% pubman genre = article @article{item_2565916, title = {{Climate forcing and shifts in water management on the Northwest Arabian Peninsula (mid-Holocene Rasif wetlands, Saudi Arabia)}}, author = {Zielhofer, Christoph and Wellbrock, Kai and al-Souliman, Amer S. and von Grafenstein, Manuel and Schneider, Birgit and Fitzsimmons, Kathryn and Stele, Andreas and Lauer, Tobias and von Suchodoletz, Hans and Grottker, Matthias and Gebel, Hans Georg K.}, language = {eng}, issn = {1040-6182}, doi = {10.1016/j.quaint.2018.03.001}, publisher = {Pergamon Press}, address = {Oxford}, year = {2018}, date = {2018-04-15}, abstract = {{The mid-Holocene climate of Northwest Arabia is characterised by a significant increase in aridity which gave rise to changes in water management strategies including sophisticated techniques at later stages. The Rasif site, situated in Northwest Saudi Arabia, reveals a Late Neolithic society with multi-roomed domestic structures (1st phase, 6th millennium BCE, before the current era). At Rasif site the sediments of an endorheic basin (qa) show a minimum in salinity during this 1st phase. The 2nd phase is characterised by a pastoral {\textquoteleft}Chalcolithic{\textquoteright} watering and {\textquoteleft}Chalcolithic{\textquoteright} burial location of the 5th millennium BCE with wells, complex trough systems, and initial, probably coexistent grave structures. During this 2nd phase the qa deposits show already a slight increase in salinity. We have evidence for a sub-surface water-rich sand layer within the qa that was exploited by shallow wells. During the subsequent 3rd phase the number of pastoral {\textquoteleft}Chalcolithic{\textquoteright} D-shaped grave structures within the qa increased, probably co-existing with deepened wells and complex trough systems. At that time the qa is covered by an almost impermeable saline clay layer. The 4th phase is characterised by a culturally yet to identify pastoral post-{\textquoteleft}Chalcolithic{\textquoteright} watering location with single small troughs. The final 5th phase represents a culturally unidentified pastoral post-{\textquoteright}Chalcolithic{\textquoteright} to sub-recent water harvesting location with complex dam systems, which were probably modified numerous times. The dam systems allowed to flooding the qas for several months, providing (sub-) surface water in the nowadays Northwest Arabian desert.}}, journal = {{Quaternary International}}, volume = {473, Part A}, pages = {120--140}, }