The Iranian Plateau and the Indus River Basin

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of the evidence for the Holocene climate, climate change, human adaptation and human response on the Iranian Plateau and the adjacent piedmont regions, and the extensive alluvial plains of the Indus and associated rivers in western South Asia. The Iranian Plateau and the Indus River Basin and associated areas thus have the potential to provide fundamental insights into human adaptation and response to climate throughout the Holocene. The mountains and piedmonts of the Iranian Plateau combine to form one of the dominant geographical features of Western Asia, comprising major mountain ranges, alluvial plains and fans, intermontane valleys, and desert areas. The available proxies from the Iranian Plateau and the Indus River Basin provide a range of evidence for long-term trends and climatic variability. The archaeological datasets from the Iranian Plateau and the Indus River Basin show considerable variations in spatial and chronological coverage and resolution, and the nature of the archaeological evidence.