The effect of Caspian Sea water level fluctuations in the late Pleistocene and Holocene periods on the dispersion of prehistoric settlements in Mazandaran

Human societies have always been influenced by climatic and geographical factors of their ecosystems throughout history, so interdisciplinary studies to identify these influences will help to understand the cultural changes of ancient societies. One of the geographical factors affecting the ancient sites of the northern regions of the country is the Caspian Sea. The separation of this lake from the high seas has caused the sea level of this sea to increase slowly and when it reaches its maximum height, it decreases with the same rate. In this study, an attempt has been made to combine the information obtained from marine sediment survey studies with archaeological evidence and findings, as far as possible, to investigate the effects of Caspian Sea water regressions and advances on the location of prehistoric settlements in the Mazandaran region of The Paleolithic period to the Iron Age. For this purpose, studies on the altitude range of these changes were reviewed and the results obtained in the field of paleontology of Caspian Sea level fluctuations were combined with the results of archaeological studies in the region. Simultaneously with the fluctuations of the Caspian Sea water during the Pleistocene and Holocene, the location of prehistoric sites and populations on the southern shores of the Caspian Sea changed relative to seawater, and with the advance of seawater, the remains of previous evidence are buried under sediments.