Paleoecological and Cultural Transformations in Central Asia: an archaeological and ecological insight
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2026.5.156.166Keywords:
archaeology, climatic fluctuations, historical ecology, nomadic cultures, pastoralism, migration dynamics, aridification, pasture ecosystems, social and political change, Central EurasiaAbstract
The study deals with the reconstruction of the climatic history of Central Asia and the analysis of the historical dynamics of the region's natural environment and cultures based on archaeoecological data. The objective of the work is to identify key stages of environmental and climatic change during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene, and to determine their impact on the social and cultural development of Central Asian populations. To achieve this goal, an interdisciplinary approach has been applied, combining methods from paleoclimatology (analysis of sedimentary deposits, palynology, dendrochronology) and archaeoecology (archaeobotanical and archaeozoological studies, radiocarbon dating of archaeological layers). As a result, key climatic phases and their correlation with archaeological periods have been established. The findings reveal that humid periods promoted agricultural expansion, increased landscape productivity and the rise of sedentary farming civilizations, while prolonged arid phases led to water resource degradation, the decline of irrigation-based societies, population migrations and the growing importance of nomadic pastoral cultures. Reserach results enhance our understanding of ancient societies adaptation to environmental change and highlight the importance of the archaeoecological approach for the comprehensive study of human-environment relationship in the past.
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