RESEARCHERS at the University of Bradford say they have proved climate change was not responsible for a huge population collapse in Europe at the end of the Bronze Age.
Changes in the climate were commonly assumed to be responsible, but archaeologists and environmental scientists say it happened at least two generations later.
The research results, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed human activity started to decline after 900BC, and falls rapidly after 800BC, indicating a population collapse.
But the climate records show that colder, wetter conditions didn’t occur until about two generations later.
Professor of archaeology Ian Armit said social and economic stress was more likely to be the cause of the fall in numbers as iron production took over from bronze.
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