Stratigraphy and paleoclimates of the pleistocene of central and northern Israel
Abstract A general chronostratigraphical division of the marine Pleistocene into three stages is suggested for the Coastal Plain of Israel, and recommended for the whole Mediterranean region. The three stages are: the lower stage, to be named Calabro-Sicilian, characterized by a cold marine faunal assemblage. The middle stage, to be named Tyrrhenian, characterized by a warm assemblage, and the upper stage, temporarily named post-Tyrrhenian with a present-day faunal assemblage. During the Calabro-Sicilian and the early part of the Tyrrhenian, Acheulian cultures prevailed. During the Late Tyrrhenian, Mousterian cultures prevailed while during the post-Tyrrhenian, Upper Paleolithic cultures prevailed. Various formations of the Jordan Rift Valley are correlated with the marine stages of the Coastal Plain. The paleoclimatological evidence, when critically examined, points to a maritime Mediterranean climate not very different from that of today. No evidence was found that glacial periods coincide with local humid stages. Although relatively more humid conditions prevailed during the Calabro-Sicilian, Tyrrhenian and post-Tyrrhenian stages, these could not be correlated precisely with either transgressions or regressions.