Details
A study of charcoal analysis and to what extent it can reconstruct the history of forests. Part one discusses the methods-from the archaeological dig to palaeoenvironmental interpretation. Part two consists of analyses of thirteen Languedocian sites from prehistory to antiquity. The results produce a picture of environmental changes: up until the Iron Age, the delicate balance between mediterranean oak forest and human activities was maintained; then permanent tree clearance on the plains increased, continuing through the Roman period, possibly bringing the first permanent fields.