Late Glacial and early Holocene environment in the middle Lahn river valley (Hessen, central-west Germany) and the local impact of early Mesolithic people - pollen and macrofossil evidence

The Late Glacial to early Holocene river valley landscape of the middle Lahntal in Hessen, central-west Germany, is reconstructed by means of pollen and macrofossil analyses. AMS C-14 dating combined with pollen, macrofossil and geomorphological mapping provide a detailed chronology of the floodplain sediments of the river Lahn. Archaeological evidence for early Mesolithic settlements in the middle Lahntal is backed up by pollen and macrofossil evidence, which indicates an increase in light demanding plants, together with ones indicating nutrient-rich and disturbed environments and more macroscopic charcoal and charred pieces of pine. Different phases of human impact were dated; a first phase was dated at ca. 9,270 uncal B.P. and a second phase at ca. 9,120 uncal B.P. Comparison of the palynological data from different fluvial channel fills demonstrates that during this second phase, between ca. 9,120-8,700 uncal B.P., there were several cycles of woodland clearance. The outcome of combined archaeological, palynological and macrofossil data is discussed in terms of the impact of early Mesolithic people using fire on the vegetation during the early Holocene in the middle Lahntal.