The Recurring Dark Ages: Ecological Stress, Climate Changes, and System Transformation

314 Pages·2006·11.003 MB·English

by  Sing C. Chew

The Recurring Dark Ages
TRILOGY ON WORLD ECOLOGICAL DEGRADATION
by
Sing C. Chew
World Ecological Degradation: Accumulation, Urbanization, and Deforesta
tion, 3000 B.C.-A.D. 2000
The Recurring Dark Ages: Ecological Stress, Climate Changes, and System
Transformation
Ecological Futures: What History Can Teach Us
The Recurring Dark Ages
Ecological Stress, Climate Changes,
and System Transformation
Sing C. Chew
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ALTMI\IJ\A.
PRE 5 5
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Chew, Sing C.
The Recurring Dark Ages: ecological stress, climate changes, and system
transformation / Sing C. Chew.
p. cm. - (World ecological degradation)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN-13: 978-0-7591-0451-8 (cloth: alk. paper)
ISBN-lO: 0-7591-0451-4 (cloth: alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7591-0452-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-lO: 0-7591-0452-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Environmental degradation. 2. Global environmental change. 3. Ecological
disturbances. 4. Climatic changes. 5. Environmental responsibility. 1. Title.
GE149.C542007
304. 2-d c22
2006018851
Printed in the United States of America
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For Elizabeth

Contents
List of Figures and Tables ix
Preface xv
Part I: The Dark Ages over World History
1 System Crisis 3
Part II: The Crisis of the Bronze Age
2 Nature and Culture 21
3 Ecological Crisis and System Transformation 41
Part III: The Crisis of Antiquity
4 Intensification of Natural and Social Systems Relations 111
5 A Period of Darkness 139
Part IV: System Transformation
6 From the Past to the Future: Whither System Transformation? 169
Appendix 1: Arboreal Pollen Influxes 191
Appendix 2: Plantago Pollen Influxes 213
Appendix 3: Arboreal and Nonarboreal Pollen Influxes Percentages 231
vii
viii Contents
Bibliography 253
Index 285
About the Author 295
Figures and Tables
FIGURES
Figure 2.1 The Bronze Age World System 26
Figure 2.2 The Ancient Near East 32
Figure 2.3 The Harappan Civilization 36
Figure 2.4 Ancient Egypt 38
Figure 3.1 The Ancient Near East 75
Figure 3.2 South Aegean and Spread of Volcanic Plume 86
Figure 3.3 The World of the Hittites 92
Figure 4.1 The Mediterranean with Phoenician and Greek
Colonies and Settlements 113
Figure 4.2 The Roman Empire in the Time of Septimius Severus 119
Figure 4.3 Trade Routes: India, Persia, Arabia, Southeast Asia,
and China 133
Figure 5.1 The Eastern Roman Empire 142
Figure 5.2 Population of Rome from A.D. I-A.D. 900 153
Figure 5.3 World Population Estimates since 1600 B.C. 155
Figure 6.1 Dark Age Crisis 2200 B.c.-1700 B.C. 171
Figure 6.2 Dark Age Crisis 1200 B.c.-700 B.C. 172
Figure 6.3 Dark Age Crisis A.D. 300!400-A.D. 900 173
TABLES
Table 3.1 Arboreal Pollen Profiles-Deforestation Periods 43
ix