Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 cave

Jennifer E. Sherriff; Artur Petrosyan; Dominik Rogall; David Nora; Ellery Frahm; Tobias Lauer; Theodoros Karambaglidis; Monika V. Knul; Delphine Vettese; Dmitri Arakelyan; Shira Gur-Arieh; Paloma Vidal-Matutano; Jacob Morales; Helen Fewlass; Simon P.E. Blockley; Rhys Timms; Ani Adigyozalyan; Hayk Haydosyan; Phil Glauberman; Boris Gasparyan; Ariel Malinsky-Buller

doi:10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122

Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 cave

Jennifer E. Sherriff^*, Artur Petrosyan, Dominik Rogall, David Nora, Ellery Frahm, Tobias Lauer, Theodoros Karambaglidis, Monika V. Knul, Delphine Vettese, Dmitri Arakelyan, Shira Gur-Arieh, Paloma Vidal-Matutano, Jacob Morales, Helen Fewlass, Simon P.E. Blockley, Rhys Timms, Ani Adigyozalyan, Hayk Haydosyan, Phil Glauberman, Boris GasparyanAriel Malinsky-Buller

^*Corresponding author for this work

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Abstract

Archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence from the Armenian Highlands and wider southern Caucasus region emphasises the significance of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (c. 57–29 ka) as a crucial period for understanding hominin behaviours amidst environmental fluctuations. Ararat-1 cave, situated in the Ararat Depression, Republic of Armenia, presents potential for resolving emerging key debates regarding hominin land use adaptations during this interval, due to its well-preserved lithic artefacts and faunal assemblages. We present the first results of combined sedimentological, geochronological (luminescence and radiocarbon), archaeological and palaeoecological (macrofauna, microfauna and microcharcoal) study of the Ararat-1 sequence. We demonstrate sediment accumulation occurred between 52 and 35 ka and was caused by a combination of aeolian activity, cave rockfall and water action. Whilst the upper strata of the Ararat-1 sequence experienced post-depositional disturbance due to faunal and anthropogenic processes, the lower strata remain relatively undisturbed. We suggest that during a stable period within MIS 3, Ararat-1 was inhabited by Middle Palaeolithic hominins amidst a mosaic of semi-arid shrub, grassland, and temperate woodland ecosystems. These hominins utilised local and distant toolstone raw materials, indicating their ability to adapt to diverse ecological and elevation gradients. Through comparison of Ararat-1 with other sequences in the region, we highlight the spatial variability of MIS 3 environments and its on hominin land use adaptations. This demonstrates the importance of the Armenian Highlands for understanding regional MP settlement dynamics during a critical period of hominin dispersals and evolution.

Original language	English
Article number	100122
Journal	Quaternary Science Advances
Volume	13
Early online date	10 Nov 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122
Publication status	Published - Jan 2024

Keywords

Armenia
Faunal analysis
Geoarchaeology
Geochronology
Middle Palaeolithic
MIS 3

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10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122

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Sherriff, J. E., Petrosyan, A., Rogall, D., Nora, D., Frahm, E., Lauer, T., Karambaglidis, T., Knul, M. V., Vettese, D., Arakelyan, D., Gur-Arieh, S., Vidal-Matutano, P., Morales, J., Fewlass, H., Blockley, S. P. E., Timms, R., Adigyozalyan, A., Haydosyan, H., Glauberman, P., ... Malinsky-Buller, A. (2024). Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 cave. Quaternary Science Advances, 13, Article 100122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122

@article{c2cf22359bd048d7b352e4a7a729b345,

title = "Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 cave",

abstract = "Archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence from the Armenian Highlands and wider southern Caucasus region emphasises the significance of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (c. 57–29 ka) as a crucial period for understanding hominin behaviours amidst environmental fluctuations. Ararat-1 cave, situated in the Ararat Depression, Republic of Armenia, presents potential for resolving emerging key debates regarding hominin land use adaptations during this interval, due to its well-preserved lithic artefacts and faunal assemblages. We present the first results of combined sedimentological, geochronological (luminescence and radiocarbon), archaeological and palaeoecological (macrofauna, microfauna and microcharcoal) study of the Ararat-1 sequence. We demonstrate sediment accumulation occurred between 52 and 35 ka and was caused by a combination of aeolian activity, cave rockfall and water action. Whilst the upper strata of the Ararat-1 sequence experienced post-depositional disturbance due to faunal and anthropogenic processes, the lower strata remain relatively undisturbed. We suggest that during a stable period within MIS 3, Ararat-1 was inhabited by Middle Palaeolithic hominins amidst a mosaic of semi-arid shrub, grassland, and temperate woodland ecosystems. These hominins utilised local and distant toolstone raw materials, indicating their ability to adapt to diverse ecological and elevation gradients. Through comparison of Ararat-1 with other sequences in the region, we highlight the spatial variability of MIS 3 environments and its on hominin land use adaptations. This demonstrates the importance of the Armenian Highlands for understanding regional MP settlement dynamics during a critical period of hominin dispersals and evolution.",

