Episodic habitation and abandonment of Neolithic civilization sites in the Vaigai River Basin, Southern India

Ramkumar, Mu.; Balasubramani, K.; Kumaraswamy, K.; Santosh, M.; Roy, Priyadarsi D.; Manobalaji, A.; Juni, K.J.; Nagarajan, R.; Sharma, Rajveer; Kumar, Pankaj; Chopra, Sundeep; Siddiqui, Numair Ahmed; Ramachandran, C.; George, Sekar Leo

doi:10.1016/j.geogeo.2021.10.002

Cited by 5 publications

(14 citation statements)

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“…T A B L E 1 Radiocarbon age of selected samples and their stratigraphic positions (Source: Ramkumar et al, 2019Ramkumar et al, , 2021Ramkumar, Balasubramani, et al, 2022).…”

Section: Agaram Pitmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Extreme floods in river systems alter the channel hydraulics and impact short-and long-term erosion/deposition patterns in the fluvial systems (Heritage et al, 2004;Ramkumar et al, 2015). Changes in rainfall patterns in catchments are potentially linked with topographic evolution within the channel and attendant marooning and burial of ancient habitats in the floodplains (Ramkumar, Balasubramani, et al, 2022;Wulf et al, 2010). The avulsion of a river to a new course is influenced by several factors including increasing sinuosity, sea level change, neotectonism, vegetation and hydrodynamic conditions (Jones & Schumm, 1999).…”

Section: Implication Of Climate On Shifting Of Habitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ramkumar et al (2016) demonstrated its genesis during Precambrian and continued activism until recently. The palaeochannel courses recognized in the vicinity of the present-day Vaigai River channel recognized through remote sensing, digital image processing and field mapping (see for details Ramkumar et al, 2021;Ramkumar, Balasubramani, et al, 2022) and the locations of geoarchaeological excavations and sampling are also indicated in this figure . basin morphology was probably caused by techno-morphological events (Juni et al, 2022;Ramkumar et al, 2019). The tectonic evolution led to a continental arc above a subduction zone and the Karur-Kambam-Painavu-Trichur shear zone (KKPT) divided the Archean and Proterozoic rocks in this basin (Ghosh et al, 2004).…”

Section: Regional Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All the radiocarbon ages (BP) were calibrated to the calendar years (BCE/CE) using OxCal (v 4.4.4) software and Bayesian age-depth modelling (Bronk Ramsey, 2009). In addition, chronological timelines from previous publications were also referred in this study (Ramkumar et al, 2019(Ramkumar et al, , 2021Ramkumar, Balasubramani, et al, 2022).…”

Section: Geochronologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Higher Na/Al values indicated the presence of more smectite in the upper sediments while low Na/Al in the bottom samples showed less smectite. The Ga/Rb F I G U R E 3 Chronology of habitations interspersed with channel avulsion and flooding events (modified after Ramkumar, Balasubramani, et al, 2022). The figure demonstrates the recurrent relative roles of regional landscape evolution, cyclic and extreme climatic events.…”

Section: Geochemistrymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tectono‐climatic and depositional environmental controls on the Neolithic habitation sites, Vaigai River Basin, Southern India

Ramkumar,

Nagarajan,

Juni

et al. 2024

Geological Journal

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The establishment, development and abandonment and/or destruction of ancient civilizations were catalytically controlled by geomorphic features such as lakes and rivers and the climate. This paper examined the possible influence of tectonism and climate on six habitations of the ancient Vaigai River Basin civilization in South India, using multiple proxies such as grain size, geochronology and geochemistry of the sedimentary archives. The tectonic setting of the basin changed between the active margin and passive margin; the discriminant diagrams suggested varying provenance and changing climatic conditions over the mid‐ and‐late Holocene. Tectonic activism and quiescence, base‐level change in the channel morphology led to the burial/marooning of the first habitation surface. Overall, arid conditions were punctuated with catastrophic flooding and peak discharge (flood) destroyed the second, third and fourth habitation sites. These flooding events were characterized by moderate weathering (CIA) and high values of Al, Fe and Rb/Sr and low Ca/Mg in the sediment records. The abandonment/destruction of the fifth habitation also occurred during an arid interval (droughts), possibly caused by weak monsoon. Along with the interactions between tectono‐climatic and fluvial geomorphic factors, the new results provided avenues to (a) check and recognize the archives for 8.2 and 4.2 ka‐like events in this part of the world, and (b) the utility of integrated analyses to constrain on the civilizational histories of the mankind.

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“…T A B L E 1 Radiocarbon age of selected samples and their stratigraphic positions (Source: Ramkumar et al, 2019Ramkumar et al, , 2021Ramkumar, Balasubramani, et al, 2022).…”

Section: Agaram Pitmentioning

confidence: 99%