Holocene vegetation of the Van area:Palynological and chronological evidence from Söğütlü, Turkey

Evidence of the terrestrial pollen precipitation in the Van area, obtained from the marsh of Sogutlu, is compared with the lacustrine record from Lake Van, eastern Turkey. The radiocarbon chronology of the vegetation history of the Van area is compared with that from varve counting. The first method produced the most probable results, supported by palynological investigations in other parts of Turkey and Iran. The combination of radiocarbon dating and palynological correlation dates the sediments of Lake Van 1100 to 2200 years older than the varve dating.The indicator value of Cerealia-type pollen as evidence of prehistoric agriculture is discussed and compared with results from observations on modern crops. In the present study, Cerealia-type pollen may have been produced by wild grasses growing in the marsh.