The archaeological site of Sovjan is located at the edge of lake Maliq. It was occupied from the early Bronze Age to the early Iron Age. Pollen data from a short sequence of peat deposits dated between 4255±50 and 2420±45 uncal B.P. and charcoal, seeds and wood from archaeological deposits have provided new information on human activities in the region. They are discussed in the general frame of agricultural developments in the Balkans. Regional environment (regarding vegetation and hydrology) and climate are also discussed.