Human settlements adapted to environmental changes through the Paleolithic and Neolithic times in West Iraq

Euphrates Flood Plain sediments are recorded in Barwana city which is 6 km south of Haditha City. Much vegetation and climatic and archaeological evidences in this study pointed to several stages of old human settlements in that area. Palynological evidences show the livelihood of those humans before the great Noah Deluge of the period 10,500 years before present (BP). Their food was gathered by collecting crops and hunting animals in a steppe region along the valleys. As a result of this suffering from deluge and climatic variations that affected the region, humans had taken the search for a new way of living by trying to settle in the areas near the Euphrates river and attempted cultivation of this land, where the study showed the first appearance of field crop (cereals) pollens, such as wheat, barley, corn …, etc., at depth of 475–500 cm of the studies section, which represents a warm–humid climate with summer precipitation during the period of 10,000–5,000 years BP. These environmental conditions helped the ancient humans to settle in the agriculture village of Barwana, living on cultivation of the land and domesticating animals, such as grazing animals, for their main forms of food. Evolving palm cultivation and record of many archaeological ceramic pieces in the sample at a depth of 250 cm emphasized his attempt to establish industrial culture in the region after a period of changing climate to warm and dry which affected the region since 6,000 years BP and changed the Barwana settlements to an industrial village. The grasses and tree exploitation for sheep shepherding, building houses, and fire use, as well as dam building and Naoor manufacture for irrigation added evidences for ancient cities developments such as Hanat (Presently Ana) and Heet since about 5000 Y.BP. The desertification manifestation of that warm and dry climate continued from that time to the present with drought increased and deficiency in the rainfall, as well as the human irresponsible activities, as evidenced by increased pollen and spores of Compositae and Bongardia.