Late quaternary vegetation of the Near East

This volume reviews and evaluates the palynological examination of sediment cores from the Near and Eastern regions over the last 30,000 years, aiming to reconstruct Late Quaternary vegetational history. Pollen evidence is complemented by archaeobotanical data. Understanding past vegetation requires knowledge of modern vegetation in relation to environmental conditions, leading to a synopsis of topography, climate, and potential natural vegetation. Surface-sample studies are crucial for interpreting fossil pollen spectra regarding past vegetations. A significant portion of the book discusses regional vegetation histories, presenting evidence through abridged pollen diagrams for various regions. Palaeo-vegetation maps for the Northwest Zagros Mountains, Southwestern Anatolia, Northwestern Anatolia, and the Southern Levant illustrate pollen data interpretation and are valuable for studying prehistoric settlement patterns. Generalized palaeo-vegetation maps for the Near East, based on available pollen cores, are also included. The final chapter examines ancient human impacts on vegetation as recorded in the pollen record, noting that despite evidence of large-scale forest clearances, many potential forest and woodland areas remained predominantly wooded until relatively recently. This work is relevant to archaeologists, botanists, palynologists, climatologists, geomorphologists, and geographers.