keywords = "Armenia, Faunal analysis, Geoarchaeology, Geochronology, Middle Palaeolithic, MIS 3",

author = "Sherriff, {Jennifer E.} and Artur Petrosyan and Dominik Rogall and David Nora and Ellery Frahm and Tobias Lauer and Theodoros Karambaglidis and Knul, {Monika V.} and Delphine Vettese and Dmitri Arakelyan and Shira Gur-Arieh and Paloma Vidal-Matutano and Jacob Morales and Helen Fewlass and Blockley, {Simon P.E.} and Rhys Timms and Ani Adigyozalyan and Hayk Haydosyan and Phil Glauberman and Boris Gasparyan and Ariel Malinsky-Buller",

note = "Funding Information: This research was funded by The Gerda Henkel Stiftung grant ( n. AZ 10_V_17 and n. AZ 23/F/19 ), the Fritz- Thyssen Foundation grant awarded for the project “Pleistocene Hunter-Gatherer Lifeways and Population Dynamics in the Ararat (paleo-lake) Depression, Armenia”, and The European Research Council grant N 948015 : “Investigating Pleistocene population dynamics in the Southern Caucasus” (awarded to AMB). Further support was provided by Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation (USA) and “Areni-1 Cave” Consortium ( “Areni-1 Cave” Scientific-Research Foundation (Armenia) and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia , the Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation , the Leakey Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust-funded Palaeolithic Archaeology, Geochronology, and Environments of the Southern Caucasus (PAGES) project ( RPG-2016-102 ). We kindly thank the following individuals: Hovik Partevyan and the Partevyan Family, Suren Kesejyan, Pavel Avetisyan, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Paul Lincoln and George Biddulph. Funding Information: This research was funded by The Gerda Henkel Stiftung grant (n. AZ 10_V_17 and n. AZ 23/F/19), the Fritz- Thyssen Foundation grant awarded for the project “Pleistocene Hunter-Gatherer Lifeways and Population Dynamics in the Ararat (paleo-lake) Depression, Armenia”, and The European Research Council grant N 948015: “Investigating Pleistocene population dynamics in the Southern Caucasus” (awarded to AMB). Further support was provided by Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation (USA) and “Areni-1 Cave” Consortium (“Areni-1 Cave” Scientific-Research Foundation (Armenia) and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation, the Leakey Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust-funded Palaeolithic Archaeology, Geochronology, and Environments of the Southern Caucasus (PAGES) project (RPG-2016-102). We kindly thank the following individuals: Hovik Partevyan and the Partevyan Family, Suren Kesejyan, Pavel Avetisyan, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Paul Lincoln and George Biddulph. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Quaternary Science Advances",

issn = "2666-0334",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd",

}

Sherriff, JE, Petrosyan, A, Rogall, D, Nora, D, Frahm, E, Lauer, T, Karambaglidis, T, Knul, MV, Vettese, D, Arakelyan, D, Gur-Arieh, S, Vidal-Matutano, P, Morales, J, Fewlass, H, Blockley, SPE, Timms, R, Adigyozalyan, A, Haydosyan, H, Glauberman, P, Gasparyan, B & Malinsky-Buller, A 2024, 'Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 cave', Quaternary Science Advances, vol. 13, 100122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122

TY - JOUR

T1 - Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3

T2 - Evidence from Ararat-1 cave

AU - Sherriff, Jennifer E.

AU - Petrosyan, Artur

AU - Rogall, Dominik

AU - Nora, David

AU - Frahm, Ellery

AU - Lauer, Tobias

AU - Karambaglidis, Theodoros

AU - Knul, Monika V.

AU - Vettese, Delphine

AU - Arakelyan, Dmitri

AU - Gur-Arieh, Shira

AU - Vidal-Matutano, Paloma

AU - Morales, Jacob

AU - Fewlass, Helen

AU - Blockley, Simon P.E.

