Session: #710

Content:

The Black Sea is a fascinating geographical and historical region. The region has a diverse and complex landscape in which prehistorical societies have lived since Palaeolithic times.
The Black Sea was shaped by rapid climate change caused by the 8.2k cooling event. This dry and cold period affected not only the prevailing climate but also the nature of the Black Sea as a large water body, from a lake to a sea. At the same time, the coastline changed rapidly, with water levels rising from 30 to 80 m a.s.l. and flooded numerous prehistoric monuments. The Black Sea was also situated on the periphery of a major migration route through which the Neolithic spread to Europe. What do we know about how Neolithic innovations spread from Anatolia and western Asia around the Black Sea? What role in the Neolithization of the region did the complex landscape of the Black Sea play in this process? The chains of the Pontic Mountains, the Caucasian Mountains and the Crimean Mountains cover a larger area around the western and northern areas of the Black Sea, contrasting with a massive grassland steppe landscape, with huge potential for the spread of early farming and herding.
We are looking forward to discussion of prehistoric evidence around the Black Sea region, the role of the landscape and seascape in prehistoric population movement and settlement, resilience to climate changes and patterns of migration, and the spread of innovations in the region from the Palaeolithic to the Chalcolithic periods. We will discuss the development of early societies in the area and to explore out how the Black Sea influenced the development of prehistoric communities.
We welcome contributions to our session from archaeologists (including those working on botanical or faunal aspects), geographers, geologists, and climatologists interested in the Black Sea region.

Session: #710

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