Abstract

A totall of 500 Early Permian samples from the Chal-i-Sheh Formation in the
Zagros Basin were examined palynollogically in order to determine the stratigraphical
age of the formation and to assess the palaeogeopaphicd relatianships of this basin
to the Southern and Northern Hemispheres during the Early Permian. Fifty-eight taxa
were recorded including 46 pollen, 10 spore and 2 acritarch species, which permitted
the establishment of the age of the formation. Quantitatively, pollen contributed 98
percent, spores 1.5 percent, and acritarchs 0.5 percent of the total assemblages. The
high relative percentage of gymospermous pollen taxa suggests a relatively cold
condition which was in favor of gymnospernous plants at the beginning of the Early
Permian, Comparison of the taxa recorded from the Early Permian strata of the Zagros Basin with those reported from other parts of the world indicates that the Zagros Basin was part of the Gondwanan Supercontinent located on the southern shore of Tethys sea during the Permian period