Exclusive Collection: Papers from the Editorial Board Members (EBMs) of Quaternary

The dwarf Sardinian mammoth, Mammuthus lamarmorai, is a well-known species frequently cited in the literature; however, the fossil record of the Pleistocene Sardinian mammoths mainly consists of isolated remains (an incomplete skeleton from Guardia Pisano Hill, isolated teeth and a largely incomplete tibia from different localities, and some footprints from Funtana Morimenta), which have been found in sites presumably ranging in age from the late Middle to the Late Pleistocene. All of the remains have been ascribed to a single species of an endemic mammoth, Mammuthus lamarmorai, which is moderately reduced in size. The paucity of remains increases uncertainties about the chronological range of Sardinian mammoth remains, some of which are currently missing, while others lack sound information about their exact provenance or were removed and collected without contextual information. As a result, the different sizes of molariform teeth from different localities, the lack of chewing tooth remains at Guardia Pisano Hill, and the doubtful chronology of some remains hamper any attempt to infer whether one or more species that originated from an anagenetic or radiative evolutionary process or through multiple arrivals from the mainland inhabited the island. Therefore, the continental ancestor or ancestors of Sardinian mammoth populations and the time and number of dispersals of the ancestral taxon or taxa have long been debated, and the persistence through time of mammoth endemic populations still remains an unsolved matter. This research summarizes and critically reviews our knowledge about the Sardinian endemic mammoth, provides new evidence about the Sardinian mammoth’s ancestor and the possible time of its dispersal from the mainland to the island, gives new information about the Sardinian mammoth’s histology and physical characteristics, and highlights some focal, unsolved questions (e.g., morphological and dimensional differences in dentition, number of Sardinian mammoth species, population dynamics, decline, and disappearance). Further research and increasing data, which will enable taphonomic, spectrometric, and dating studies, will provide better results to solve the remaining questions. Full article

The ancient Greek colony of Selinunte, with its acropolis on a promontory on the south-western coast of Sicily, is flanked by two valleys where two modest rivers flow today: the Modione to the west and the Cottone to the east. Archaeological reconstructions, historical documents from various sources, and recent remote sensing surveys indicate two important bays corresponding to the ancient mouths of these two rivers, now completely covered by a thick layer of sediments. It is believed that the ports of the colony were located in these bays, although the remains of these ports are still sparse and contradictory. Here we present a multibeam bathymetric map of part of the marine area immediately off Selinunte and a series of high-resolution seismic profiles acquired parallel to the coastline. They show the geometries and stratigraphic context of the two buried river valleys offshore, from which information about the palaeoenvironmental setting and evolution of the landscape can be derived and which may be used in adequately guiding future archaeological excavation programs. Full article

Phytolith analysis is a well-established archaeobotanical tool, having provided important insights into pre-Columbian crop cultivation and domestication across Amazonia through the Holocene. Yet, its use as a palaeoecological tool is in its infancy in Amazonia and its effectiveness for reconstructing pre-Columbian land-use beyond archaeological sites (i.e., ‘off-site’) has so far received little critical attention. This paper examines both new and previously published soil phytolith data from SW Amazonia to assess the robustness of this proxy for reconstructing pre-Columbian land-use. We conducted the study via off-site soil pits radiating 7.5 km beyond a geoglyph in Acre state, Brazil, and 50 km beyond a ring-ditch in northern Bolivia, spanning the expected gradients in historical land-use intensity. We found that the spatio-temporal patterns in palm phytolith data across our soil-pit transects support the hypothesis that pre-Columbian peoples enriched their forests with palms over several millennia, although phytoliths are limited in their ability to capture small-scale crop cultivation and deforestation. Despite these drawbacks, we conclude that off-site soil phytolith analysis can provide novel insights into pre-Columbian land use, provided it is effectively integrated with other land-use (e.g., charcoal) and archaeological data. Full article

A high-resolution multiproxy sedimentary record comprising pollen, charcoal, trace element, stratigraphy and particle size data is used to reveal environmental changes from the mangrove ecosystem at Unguja Ukuu, Zanzibar, Tanzania, over the last 5000 years. Historical human–environment interactions over the last millennia are explored by a comparison of the stratigraphic and archaeological data. The area was characterised by a mixture of mangrove forest and beaches, indicating a low level of tidal inundation to at least 3300 BCE. From 2750 BCE, mangrove forest expanded as the area experienced sea-level rise. Further sea-level rise is recorded between 600 and 1100 CE, indicated by the pollen record, particle size analysis and the presence of shell fragments. After 1100 CE, mangrove forest decreased with back mangrove species increasing, indicating a falling sea level. Cocos nucifera decreased after 1900 CE, which reflects a recent sea-level rise and possibly a phase of exploitation. Cereal pollen shows a high presence at around 1500 CE, which coincided with the arrival of the Portuguese on Zanzibar and the transition to Omani colonisation. The sedimentation rate in the core top indicates that mangroves in Unguja Ukuu cannot keep pace with the current rate of sea-level rise. Full article