Revisiting Zeribar lake sediments: Effects ofclimate change on human development in Zagros

Abstract

Zeribar Lake, located in the west-central Zagros mountains, serves as a key record for understanding the environmental and climate history of West Asia. Studies beginning in the 1960s have examined the lake's sediments to explore how changes in the environment might have influenced major human developments, including the start of the Neolithic period and the formation of early societies. Early research, limited by less precise radiocarbon dating methods, suggested that environmental factors had little impact on the development of cultures. However, with improved dating techniques, a clear link has been established between environmental events and significant stages in human evolution. Analysis of pollen from Zeribar Lake has provided a detailed picture of the region's ecological past. The data shows a significant change from the sparse, cold conditions of the late Pleistocene and early Holocene to the rich oak forests that appeared in the mid-Holocene. This change, previously thought to be caused by more rain, is now understood to be the result of a considerable decrease in temperature, with glaciers once widespread in the area. Updated radiocarbon dating and new interpretations of pollen data suggest that agriculture began earlier than previously thought, around 14,000 years ago, indicating that shifts in the pollen record may reflect the beginnings of farming rather than changes in the climate. These climate changes, initially thought to be minor until 8,000 years ago and believed to involve only slight temperature variations, are now viewed from a different perspective. Despite these revelations, the debate continues among scholars regarding the extent of climate's role in shaping human progress. This article aims to weave together the multifaceted strands of Zeribar Lake's story, bridging paleoecology and archaeology to shed light on the complex dance between humanity and its environment in the Zagros region. It is an endeavor to bolster the bedrock of knowledge for future scholarly pursuits.