Climatic Optimum as a Factor of the Economic Crisis of Steppe Nomads in the 4th Century AD

Bibliographic Data

ID7537195
AuthorsM V Krivosheev (0000-0003-4847-8209, Institute of Physical-Chemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, corresponding author), Alexander V Borisov (0000-0001-5031-7477, Russian Academy of Sciences), Александр Владимирович Борисов (Institute of Physical-Chemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science)
Year2019
Issue3
Pages47-57
Publication date2019-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueVestnik Volgogradskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta Serija 4 Istorija Regionovedenie Mezhdunarodnye otnoshenija (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1998-9938 • E-ISSN: 2312-8704
PublisherVolgograd State University (PUBLISHER • RU)
DOI10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.3.4
OpenAlexW2954318641
LanguageEN
Citations received7
References cited2

Introduction. Archaeological sites of the 4th century AD absent on most of the area of the Late Sarmatian culture. This may be both due to the difficulties of their identification and absence of chronological indicators and due to migrations of nomads from the steppe zone. Perhaps unfavorable climatic conditions for nomadic cattle breeding affected the decrease in the number of nomadic population in the 4th century AD. Methods and materials. The paleosoil data allow reconstructing the ecological situation in dry and desert steppes in the first centuries AD. The initial stage of the Late Sarmatian era (the late 2nd – the early 3rd centuries AD) was marked by arid conditions with cold winters with little snow, which were favorable for cattle breeding in the steppe zone. In the late 3rd century and at the turn of the 3rd – 4th centuries, the processes of humidization began – an increase in climate humidity, which favorably affected the ecological situation in the steppe: high grass, area watering. Such situation provided successful livestock grazing in summer. However, in winter, an increase in humidity led to heavy snowfalls and snowstorms, an increase in snow cover, frequent winter thaws, rain, fog, that were replaced by periods of cooling. At this time, grass icing and ice crust formation occured. Analysis. In those conditions, the number of days, when cattle grazing was impossible, increased. As a consequence, there was weakening and disease of the livestock, until the complete loss of the herd. This was followed by the decrease of population. Results. The humidization processes primarily affected the Southern Urals and in the final of the 3rd century reached the Volga-Don steppes. This could be the reason for the outflow of the Late Sarmatian population from the Southern Urals to the Volga regions. In the 4th century AD, the steppes from the Urals to the Lower Don were practically depopulated. The beginning of the humid period, which was unfavorable for the nomadic economy, had a positive effect on settled agricultural societies. The Early Alanian culture of the Central Caucasus demonstrates the dynamics of active development throughout the Late Sarmatian period, including in the 4th c. AD. The duration of this humid period is difficult to estimate, however, in the Hun Epoch, steppes remained almost uninhabited, as evidenced by the small number of sites of this time

Archaeology · Arid · Biology · Geography · Grazing · Livestock · Meteorology · Pastoralism · Physical geography · Population · Snow · Steppe · Winter storm · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Demography · Eurasian Exchange Networks · Soil and Environmental Studies · Ecology · Forestry

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