way of life emerged relatively late, around 6000 BCE (8000 cal BP). This delay, compared with regions such as Anatolia or the Kopet Dag, has long been discussed by archaeologists and generally attributed to geographical or technical constraints. Climate has also been considered a key factor, particularly the 8.2 ka event, which is often linked to the spread of farming and herding from the Fertile Crescent into neighbouring regions. This event is believed to have triggered a transition from hunter-gathering to agropastoralism. However, its direct impact on the South Caucasus remains debated. Recent palaeoenvironmental studies indicate that the region underwent a major ecological transformation around 8200 cal BP, coinciding with the Early–Middle Holocene Transition. This period was characterised by increased precipitation. As a result, vegetation expanded, particularly grasslands dominated by Poaceae, which provided favourable conditions for livestock grazing and fodder production.
South Caucasus greening and Neolithisation: What happened 8200 years ago?
G. PalumbiWriting – Review & Editing
;
2026-01-01
Abstract
way of life emerged relatively late, around 6000 BCE (8000 cal BP). This delay, compared with regions such as Anatolia or the Kopet Dag, has long been discussed by archaeologists and generally attributed to geographical or technical constraints. Climate has also been considered a key factor, particularly the 8.2 ka event, which is often linked to the spread of farming and herding from the Fertile Crescent into neighbouring regions. This event is believed to have triggered a transition from hunter-gathering to agropastoralism. However, its direct impact on the South Caucasus remains debated. Recent palaeoenvironmental studies indicate that the region underwent a major ecological transformation around 8200 cal BP, coinciding with the Early–Middle Holocene Transition. This period was characterised by increased precipitation. As a result, vegetation expanded, particularly grasslands dominated by Poaceae, which provided favourable conditions for livestock grazing and fodder production.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
