A Drowned History: Shell-based environmental reconstructions at site 13-II from the Middle Pleistocene site ‘Schöningen’ to determine a paleolake's environmental parameters in which anthropogenic activity has been found.

The following research investigates the archaeological meaning of the Schöningen 13-II site, in relationship with a paleolake, focusing on shells as bioindicators. Shells represent a very important proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. They can convey information about water temperature, salinity, and chemical composition and, therefore, also about the paleolake ecological parameters that are related to the way the anthropic activities were performed. The unique preservation conditions at Schöningen, full of anaerobic and carbonate-rich layers, maintained the fossil shell material at such a high resolution that has contributed to the studies of Middle Pleistocene human habitation and landscape reconstruction. The mollusk remains recovered from layer 3b2 off er useful proxies for important environmental parameters in the paleolake, such as water temperature and salinity, which is highly needed in an ecological contextualizing of anthropogenic activities. Taphonomic analysis...Show moreThe following research investigates the archaeological meaning of the Schöningen 13-II site, in relationship with a paleolake, focusing on shells as bioindicators. Shells represent a very important proxy for paleoenvironmental reconstruction. They can convey information about water temperature, salinity, and chemical composition and, therefore, also about the paleolake ecological parameters that are related to the way the anthropic activities were performed. The unique preservation conditions at Schöningen, full of anaerobic and carbonate-rich layers, maintained the fossil shell material at such a high resolution that has contributed to the studies of Middle Pleistocene human habitation and landscape reconstruction. The mollusk remains recovered from layer 3b2 off er useful proxies for important environmental parameters in the paleolake, such as water temperature and salinity, which is highly needed in an ecological contextualizing of anthropogenic activities. Taphonomic analysis and the study of the shell material will also be part of the research methodology to compare the fi ndings with the existing literature to enhance the knowledge about site occupation. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions refl ect a landscape of climate fl uctuation where humans coexisted with diverse fl ora and fauna in both open steppes and forested areas. This study not only fi lls in the gaps in the archaeological narrative of the Schöningen site but also provides a point of reference for further research into early human behavior and paleoenvironmental reconstructions concerning Schöningen 13-II.Show less

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A Drowned History: Shell-based environmental reconstructions at site 13-II from the Middle Pleistocene site ‘Schöningen’ to determine a paleolake's environmental parameters in which anthropogenic activity has been found.