% (mid-Holocene) prevailed through the Holocene, but Bronze Age humans extensively cleared forests after 3700 cal. yr bp. Forest coverage was most widespread between 8600 and 3700 cal. yr bp, whereas grasses, steppe and xerothermic forbs were most extensive between 11,700 and 8600 cal. yr bp and during the last 3700 cal. yr bp. Cerealia pollen indicate the presence of arable agriculture by c. 7000 cal. yr bp.Main conclusionsWe have provided the first unequivocal evidence for needleleaf woodland during glacial MIS 3 in this region. Extensive forests prevailed prior to 3700 cal. yr bp, challenging the hypothesis that the Transylvanian lowlands were never wooded following the last glaciation. However, these forests were never fully closed either, reflecting dry growing season conditions, recurrent fires and anthropogenic impacts, which have favoured grassland persistence throughout the Holocene. The longevity of natural and semi-natural grasslands in the region may explain their current exceptional biodiversity. This longer-term perspective implies that future climatic warming and associated fire will maintain these grasslands.
the archaeological evidence from surroundings provides some information on how past human activities have
changed the vegetation in this region. The first evidence of potential human influence upon the woodlands is
manifested by fire clearance recorded at approximately 7900 cal. yr BP coinciding with the Early Neolithic. The
charcoal peaks at ca. 5750, 3300, 2700, 1500, 1000 cal. yr BP, and during the last 300 years are associated with
episodes of decline of main woodland constituents (Ulmus, Tilia, Fraxinus, and Corylus), and the expansion of
fire-precursors (Betula, Alnus, and Corylus), and of herb species that indicate an anthropogenic disturbance. The
small openings created within the woodlands were probably used as grazing areas. The first signs of agriculture
appear at ca. 1500 cal. yr BP. Only during the last 300 years does pollen of the cereals e.g. Secale, Hordeumgroup,
Poaceae >40 μm, suggest the spread of arable field in the lowlands (Oaş Depression), but not in the
proximity of the study basins.