Late Pleistocene environments in the southern Zagros of Iran and their implications for human evolution

Abstract The Zagros Mountains represent a strategic geographic region near the junction of Africa, Europe, and Asia, valleys within mountain range likely correspond to migration corridors used by archaic modern humans. Ghar-e Boof, key archeological site in southern Zagros, is located at an altitude 905 m.a.s.l. Dasht-e Rostam Fars Province, Iran. On basis lithic artifacts radiocarbon luminescence dating, Late Pleistocene record spans from Middle Paleolithic (MP) Epipaleolithic. Boof includes find horizons early Upper (UP) Rostamian dating 42–35 ka cal. BP. These Rostamian-UP assemblages are typically attributed high-resolution stratigraphy microvertebrate offer unique opportunity for reconstructing paleoenvironment part during contribute better understanding long-term hominin settlement dynamics cultural adaptations this area. current paper presents first analysis remains recovered Tübingen-Iranian Stone Age Research Project (TISARP) team. All groups small vertebrates, including fish, amphibians, squamate reptiles, birds, micromammals, present assemblage (NISP = 755). micromammal taxa reconstruct MP UP include Libyan jird ( Meriones cf. libycus ), Vinogradov’s vinogradovi Indian gerbil Tatera indica Brandt’s hedgehog Paraechinus cf . hypomelas house mouse (Mus musculus mole vole Ellobius sp.). Other taxa, such as amphibians (toad, Bufo / Bufotes sp.), fish (nase, Chondrostoma reptiles (agamids, lizards, Eastern Montpelier snake— Malpolon insignitus —and viper), also support presence environment mainly characterized warm, arid conditions with open, dry meadows, rocky terrain, water sources close throughout most sequence. During shift UP, we Afghan pika Ochotona rufescens while all rodents, except very few Persian Microtus irani ) M. lybicus some non-hibernating vertebrate species, absent reappear later horizons. pikas could reflect period slightly colder and/or drier conditions. While only dataset previous studies on microvertebrates central northern show no clear change UP. Data sediment cores pollen analyses document numerous environmental climatic fluctuations Zagros. improves our paleoenvironments opens new opportunities ecological that helped shape region.