A late Pleistocene refugium in Mediterranean North Africa? Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from stable isotope analyses of land snail shells (Haua Fteah, Libya)

摘要: Abstract The late Pleistocene to Holocene archaeological record of North Africa is key understanding the emergence anatomically modern humans into West Asia and Europe, broadening subsistence strategies in shift from hunter-gatherer pastoral-agricultural lifeways. Some contend that these developments were modulated by major shifts climate environment. Evaluation this hypothesis requires pairing local regional records with well-dated sequences. Haua Fteah site Gebel Akhdar region Libya provides a test as cave contains one longest most complete sequences human occupation well abundant material for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. This study uses stable isotope analyses (δ18O δ13C) terrestrial mollusc Helix melanostoma construct framework interpreting African human-environment interactions Upper Palaeolithic Neolithic (∼30,000 5000 years ago). land snail suggests cool arid conditions peaked during marine stage (MIS) 2. was, however, only marginally drier than previous subsequent stages coincided an increase density cave. may have served environmental refugium more extreme aridity surrounding Sahara coastal plains Late Stone Age (LSA) populations Africa. Conditions became progressively wetter towards Holocene. However, generally interrupted two episodes at c. 8.0 ka 7.3 appear coincide changes reflected elsewhere Mediterranean basin.