New multi-proxy record shows potential impacts of precipitation on the rise and ebb of Bronze Age and imperial Persian societies in southeastern Iran

The Achaemenids and Sasanian ‘Persian’ Empires were significant political, economic, social forces in the Late Iron Age Antiquity Eurasia, respectively, which have left marks on heritage of Mediterranean Middle Eastern world. While attention is often focused military political conditions when discussing prosperity decline these imperial powers, their realms, crossed a variety environmental settings, highly dependent predictability rainfall that drove agriculture effective provisioning. Here, we present multi-proxy sedimentological, geochemical, palynological record from 2.5-m long peat deposit near excavation site Konar Sandal Jiroft southeastern Iran, covering 4000-850 cal yr BP. Around 3950 BP wet period prevailed based elemental ratios, stable C isotope, pollen, diagnostic lipids. Between 3900 3300 BP, wet/semi-wet developed with appearance Cerealia-type pollen. Dry windy followed (ca. 3300-2900 BP), coincided Siberian anticyclones climatic shifts developing region. Consequently, Bronze settlements around Jiroft, agriculture, underwent steady decline. A prolonged 2900-2300 BP) abundance Sparganium-type pollen aquatic lipid proxy (Paq). This change intensive agricultural practices flourishing powerful Median Achaemenid empires. shift to high Ti/Al ratios coeval lowest δ13COM values suggests an increase aeolian activity dry ca. 2100-1650 valley again experienced between 1550 1300 overlapped economic middle late empire. paleoenvironmental reconstruction indicates periods coincide Persian empires' zenith, influence, affluence. Therefore, contextualized detailed records are desirable explore interplay factors development fragmentation ancient powers Eurasian history.