SOCIETY AND SETTLEMENT IN GLENDALOUGH ... - Ian Cantwell

HoloceneFrom this point the Holocene period started. The area shows the classic succession ofJuniper (peaking c.9,750 BP) to Birch (peaking c. 9,250 BP) to Hazel (Cory~peaking c. 9,000 BP), which are all bush species, to trees such as Oak (Quercus), Elm(Ulmus) and Pine (Pinus). The typical mature woodland for the next 2,000 yearscomprised of these species with open ground species being found in the higheraltitudes. In general the data matches Birks's hypothesis of tree spreading in thearchipelago16.From about 7,000 BP (5,000 Be) Alder (Alnus) scrub invaded causing a relativedecline in other species, particularly Pine which, though being tolerant of mostconditions, is a poor competitor. Pine declined considerably from its peak of6,200 BP(4,200 Be) for the next 1,000 years and from then its presence was mostly marginal.WhileMesolithic gatherers and hunterswere presentin Ireland at this timeno evidenceofthem in the Wicklow Uplands has yet been discovered. This may be due to naturalerosion17. The Elm decline is noted in Glendalough at around 5,000 BP (3,000 Be)which is in accord with its decline elsewhere. It had never been a major species in thearea, unlike the midlands, and it does not appear to have been followed by the humanintervention ofthe MesolithicINeolithic typicalofthe more fertile areas of the island.Peat formatioDThe expansion ofpeat in this period is now seen as a combination of a wetter climateand the crossing ofpedogenic thresholds with thedating offirst peat formation aroundIreland varying from 4.5 to 1 thousand years BP.18 Research in Arts Lake, Co.Wicklow, bas indicated that the initiation of blanket peat formation started between16.BiIb H.JD.~ Holoc:ene isochrone maps andpatterns of tree spreading in theBritish Isles,Journal ofBifigeography, Vol.. 16, DO. 6,1989, pp. 503-4017Stout Gemldine, Wicldow's Ptdlisloric Landscape, Wicldow. p. 418Edwards K.J. et aI., Chronology, QIIaternmyIreland, eel. Edwards K.J. &.WarrenP.W., London1985, P. 29114