The first occupation of the mountains: Neolithic human-environmental interactions in the Kohgiluyeh region (southern Zagros, Iran)

Abstract

This paper focuses on the first human settlement of the Kohgiluyeh region in southwestern Iran in relation to regional environmental conditions. At an altitude between 500 and 3500 m asl, a range of different ecozones and diversified resources available at short distance compose this highly mountainous region. The first sedentary occupation occurred here during the 8th millennium BC. Applying remote sensing, GIS and geo-topographic landscape analyses to contextualize the available dataset, our study illustrates that in the southern portion of the region fertile lands played a pivotal role for the first settled communities and the stability of their subsistence strategies. Farming became even more important during the later Neolithic phase. Furthermore, Neolithic sites are recorded along the bottom of open slopes, at locations with direct access to the combined resources of the plains and the hilly lands. The first occupation of the region is also documented at high elevation up to 1600 m asl, along narrow valley formations, where limited areas are available for farming.