Paleolithic hominin occupations and Quaternary geomorphological evolution in the NE Ararat Depression (Armenia)

IF 3.3 1区地球科学 Q1 GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL

Quaternary Science Reviews Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109532

T. Karampaglidis , K. Fenn , B. Gasparyan , R. Braucher , T. Lauer , S. Vainer , H. Gevorgyan , D. Arakelyan , I. Oikonomou , H. Haydosyan , D. Rogall , R.M. Carrasco , J. Pedraza , A. Petrosyan , A. Malinsky-Buller

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Abstract

The Ararat Depression, at the crossroads of Africa and Eurasia, spans Armenia, Turkey and Iran, providing a unique natural laboratory for studying landscape evolution, hominin lifeways and migration. This research integrates geomorphological mapping and sedimentary analysis with dating techniques such as Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides (¹⁰Be–²⁶Al) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to reconstruct environmental history over the past 900,000 years. It investigates the formation and preservation of alluvial landforms in response to climatic fluctuations, Quaternary volcanism and tectonic activity, revealing discontinuities in the archaeological record. Late Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial deposits further illustrate the complex interplay between geomorphic processes and human settlement patterns. Findings indicate that the Middle and Upper Paleolithic occupations were shaped by shifting environmental conditions, with hominin presence fluctuating in response to glacial and interglacial cycles. This study enhances our understanding of how landscape evolution influenced hominin dispersal and adaptation in the Southern Caucasus.

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亚美尼亚东北部阿拉拉特坳陷旧石器时代人类活动与第四纪地貌演化

阿拉拉特洼地位于非洲和欧亚大陆的交汇处，横跨亚美尼亚、土耳其和伊朗，为研究景观演变、人类生活方式和迁徙提供了一个独特的自然实验室。该研究将地貌测绘和沉积分析与陆地宇宙成因核素（10Be-26Al）和光激发发光（OSL）等测年技术相结合，重建了过去90万年的环境历史。它研究了冲积地貌在气候波动、第四纪火山活动和构造活动下的形成和保存，揭示了考古记录中的不连续性。晚更新世和全新世冲积沉积物进一步说明了地貌过程与人类定居模式之间复杂的相互作用。研究结果表明，旧石器时代中期和晚期的职业是由不断变化的环境条件塑造的，人类的存在随着冰期和间冰期的循环而波动。这项研究增强了我们对南高加索地区景观演变如何影响人类迁徙和适应的理解。

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来源期刊

Quaternary Science Reviews 地学-地球科学综合

CiteScore

7.50

自引率

15.00%

发文量

388

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Quaternary Science Reviews caters for all aspects of Quaternary science, and includes, for example, geology, geomorphology, geography, archaeology, soil science, palaeobotany, palaeontology, palaeoclimatology and the full range of applicable dating methods. The dividing line between what constitutes the review paper and one which contains new original data is not easy to establish, so QSR also publishes papers with new data especially if these perform a review function. All the Quaternary sciences are changing rapidly and subject to re-evaluation as the pace of discovery quickens; thus the diverse but comprehensive role of Quaternary Science Reviews keeps readers abreast of the wider issues relating to new developments in the field.