Research Article

Modern and Historical Representation of Cereal Agriculture in Anatolia: Insights from Pollen Records

Volume: 35 Number: 3 September 30, 2025

Modern and Historical Representation of Cereal Agriculture in Anatolia: Insights from Pollen Records

Abstract

Domesticated cereals, introduced during the Neolithic Revolution, have been central to agriculture, diet, economy, and culture in the Eastern Mediterranean and Anatolia. As a result, their representation in agricultural systems is a key focus of paleoecological research. This study evaluates the representation of cereals in Anatolia using both modern and fossil pollen data. Fossil pollen data (maximum cereal percentages) come from 117 pollen diagrams spanning 1967-2023. Modern data (1968-2023) consist of 642 records from 509 sampling points. The interpretation of modern pollen data considers non-irrigated agricultural areas and various aspects of cereal farming in Türkiye. Modern pollen data show cereal percentages ranging from 0% to 38%, with an average of 1.51%. Sixty-seven percent of the data have cereal percentages of 1% or less, 92.5% are below 5%, and only 2.6% exceed 10%. Fossil pollen data range from 0% to 78%, with 32% showing low levels (≤1%), and an average of 4.9%. Areas with cereal percentages above 15%, such as Çatalhöyük, Lake Van, Kureyşler, Lake Nar, and Lake Söğüt, exhibit broad geographic distribution. These findings indicate that cereals generally occur in low proportions in Anatolia, with higher values linked to specific environmental conditions.

Keywords

Thanks

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Prof. Dr. Neil Roberts for his valuable insights and constructive feedback during the preparation of this study. His guidance and support at various stages of the work have significantly contributed to the depth of this research.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Agricultural Land Management , Agricultural Land Planning , Cereals and Legumes , Field Crops and Pasture Production (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Early Pub Date

September 30, 2025

Publication Date

September 30, 2025

Submission Date

February 22, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 11, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 35 Number: 3

APA
Doğan, M. (2025). Modern and Historical Representation of Cereal Agriculture in Anatolia: Insights from Pollen Records. Yuzuncu Yıl University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 35(3), 517-532. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1645005
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Yuzuncu Yil University Journal of Agricultural Sciences by Van Yuzuncu Yil University Faculty of Agriculture is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.