Palynology of the Lower Palaeolithic Dursunlu hominin site, Central Anatolia, Türkiye

Anatolia is usually accepted as the landbridge for hominin dispersal from Africa, Asia, to Europe. However, there are few hominin findings in Anatolia and even fewer palynological analyses of hominin sites. This paper presents a palynological study of the Lower Palaeolithic Dursunlu hominin site in Central Anatolia (Turkey) to reconstruct palaeovegetation and palaeoenvironmental conditions. Palynological samples were collected from a lignite quarry in which the lithic assemblage-bearing layer (LAL) was dated as Late–Early Biharian (Late–Early Pleistocene) based on rich mammal remains. The dominance of freshwater algae (Sigmopollis, Ovoidites, Spirogyra, Pediastrum, Botryococcus) and herbs (Asteraceae-Asteroideae, Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae) within the LAL in association with the consistent presence of hydrophytes (Cyperaceae, Typha, Sparganium, Ludwigia) and ferns (Polypodiaceae) indicates the presence of a freshwater marsh. Most of the identified algae prefer mesotrophic to eutrophic conditions and are characteristic of stagnant shallow water. The mutual dominance of herbs and ferns reflects changes in humidity. The few pollen grains of Pinus suggest distant pollen transport from the surrounding highlands. The results of the palynological analysis revealed that ca. 0.9 Ma, the freshwater marsh at the Dursunlu site, provided a landscape rich in resources with freshwater for hominins.