In a groundbreaking research endeavor, scientists have uncovered the intricate relationship between climate change and floods in shaping the ancient Persian Gulf human settlements.

The study, which involved international collaboration, has rewritten our understanding of the region's history and emphasizes the profound ways in which our planet's climate has shaped the Earth's surface and human civilization.

The Persian Gulf, once a shallow land bridge connecting Africa to the Iranian plateau during the ice ages, underwent a dramatic transformation as the Earth's climate warmed up around 17,000 years ago.

During the glacial period, the exposed basin of the Persian Gulf became a fertile ground for the development of civilizations like Mesopotamia until sea levels rose in two significant phases and inundated the Persian Gulf.

In this international effort, Dr. Abdolmajid Naderi Beni from the Iranian National Institute for Oceanography and Atmospheric Science joined forces with Dr. Guillaume Leduc and Prof. Edouard Bard from CEREGE, and Dr. Morteza Djamali from IMBE, France. Together, they helmed a team of experts from France, the U.S., and Germany.

The team's mission was to delve into the secrets of the Persian Gulf through the analysis of three sediment cores extracted from its depths. Their collaborative research spanned laboratories in Iran, France, and the USA, each contributing to a comprehensive study that promises to shed new light on the history of this critical region.

Their findings unveiled a great flood that occurred around 9,200 years ago in the western part of the basin, coinciding with significant climatic shifts. One of these shifts intensified the Indian Ocean Summer Monsoon around 9,200 years ago which led to the greening of the Arabian Peninsula. Another climatic shift led to the arid conditions around 6,300 years ago that we see today in the Arabian Peninsula.

The team discovered evidence of early agriculture in the Persian Gulf region dating back more than 10,000 years. These practices intensified around 9,200 years ago, in sync with the climatic upheavals and the great flood. The palynological analyses conducted by the Iranian-French scientist, Dr. Morteza Djamali at Aix-Marseille University, provided the main evidence for early agriculture.

These findings were published in the prestigious Journal of Quaternary Science, providing valuable insights into the Persian Gulf's history and the profound ways in which our planet's climate has shaped human civilization.

AM