Coğrafi Bilimler Dergisi (Oct 2018)
Marmara Gölü’nün Paleocoğrafyası ve Tunç Çağı’ndan Günümüze Jeoarkeolojik Değerlendirmeler, Manisa
Abstract
The Marmara (Gygian) lake is one of the important wetlands of Western Anatolia. The emergence and shaping of the lake, changes at the lake level total surface area of the lake have been influential on the cultures that existed around from prehistoric to present. The most prominent traces of these changes are found in alluvial deposits around the lake. Drillings were carried out in the alluvial areas around the lake in order to explain the natural environmental changes. Sedimentological, element and microfossil analyzes of drilling samples were conducted. On one of the cores, a volcanic ash layer was found ca. 8 cm-thick at 710 cm depth below the surface. The elemental composition of this layer is suggestive of deposition durnig the Minoan eruption in Santorini during 1630-1640 BC. Regarding delta development in the northern part of the lake, this ash layer was considered as a key horizon for chronostratigraphic approach. Drillings in the north and east of the lake revealed that the suface area of the lake was wider than it is today when the volcanic eruption occurred. With the development of the delta and lobes in the north, three shorelines were determined as 8000, 6000, 4000-3500, 1000 years BP. Old lake terraces and their traces were found in the north and south of the lake that is dated to 11000 BP (c14). After setting the eastern edge of the lake area and setting up the canal system, the lake level was largely controlled. The peripheral distribution and texture of the Bronze Age and Lydian settlement and finds in the vicinity of the lake area reveal that they were affected by natural environmental changes that have occured in the lake and its surrounding plains. In addition, for natural environment changes in the lake and its surroundings after Lydia it was benefited from drillings and it has been found that the lake has undergone a lot of arid phases and its area has been narrowed sometimes in the past.
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