The Middle Pleistocene MIS12 palynological record from Marathousa palaeolake in Southern Greece: Highlighting favourable conditions in Marathousa 1 (MAR-1) refugial site during the severe glacial period

Abstract

Regarded as one of the refugial regions of the Mediterranean basin during the glacial periods of the Quaternary in terms of the long-term persistence of plants (e.g., Médail and Diadema 2009; Tzedakis et al., 2006), Greece would have provided the needed ecological conditions to sustain high biodiversity of plants and animals, and thus abundant resources for human populations. Furthermore, the geographic position of Greece lies directly on a major dispersal route connecting Eurasia and Africa (e.g., Harvati et al., 2009; Harvati, 2016; 2022; Tourloukis and Karkanas, 2012). These geographic and ecological conditions suggest a long and continuous presence of early humans in the region (e.g., Harvati and Tourloukis, 2013; Harvati and Roksandic, 2016). Although the paleoanthropological record is relatively poor due to historical research biases —focusing on later archaeological periods— recent work has begun to uncover important new evidence on the early human presence in Greece.