Age of Khvalynian transgressions in the Caspian Sea region

As follows from a geomorphologic analysis of the Khvalynian sediments in the North Caspian region, radiocarbon dating of their molluskan and plant remains provided more or less reliable age estimates, according to which the Khvalynian transgression occurred approximately 11–20 ka B.P. This value corresponds, however, to the terminal transgressive-regressive phase of the latter, i.e., rather to the Late Khalynian transgression than to its Early Khvalynian peak. It is inferred that the high terraces that formed during the maximal Early Khvalynian transgression are unambiguously older, being 70 to 40 ka in age.