In her study of the late twelfth-century BCE Mediterranean collapse, archaeologist Dr. Elena Rostova challenges the conventional view that a catastrophic, region-wide drought was the sole driver of societal collapse. Rostova posits that the highly centralized palace economies of the Mycenaeans and Hittites were uniquely fragile; even minor, seasonal fluctuations in crop yields disrupted their rigid taxation and redistribution networks, leading to systemic failure. In contrast, she claims that decentralized, non-palatial agrarian communities in peripheral regions remained resilient to these same environmental pressures due to their flexible local trade and diverse agricultural practices. Which finding, if true, would most directly support Rostova's claim?
- AHittite palace records from the twelfth-century BCE document that during a century-long, severe megadrought, the central administration successfully imported large quantities of grain from distant allied empires to feed the urban populations of major cities.
- BExcavations of peripheral settlements dating to the late twelfth-century BCE show a significant increase in the presence of prestige items and luxury pottery characteristic of Mycenaean palace workshops, indicating growing economic integration.
- Archaeological analysis of soil and crop remains from a period of minor rainfall fluctuation in the late twelfth-century BCE indicates that Mycenaean palace centers experienced a severe food distribution crisis despite possessing large grain reserves, while nearby decentralized villages maintained stable populations by cultivating a wide variety of drought-resistant crops.Cevap
- DPollen samples from the Eastern Mediterranean show that a massive, region-wide decline in agricultural activity occurred simultaneously across both palatial centers and peripheral villages during the late twelfth-century BCE.