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Holocene playa deposits of Farafra Oasis, Egypt, and their palaeoclimatic and geoarchaeological significance
Author(s) -
Hassan F. A.,
Barich B.,
Mahmoud M.,
Hemdan M. A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1520-6548
pISSN - 0883-6353
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6548(200101)16:1<29::aid-gea4>3.0.co;2-o
Subject(s) - wadi , holocene , radiocarbon dating , colluvium , geology , arid , archaeology , quaternary , surface runoff , physical geography , sorghum , geography , soil water , paleontology , ecology , forestry , soil science , biology
Archaeological sites associated with the Holocene playas in Farafra Oasis were occupied primarily by foragers. Intensive utilization of wild sorghum, originally dated to 6700 yr B.P., has now been pushed back to 7600 yr B.P. Sheep and goats, originating in the Levant, were introduced in Farafra Oasis ca. 6700 yr B.P. The playas were episodically sustained by surface runoff and wadi activity under wet/moist climatic conditions with frequent dry oscillations from approximately 9650 to 6000 radiocarbon yr B.P. A shift toward drier climatic conditions associated with colluvial reworking of older cultural material is evident from 7300 to 6000 yr B.P. This shift precipitated a significant change in settlement strategy. The main phase of playa formation ended ca. 6000 yr B.P. under cold conditions and increasing aridity. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.