On the age of river terraces of the central part of the Caucasian foreland

Abstract

A new chronological classification is introduced for fluvial terraces of the Kuma and Podkumok rivers based on the terraces' mapping, on their correlation with transgressive levels of fluvio-marine plains of the Caspian region and dated planation surfaces within the mountain area, and on the analysis of geomorphic position of fossil mammals in the Mashuk's travertines. The author distinguishes the Holocene low and high floodplain levels, 4 terraces of Late Pleistocene age, 2 terraces of Middle Pleistocene age and 2 of Early Pleistocene age as well as Apsheronian and Akchagylian topographic levels.