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[HQR05-P16] Relationships between changes in charcoal fragment abundance and human activities in the Kaman Kalehöyük and its surrounding areas.
Keywords:Charcoal fragment, Kaman-Kalehöyük, Human activity
Charcoal fragments are fine charred plant remains produced by vegetation combustion. They are classified into macro-charcoal (1 mm to 125 µm) and micro-charcoal (< 125 µm). These fragments mainly due to past natural fires. Thus, vertical changes of number in charcoal can represent a long-term fire frequency and short-term fire events (Whitlock & Larsen, 2001). Because macro-charcoal is difficult to be transported by winds, it is known that macro-charcoal can identify fire events within a 10 km radius (Ohlson & Tryterud, 2000).
Kaman-Kalehöyük, the historical remains in central Anatolia, Republic of Türkiye, strata since 3000 BCE have been deposited there. A chronological framework for the Bronze Age and the periods later than the Bronze Age and changes in human activity have been established. Further, the strata in Kaman-Kalehöyük contained four layers of major fire (Suzuki et al., 2024). The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between macro-charcoal abundance and human activities by sediment cores in marsh around the historical site.
The core was collected in the site located about 100 meters north of Kaman-Kalehöyük on August 16, 2023. The core consists of mostly mud containing ash, fine- to coarse-grained sand, gravel, charcoal, and pottery shards. The core was divided into one or 5 cm thick slices depend on sedimentary facies. Of the sliced sediments, total 221 samples of a 1 cm³ were selected. They were sieved to count macro-charcoal particles of larger than 125 µm.
The number of charcoal fragment in 1 cm³ sediment ranged from 0 to 1262, with an average of around 60. The low values were found in the lower part of the core depth of 495 cm and upper part of 280 cm, while the samples in the core depth of 495–280 cm showed mostly more than 50 values. In the section between 495 and 280 cm, relative low values (30–50) were recognized in sandy and sandy-clay layers comparing to the values in muddy layers, suggesting dilution in sandy sediments. The high charcoal abundance occurred at the depths of 460–420 cm corresponds to the black colored muddy layers. It is estimated that the section between 495 and 280 cm were deposited in the Early Bronze to Early Iron Ages. Thus, the relatively large numbers in charcoal fragments may reflect anthropogenic plant combustion activities.
At least six short-term and distinct peaks in charcoal abundance were identified in the core depths of 454–453 cm, 443–439 cm, 433–428 cm, 426–424 cm, 392–392 cm, and 302–301 cm. More than 250 particles were found in the horizons. The abundance of charcoal of >250 µm in the core depth of 302–301 cm shows relative larger than those in other five horizons. Four layers including huge amount of burned materials between Middle to Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age were identified in the strata of the Kaman-Kalehöyük. We try to compare them based on precised age of the core, lithology, and sedimentary structures.
Kaman-Kalehöyük, the historical remains in central Anatolia, Republic of Türkiye, strata since 3000 BCE have been deposited there. A chronological framework for the Bronze Age and the periods later than the Bronze Age and changes in human activity have been established. Further, the strata in Kaman-Kalehöyük contained four layers of major fire (Suzuki et al., 2024). The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between macro-charcoal abundance and human activities by sediment cores in marsh around the historical site.
The core was collected in the site located about 100 meters north of Kaman-Kalehöyük on August 16, 2023. The core consists of mostly mud containing ash, fine- to coarse-grained sand, gravel, charcoal, and pottery shards. The core was divided into one or 5 cm thick slices depend on sedimentary facies. Of the sliced sediments, total 221 samples of a 1 cm³ were selected. They were sieved to count macro-charcoal particles of larger than 125 µm.
The number of charcoal fragment in 1 cm³ sediment ranged from 0 to 1262, with an average of around 60. The low values were found in the lower part of the core depth of 495 cm and upper part of 280 cm, while the samples in the core depth of 495–280 cm showed mostly more than 50 values. In the section between 495 and 280 cm, relative low values (30–50) were recognized in sandy and sandy-clay layers comparing to the values in muddy layers, suggesting dilution in sandy sediments. The high charcoal abundance occurred at the depths of 460–420 cm corresponds to the black colored muddy layers. It is estimated that the section between 495 and 280 cm were deposited in the Early Bronze to Early Iron Ages. Thus, the relatively large numbers in charcoal fragments may reflect anthropogenic plant combustion activities.
At least six short-term and distinct peaks in charcoal abundance were identified in the core depths of 454–453 cm, 443–439 cm, 433–428 cm, 426–424 cm, 392–392 cm, and 302–301 cm. More than 250 particles were found in the horizons. The abundance of charcoal of >250 µm in the core depth of 302–301 cm shows relative larger than those in other five horizons. Four layers including huge amount of burned materials between Middle to Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age were identified in the strata of the Kaman-Kalehöyük. We try to compare them based on precised age of the core, lithology, and sedimentary structures.