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Here we present a palynological and sedimentological record from a 96-cm sediment core covering the last 13 ka aiming to document palaeoecological changes in the central South Caucasus driven by climate and/or human impact. The core was retrieved from Lake Paravani (2073 m asl, 41°27′N, 43°48′E), located in the steppic grasslands of South Caucasus in the Samsari-Javakheti volcanic plateau. The geomorphological features observed on the plateau, including moraine deposits, suggest the presence of local glaciers reaching the lake level during the Last Glacial periods. Based on sediment and pollen data, three palaeoecological phases have been identified. The first phase spanning the Younger Dryas and the Early Holocene, corresponds to a steppic environment with a limited lake productivity driven by a cold and particularly dry climate. According to the Age–depth model, this phase ends near …