| Zone
|
Biostratigraphic division
|
Dates
|
Dominant plant type
|
Archaeological periods
|
Geological stage
|
| IX
|
Sub-Atlantic
|
500 BC to present
|
Spread of grasses and pine and beech woodland
|
Iron Age onwards
|
Flandrian interglacial
|
| VIII
|
Sub-Boreal
|
3000 - 500 BC
|
Mixed oak forest
|
Bronze Age and Iron Age
|
Flandrian
|
| VII
|
Atlantic period
|
5500 -3000 BC
|
Mixed oak forest
|
Neolithic and Bronze Age
|
Flandrian
|
| V and VI
|
Boreal
|
c. 7700 - 5500 BC
|
Pine/birch forest and increasing mixed forest
|
Mesolithic
|
Flandrian
|
| IV
|
Boreal - Pre-Boreal
|
c. 8300 - 7700 BC |
Birch forest |
Late Upper Palaeolithic and early - mid Mesolithic |
Devensian glaciation and Flandrian
|
| III
|
Younger Dryas |
c. 8800 - 8300 BC |
Tundra |
Late Upper Palaeolithic |
Devensian
|
| II
|
Allerød Oscillation |
c. 9800 - 8800 BC |
Tundra, Park Tundra and birch forest |
Late Upper Palaeolithic |
Devensian
|
| Ic
|
Older Dryas
|
c. 10,000 - 9800 BC
|
Tundra
|
Late Upper Palaeolithic |
Devensian
|
| Ib
|
Bølling Oscillation
|
c. 10,500 - 10,000 BC
|
Park Tundra
|
Late Upper Palaeolithic
|
Devensian
|
| Ia
|
Oldest Dryas
|
c. 13,000 - 10,500 BC
|
Tundra
|
Late Upper Palaeolithic
|
Devensian
|