AU - Timms, Rhys

AU - Adigyozalyan, Ani

AU - Haydosyan, Hayk

AU - Glauberman, Phil

AU - Gasparyan, Boris

AU - Malinsky-Buller, Ariel

N1 - Funding Information: This research was funded by The Gerda Henkel Stiftung grant ( n. AZ 10_V_17 and n. AZ 23/F/19 ), the Fritz- Thyssen Foundation grant awarded for the project “Pleistocene Hunter-Gatherer Lifeways and Population Dynamics in the Ararat (paleo-lake) Depression, Armenia”, and The European Research Council grant N 948015 : “Investigating Pleistocene population dynamics in the Southern Caucasus” (awarded to AMB). Further support was provided by Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation (USA) and “Areni-1 Cave” Consortium ( “Areni-1 Cave” Scientific-Research Foundation (Armenia) and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia , the Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation , the Leakey Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust-funded Palaeolithic Archaeology, Geochronology, and Environments of the Southern Caucasus (PAGES) project ( RPG-2016-102 ). We kindly thank the following individuals: Hovik Partevyan and the Partevyan Family, Suren Kesejyan, Pavel Avetisyan, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Paul Lincoln and George Biddulph. Funding Information: This research was funded by The Gerda Henkel Stiftung grant (n. AZ 10_V_17 and n. AZ 23/F/19), the Fritz- Thyssen Foundation grant awarded for the project “Pleistocene Hunter-Gatherer Lifeways and Population Dynamics in the Ararat (paleo-lake) Depression, Armenia”, and The European Research Council grant N 948015: “Investigating Pleistocene population dynamics in the Southern Caucasus” (awarded to AMB). Further support was provided by Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation (USA) and “Areni-1 Cave” Consortium (“Areni-1 Cave” Scientific-Research Foundation (Armenia) and the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, the Gfoeller Renaissance Foundation, the Leakey Foundation and the Leverhulme Trust-funded Palaeolithic Archaeology, Geochronology, and Environments of the Southern Caucasus (PAGES) project (RPG-2016-102). We kindly thank the following individuals: Hovik Partevyan and the Partevyan Family, Suren Kesejyan, Pavel Avetisyan, Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Paul Lincoln and George Biddulph. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - Archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence from the Armenian Highlands and wider southern Caucasus region emphasises the significance of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (c. 57–29 ka) as a crucial period for understanding hominin behaviours amidst environmental fluctuations. Ararat-1 cave, situated in the Ararat Depression, Republic of Armenia, presents potential for resolving emerging key debates regarding hominin land use adaptations during this interval, due to its well-preserved lithic artefacts and faunal assemblages. We present the first results of combined sedimentological, geochronological (luminescence and radiocarbon), archaeological and palaeoecological (macrofauna, microfauna and microcharcoal) study of the Ararat-1 sequence. We demonstrate sediment accumulation occurred between 52 and 35 ka and was caused by a combination of aeolian activity, cave rockfall and water action. Whilst the upper strata of the Ararat-1 sequence experienced post-depositional disturbance due to faunal and anthropogenic processes, the lower strata remain relatively undisturbed. We suggest that during a stable period within MIS 3, Ararat-1 was inhabited by Middle Palaeolithic hominins amidst a mosaic of semi-arid shrub, grassland, and temperate woodland ecosystems. These hominins utilised local and distant toolstone raw materials, indicating their ability to adapt to diverse ecological and elevation gradients. Through comparison of Ararat-1 with other sequences in the region, we highlight the spatial variability of MIS 3 environments and its on hominin land use adaptations. This demonstrates the importance of the Armenian Highlands for understanding regional MP settlement dynamics during a critical period of hominin dispersals and evolution.

AB - Archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence from the Armenian Highlands and wider southern Caucasus region emphasises the significance of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 (c. 57–29 ka) as a crucial period for understanding hominin behaviours amidst environmental fluctuations. Ararat-1 cave, situated in the Ararat Depression, Republic of Armenia, presents potential for resolving emerging key debates regarding hominin land use adaptations during this interval, due to its well-preserved lithic artefacts and faunal assemblages. We present the first results of combined sedimentological, geochronological (luminescence and radiocarbon), archaeological and palaeoecological (macrofauna, microfauna and microcharcoal) study of the Ararat-1 sequence. We demonstrate sediment accumulation occurred between 52 and 35 ka and was caused by a combination of aeolian activity, cave rockfall and water action. Whilst the upper strata of the Ararat-1 sequence experienced post-depositional disturbance due to faunal and anthropogenic processes, the lower strata remain relatively undisturbed. We suggest that during a stable period within MIS 3, Ararat-1 was inhabited by Middle Palaeolithic hominins amidst a mosaic of semi-arid shrub, grassland, and temperate woodland ecosystems. These hominins utilised local and distant toolstone raw materials, indicating their ability to adapt to diverse ecological and elevation gradients. Through comparison of Ararat-1 with other sequences in the region, we highlight the spatial variability of MIS 3 environments and its on hominin land use adaptations. This demonstrates the importance of the Armenian Highlands for understanding regional MP settlement dynamics during a critical period of hominin dispersals and evolution.

KW - Armenia

KW - Faunal analysis

KW - Geoarchaeology

KW - Geochronology

KW - Middle Palaeolithic

KW - MIS 3

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85176246037&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122

DO - 10.1016/j.qsa.2023.100122

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85176246037

SN - 2666-0334

VL - 13

JO - Quaternary Science Advances

JF - Quaternary Science Advances

M1 - 100122

ER -

Palaeoenvironmental and chronological context of hominin occupations of the Armenian Highlands during MIS 3: Evidence from Ararat-1 cave

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