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18 Prehistory and the Present: Paleoenvironments in the Northern Congo Basin Christopher A. Kiahtipes Washington State University, Department of Anthropology Abstract: The Congo Basin contains a stunning array of cultural and biotic diversity, most of which is housed in some of the largest undeveloped tracts of rain forest in the world. While it is clear that the forest plays a central role in the lifestyle of Central African populations in the present, paleoenvironmental and archaeological records from the central forest block remain unevaluated. Ecological responses to human impacts and climate change have largely been generalized from maritime and montane records taken from the periphery of the Congo rain forest. This research represents a first step towards reconstructing vegetative responses to climate change and human impacts in both chronological and spatial dimensions in the north-central portion of the Congo rain forest. Reconstructing the spatial dynamics of forest change through the Holocene provides a crucial context for understanding long-term ecological responses to climate change in addition to clarifying the recursive relationship between cultural and ecological change in the Congo Basin. This research represents an important opportunity to connect ecological and cultural change in the present with the larger chronological scope of prehistory.

19 Slide 1- Prehistory and the Present - Paper title and general emphasis: Reconstructing Holocene vegetational distribution, abundance, and diversity in the northern Congo Basin. Records from the Mbere and Bodingue rivers allow us to connect the present cultural and environmental physiognomy of the Congo Basin with the short and long-term processes visible in the geological and archaeological record. Slide 2- Outline - The Central African Republic: forests, foragers, and the plight of the present. - Background: historical perspective and new developments. - CAR Paleo Project: research agenda, hypotheses, and 2010 field work. - Preliminary Results: environmental reconstruction and archaeological survey. - Discussion: culture change and ecological response. - Conclusions: the process of connecting the past and the present. Slide 3- The Central African Republic - Geology/Geography: Northern Congo Basin, hydrology, and climates - Ecology: Guineo-Congolian forest types and savanna woodlands - Populations: Linguistic, economic, and genetic sub-divisions - Central Issues: Development, sustainability, and humanitarian concerns Slide 4- Background: Forests and Foragers Past - Models of Culture and Environmental Change: - Bantu expansion: ceramics, agriculture, and iron - Neoglacial: fire, forest fragmentation and savanna expansion - Evidence: - Linguistic reconstructions: glottochronology and phylogeny - Environmental reconstructions:palynology and geology - Archaeological inferences: culture-history and chronology building - Assumptions: - Preservation: quality of data reflects quality of preservation - Negative Evidence: absence of research as absence of evidence

20 Slide 5- Background: Expanding the Extant Record - Methodological Developments: - Genetics: - Sedimentary: - Radiometric: - Isometric: - Theoretical Frameworks: - Archaeology and Anthropology: - Anthropology and Evolution: - Evolution and Ecology: - Research Environment: - International Development: - Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Slide 6: CAR Archaeology/Paleoecology Project - Research area: - Ngotto Forest Reserve: Pilot Study: - Collaboration with lʼuniversite de Bangui and CURDHACA - Research agenda: - Chronology Building: - Holocene Environmental Change: Slide 7: Hypotheses - Anthropological/Archaeological: - Antiquity of Hunter-Gatherer Populations in Congo Basin Forests: - Hunting and Gathering in a Tropical Forest: - Holocene Paleoenvironments: - Spatial Dynamics of Holocene Forest Fragmentation: - Coevolution of Sociocultural and Ecological Systems: - Relevance: - Sustainable Development: - Conservation Issues: - Humanitarian Ambitions:

21 Slide 8: 2010 Fieldwork: Bambio - Ngotto Archaeological Survey - Methods: - Opportunistic Survey: - Local Informants: - Collections and Radiocarbon Assay: - Results: - Area Surveyed: - Archaeological Sites: - Artifacts and Chronological Assesment: Slide 9: 2010 Fieldwork: Mberé River Sediment Cores - Field Methods: - Coring Location: closed canopy marsh along Mberé River - Coring Method: Russian Peat Corer - Lab Methods: - Palynology: - Isotope Ratios: - Radiometric Dating: - Proxy Data: - Termite Mounds: - Sedimentary Records: Slide 10: Field Core 300: Preliminary Results - Chronology: - Radiocarbon Dates: - Age-Depth Model: - Scale of Environmental Reconstruction: - Environmental Reconstruction: - Pollen Types and Forest Inventories: - Sampling Strategy: - Quantitative Analysis: - Isometric Analysis: - C3 and C4 Photosynthetic Pathways: - Ecological Implications: - Congruence with Pollen Record:

22 Slide 11: Discussion: Caveats and Considerations - Caveats: - Chronological Limitations: - Taphonomic Considerations: - Sampling Limitations: - Considerations - Relevance to Archaeological Hypotheses: - Relevance to Paleoenvironmental Hypotheses: - Importance of Evaluating Multi-Scale Environmental Processes: Slide 12: Relevance to Paleoenvironmental Hypotheses - Spatial Dynamics of Holocene Forest Fragmentation - Comparison with Bodingue Core: - Short and Long-Term Fluctuations in Vegetation: - Coevolution of Cultural and Ecological Systems - Environmental Responses to Human Influence: - Human Responses to Environmental Influence: Slide 13: Relevance to AnthropologicalArchaeological Hypotheses - Hunting and Gathering in a Tropical Forest: - Matrix Modification and Modern Analogs: - The Impact of Ecology and Human Economies: - Antiquity of Hunter-Gatherers in the Congo Basin - Spatial Dynamics of Forest Fragmentation: - Island Biogeography and Population History: Slide 14: Conclusions - Anthropological/Archaeological Implications - Impacts of Environmental Change on Culture Change: - Timing and Nature of Bantu Expansion: - Ecological and Environmental Implications - Resilience and Ecosystem Response: - Methodological Development: - Importance of Continued Collaboration - Development of a Robust Prehistoric Record: - Applications to Present Issues:

23 Slide 15: Acknowledgements/Thanks - Central African Colleagues - CURDHACA/Universite de Bangui: Bernard Simiti, Alfred Jean-Paul Ndanga - Field Assistants: Alain Guy Kolet and Edouard Mbula - Host Villages: Baboundji, Poteme, Ngoto, Bambio, and Zoudnde - WSU Students/Faculty - PI: Karen Lupo - Field Crew: Dave Schmitt, Mark Caudell, and Kristin Safi - Analysis and Preparation: John Jones and Raymond Lee - Funding Agencies - National Science Foundation - Washington State University Graduate School - Conference/Symposium Organizers - Barry Hewlett, Kiyoshi Takeuchi, and Edmond Dounias - Members of the Scientific Committee and Funding Agencies