UPPER PLIOCENE-LOWER PLEISTOCENE MARINE DEPOSITS OF WESTERN SYRIA - STRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOGEOGRAPHY

Complex characteristics of upper Pliocene-lower Pleistocene marine dep osits filling the deepest part of the Al-Kebir depression near Lathaki a, western Syria, are given. New biostratigraphic and paleomagnetic da ta allowed a detailed subdivision of the upper Pliocene-lower Pleistoc ene marine sequence. The position of the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary in association with the Olduvai paleomagnetic event is outlined. The post-Pliocene marine deposits are 30-40 m thick and occur at a level o f 200 m, which is considered to correspond to the Calabrian terrace. T he maximum of the Pliocene transgression was confined to the early Pli ocene and the beginning of the late Pliocene. At the end of the Plioce ne, a gradual regression occurred. In the early Pleistocene (1.65-0.8 Ma), a shallow marine basin existed in western Syria. Palynologic data and paleotemperature estimates based on the Ca/Mg ratio in marine mol lusk shells indicate a cooling at 2.4 Ma. The late Pliocene-early Plei stocene was characterized by polycyclic climatic oscillations that occ urred against a background of progressive aridization and relative coo ling.