The sources offer a comprehensive overview of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in the Middle East, challenging the conventional understanding of it as a globally synchronized cold period. Instead, the LIA in this region, particularly in Syria and Anatolia, was primarily characterized by increased aridity and extreme climatic volatility, with significant cooling also observed. This climatic shift profoundly impacted the agrarian societies of the Ottoman Empire, exacerbating existing socio-economic pressures and contributing to widespread famine, depopulation, and the Celali Rebellion. The text emphasizes the use of both natural archives (like tree rings and pollen analysis) and human archives (historical chronicles) to reconstruct this complex past, demonstrating how the LIA served as a powerful catalyst for systemic transformation in the Middle East, contrasting sharply with the adaptive responses seen in parts of Europe.
This page was created on: August 11, 2025