article_snippet.sent: Scientists examined 7,000-year-old ancient pollen and charcoal samples from the Nile to piece together the time - and found evidence of a 'mega drought' in the the area.
article_snippet.sent: The droughts brought fires, famine and social unrest to the region.
article_snippet.sent: Pollen grains obtained from the bottom of the Sea of Galilee have also provided similar evidence that the region endured a 150 year drought between 1250BC and 1100BC.
article_snippet.sent: Scientists behind the study say there was a sharp decline around 1250 BCE in oaks, pines, and carob trees
article_snippet.sent: —the traditional flora of the Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age.
article_snippet.sent: Plants usually found in semiarid desert regions increase while the number of olive trees - an important crop plant - also declined.
article_snippet.sent: Recent analysis of pollen found in a core sample taken from the Sea of Galilee by researchers at Tel Aviv University and the University of Bonn has shown that the years between 1250BC and 1100BC were the driest the area had seen in the Bronze and Iron ages.
article_snippet.sent: Clay tables found in Afek in Israel, Huttusa in Turkey and Emar in Mesopotamia and Ugarit in Syria also suggest the area was hit by an unrelenting drought.
article_snippet.sent: Ramesses III's reign was plagued by raids by seafaring people but also coincidence with a great drought .