@article{fdi:010061588,
  title = {{N}ew evidence of human activities during the {H}olocene in the low-land forests of the {N}orthern {C}ongo basin},
  author = {{M}orin-{R}ivat, {J}. and {F}ayolle, {A}. and {G}illet, {J}.{F}. and {B}ourland, {N}. and {G}ourlet-{F}leury, {S}. and {O}slisly, {R}ichard and {B}remond, {L}. and {B}entaleb, {I}. and {B}eeckman, {H}. and {D}oucet, {J}.{L}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n the last decade, the myth of the pristine tropical forest has been seriously challenged. {I}n central {A}frica, there is a growing body of evidence for past human settlements along the {A}tlantic forests, but very little information is available about human activities further inland. {T}herefore, this study aimed at determining the temporal and spatial patterns of human activities in an archaeologically unexplored area of 110,000 km(2) located in the northern {C}ongo {B}asin and currently covered by dense forest. {F}ieldwork involving archaeology as well as archaeobotany was undertaken in 36 sites located in southeastern {C}ameroon and in the northern {R}epublic of {C}ongo. {E}vidence of past human activities through either artifacts or charred botanical remains was observed in all excavated test pits across the study area. {T}he set of 43 radiocarbon dates extending from 15,000 {BP} to the present time showed a bimodal distribution in the {L}ate {H}olocene, which was interpreted as two phases of human expansion with an intermediate phase of depopulation. {T}he 2300-1300 {BP} phase is correlated with the migrations of supposed farming populations from northwestern {C}ameroon. {B}etween 1300 and 670 {BP}, less material could be dated. {T}his is in agreement with the population collapse already reported for central {A}frica. {F}ollowing this, the 670-20 {BP} phase corresponds to a new period of human expansion known as the {L}ate {I}ron {A}ge. {T}hese results bring new and extensive evidence of human activities in the northern {C}ongo {B}asin and support the established chronology for human history in central {A}frica.},
  keywords = {{HOLOCENE} ; {FOUILLE} {ARCHEOLOGIQUE} ; {SITE} {ARCHEOLOGIQUE} ; {MIGRATION} ; {HISTOIRE} {DU} {PEUPLEMENT} ; {PALEOBOTANIQUE} ; {FORET} {DENSE} ; {DATATION} ; {CARBONE} 14 ; {AFRIQUE} {CENTRALE} ; {CAMEROUN} ; {CONGO} ; {CONGO} {BASSIN} ; {CAMEROUN} {SUD} {EST} ; {CONGO} {NORD}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{R}adiocarbon},
  volume = {56},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {209--220},
  ISSN = {0033-8222},
  year = {2014},
  DOI = {10.2458/56.16485},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061588},
}