Neolithic agricultural revolution linked to climate-driven wildfires and soil erosion

APRIL 22, 2025, by Hebrew U. of Jerusalem

https://phys.org/news/2025-04-neolithic-agricultural-revolution-linked-climate.html

Remains of a large Neolithic settlement on alluvial soil in the Motza Valley. Credit: Amos Frumkin

A study led by Prof. Amos Frumkin from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem sheds new light on one of humanity's most significant turning points: the Neolithic Revolution. Published in the Journal of Soils and Sediments, the study presents compelling evidence that catastrophic wildfires and soil erosion—driven by natural climate shifts—may have sparked the first widespread transition from hunting and gathering to farming in the southern Levant over 8,000 years ago.

The research challenges long-standing debates over whether the Neolithic Revolution was triggered by human action or climate. Using a multidisciplinary approach, Frumkin analyzed a range of environmental records, including micro-charcoal from lake sediments, carbon and strontium isotopes from cave speleothems, Dead Sea water levels, and soil deposits across the region.

"Our findings point to an intense period of natural wildfires and vegetation collapse caused by increased lightning during the early Holocene," said Prof. Frumkin. "These fires likely removed vast tracts of vegetation, leading to severe soil degradation on hillslopes and the accumulation of fertile soil in valley basins—ideal locations for early farming communities."

The study identifies this environmental tipping point around 8.2 thousand years ago, a time that coincides with a major climatic event in the Northern Hemisphere. Dry thunderstorms—caused by orbital shifts in solar radiation—appear to have played a central role in igniting the widespread fires. The result: a transformed landscape where former foragers had to adapt to new conditions by domesticating plants and settling in fertile, water-rich valleys.

Soil that was eroded from the slopes into the Jordan Valley accumulated above the sediments of the ancience Lake Lisan.

 Credit: Amos Frumkin

Soil that was eroded from the slopes into the valleys. 

Credit: Eastern Samaria, Google Earth

"This wasn't a gradual cultural shift—it was a response to environmental collapse," added Frumkin. "Agriculture and settlement patterns were likely shaped by necessity, not just innovation."

The paper also highlights how Neolithic settlements in the southern Levant clustered over thick reworked soil deposits, particularly along the Jordan Valley and surrounding basins. These soils, derived from eroded hillsides, offered both fertility and access to water—key ingredients for early agriculture.

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