Gallagher R.

AMEC International, PO BOX 63404, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, E-mail: gallagher_ronnie@yahoo.co.uk

Evidence of massive flooding is written into the Azerbaijani landscape as stepped terraces and strandlines reaching up to 225 m above sea level and dating to the last Ice Age. This paper dis­cusses the geomorphological, biological and rock art evidence, and aims to show that the causes were due to diverted Russian rivers, glacial meltwater and an inundation by the Arctic Ocean.

The consequences of a Eurasian lake – the Asiatic Mediterranean, would have greatly affected regional climates, regional biogeography and human demographics and suggests that interconti­nental navigation was possible for millenia in prehistory. The floods and the eventual disappear­ance of the waterways must surely have influenced ancient human life and help shape prehistory.

This subject and its implications gobeyond current scientific understanding and needs to be professionally investigated by many scientific and academic disciplines.

Keywords: Caspian Sea, Black Sea, Aegean Sea, paleohydrology, marine and freshwater deluge, cultural connections, Arctic Ocean, cart ruts, Gobustan, Azerbaijan, petroglyphs, rock art, Ice Age