THE YOUNGER DRYAS IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

The Younger Dryas period is traced in pollen diagrams of the Eastern M editerranean by means of radiocarbon dates. The biostratigraphy in ter ms of pollen assemblages is compared with the absolute time scale. The Younger Dryas as a pollen assemblage zone is at best vaguely visible in those parts that at present carry steppe or other open vegetation. The part that nowadays carries forest produces pollen zones, including the Younger Dryas, which resemble those of parts of Europe. Palynolog ical developments in parts of the Eastern Mediterranean differ appreci ably, which implies that the vegetation developed differently also. Th is suggests that the climatic development the various parts of the reg ion was not the same.