Mid-Holocene forests from Eastern Hungary: New anthracological data

Charcoal remains found in five archaeological sites provided an important source of information about the woody vegetation that developed during the Atlantic period in eastern Hungary. The results are presented jointly since all sites are located in very similar habitats, they reflect Neolithic cultures and present comparable floral compositions. The reconstruction of past forest communities from the Great Hungarian Plain in the Atlantic period is based on pollen analysis and new anthracological data offer significant complementary information to the established pollen sequences. These data were obtained from more than 5000 charcoal fragments in which 28 taxa were identified. The main contribution of the study is the reconstruction of specific types of forests that covered the area of the floodplains and the adjacent loess-mantled elevated islands. These environmental conditions were selected by the first Neolithic settlers of the region, due to the great diversity of flora and fauna along with rich soils and good water supply. The charcoal assemblages indicated that in the vicinity of the settlements, steppe oak woods and alluvial forests predominated. They were mainly composed of Quercus, Ulmus, Cornus and Fraxinus.

► The charcoal remains from five Neolithic archaeological sites were analysed.
► New anthracological data served for the reconstruction of past forest communities.
► In the palaeoflora of the Atlantic period, 28 taxa were identified.
► Dominant forest communities correspond to steppe oak woods.
► Floodplain oak–elm forest was also documented.