Superficial sediments (top ∼ Im) of the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, Sea of Marmara, Turkey accumulated rapidly (0.087 ± 0.012 g/cm2 · y) by hemipelagic sedimentation with only limited amounts of gravity flow or bottom current action under low oxygenated but not anoxic conditions. They have restricted faunas, relatively higher organic carbon (1-1.8%) and lower calcium carbonate (14-20%) contents than other Eastern Mediterranean Basin sediments. Sedimentation shows little change over the last millenium except for an increase in Cu, Zn, Pb, Cr, and P over the last few centuries. The increase was most likely caused by increased metallurgical activities since the eighteenth century but are not at sufficient levels for the area to be regarded as polluted. © 1989 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.