The EDEN (Engineered Deltaic Ecosystems and their Networks) project investigates the long-term development of the Tigris-Euphrates-Karun delta complex throughout the Holocene (~11,700 years). This distinctive fluvio-deltaic system rapidly evolved as the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers merged with the Karun River to form the Mesopotamian Delta. The delta’s rich ecological resources facilitated the emergence of some of the world’s earliest complex societies, notably ancient Sumerian cities, which arose over 6,000 years ago from marshland environments. EDEN explores the reciprocal shaping of environmental dynamics and human societies, assessing how these interactions transformed landscapes and supported enduring cultural traditions through approaches in geoarchaeology and cultural ecology.
