extended abstracts - Geomorphic Processes and Geoarchaeology

Geomorphic processes and geoarchaeology
Nile drainage basin that is responsible at present for 70 % of the annual runoff in the
Lower Nile. A progressive shifting of the climate towards drier conditions has been
recognized not only in eastern Africa but also in tropical areas as well as in eastern and
central Mediterranean, including Anatolia [12]. In southern Italy there was a distinct
forest clearance, starting already about 4500 BP that has been interpreted lately as the
effect of aridification [13]. In central Mediterranean drier conditions were distinguished
for the interval 4100-3950 cal. yrs BP, preceded and followed by wetter phases [14, 15].
In a global scale, there are distinct links of similar climatic changes between
eastern Mediterranean and the Indian Monsoon systems [16]. The aridification resulted in
a decline of the Harappa in India and the Akkadian society in Mesopotamia. In the North
Atlantic region [17] there was a synchronous cooling (1-2° C), connected with changing
water circulation and with deposition of ice-rafted debris (Bond Event 3) [18]. Such
world-wide and synchronous occurrence of climate changes around 4100 BP suggests
that they could depend on transformation of the global oceanic thermohaline circulation.
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