Early Holocene environmental change and the impact of Mesolithic man in the Tungelroysche Beek Valley, N-Limburg

Abstract

An archaeological excavation in the Tungelroysche Beek Valley revealed an Early Mesolithic site with the unique discovery of the remains of two red deer specimens (Cervus elaphus), likely the victims of Early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. A core taken by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed close to the remains was investigated in this research to reconstruct the vegetation and landscape development during the Early Mesolithic. This was done by determining lithological changes combined with palynological investigation of the core. The age model has been obtained by biostratigraphy constrained by AMS-C14 dating. The core shows a continuous Early Holocene sequence from Early Preboreal into the Atlantic. Palynological evidence shows that just before the late Preboreal rise of Pinus, a rise in herbs and grasses occurred which indicates opening of the vegetation cover. We tentatively link this opening of the vegetation cover to human activity in this area.