Abstract
The Epipaleolithic tradition extends across a period of dramatic climactic change. The tradition begins during the last glacial maximum when the Levant and Mesopotamia were much cooler and drier than today. Over time the climate ameliorated, and by ca. 12,000 b.p., a significant warming trend led to almost ideal conditions for human habitation. By ca. 10,800 b.p., the cooler and drier conditions of the Younger Dryas took hold of the region, creating the diverse mosaic of environments and microenvironments we see today. Rainfall today varies from over 1000 mm to less than 50 mm annually, and is generally limited to winter months. Summers across the region are relatively hot and dry.
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Goring-Morris, N. (2002). Epipaleolithic. In: Peregrine, P.N., Ember, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Prehistory. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0023-0_13
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0023-0_13
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