The age of the Bande Amir travertines in Afghanistan

Abstract

In the upstream reach of the Bande Amir valley in the West Hindukush range in Afghanistan there occurs a system of lakes separated each other by travertine dams of the Haybat Series. Analyses of plants and malacofossils as well as radiocarbon datings prove their Late-Glacial and Holocene development continued until the present days. The ancient travertine series (Paner and Yakhak), preserved at the valley slopes, have been deposited during the interglacials Mindel/Riss and Riss/Wòrm.