The first phase involved a slow migration from the Levant to the Balkans, followed by a rapid westward expansion into Europe in the second phase. A population decline marked the third phase, while the fourth phase saw a resurgence and expansion into new regions such as Great Britain and the Iberian Peninsula. These findings were published under the title "Reconstruction of human dispersal during Aurignacian on pan-European scale" in 'Nature Communications'.
By combining climate and archaeological data, the research team was able to assess how climate change influenced these movements. According to the model, early humans were affected by the cooler, drier climate of the late Last Glacial Period, which was interspersed with warmer periods. The "Our Way Model" uses a Human Existence Potential (HEP) framework to simulate human dispersal, accounting for paleoclimatic data and archaeological evidence.
"Regional studies can hardly capture all factors at play when trying to reconstruct human dispersal, including how they work together at different scales and contribute to overall long-term trends. This is a major advantage of the new modelling approach," said Dr. Isabell Schmidt from the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology.
Future research will test the model's assumptions, particularly regarding the role of cultural evolution in human dispersal. The University of Cologne's Human and Earth System Coupled Research (HESCOR) project will further explore these interactions.
Research Report:Reconstruction of human dispersal during Aurignacian on pan-European scale
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