@article{79b13ef22cb94cae866e2cd656bc85f0,
title = "Frost rings in 1627 BC and AD 536 in subfossil pinewood from Finnish Lapland",
abstract = "Frost rings can provide direct evidence of anomalously cold summertime conditions on hemispheric scales. Here we report frost rings in subfossil pinewood from Finnish Lapland dated dendrochronologically to AD 536 and 1627 BC. These exact calendar dates have been vividly discussed in the literature in the respective contexts of a cold climate anomaly/dust veil/crop failure/famine/Justinianic Plague and the Minoan eruption of Thera (Santorini). Coinciding anomalies in growth and carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) indicate cold and overcast conditions in these years in Finnish Lapland, typical to conditions induced by volcanic dust veils. This evidence reinforces the view of multiple climatic drivers strongly effecting contemporary societies around AD 536 and provides important new evidence regarding the 1627 BC event. We report a frost ring for this year, and also consider evidence from Lapland for other Thera candidate eruptions in the 16th century BC. The marker years 1560 BC and 1546 BC in bristlecone pine tree rings in North America are positioned within negative departures in our δ13C data. Most likely, the frosts occurred somewhere in July and were driven by dust veils from Northern Hemisphere. Although not indicative of volcanic provenance, frost rings and other dendroclimatic proxies dated to exact calendar years offer important time markers for chronological frameworks which can synchronize archaeological, historical and environmental data to further our understanding of environmental changes at scales that matter to human societies.",
keywords = "Europe, Holocene, Ice cores, Late antiquity, Minoan eruption, North America, Paleoclimatology, Scandinavia, Tree-rings",
author = "Samuli Helama and Pekka Saranp{\"a}{\"a} and Pearson, {Charlotte L.} and Laura Arppe and Jari Holopainen and Harri M{\"a}kinen and Kari Mielik{\"a}inen and Pekka N{\"o}jd and Raimo Sutinen and Taavitsainen, {Jussi Pekka} and Mauri Timonen and Joonas Uusitalo and Markku Oinonen",
note = "Funding Information: This study is a result of a series of fieldwork seasons and long-lasting laboratory activities greatly aided by the staff at the Natural Resources Institute Finland. Fieldwork carried out between 2012 and 2016 was assisted by Hannu Herva, Jari Hietanen, Esko Jaskari, Jari Jukkola, Tauno Luosuj{\"a}rvi, Raimo Pikkupeura, and Jouni Unga. We also thank the help in the joiner's workshops in Rovaniemi and Kolari by Pasi Aatsinki, Tarmo Aalto, Pekka N{\"a}rhi, Aarno Niva, Kuisma Ranta, Kullervo Ruotsalainen and Eero Siivola. Dominik Fleitmann is thanked for sending the stalagmite data. We are grateful for anonymous referee comments. This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (grants 251287, 251441, 288083, 288267 and 292788). Funding Information: This study is a result of a series of fieldwork seasons and long-lasting laboratory activities greatly aided by the staff at the Natural Resources Institute Finland . Fieldwork carried out between 2012 and 2016 was assisted by Hannu Herva, Jari Hietanen, Esko Jaskari, Jari Jukkola, Tauno Luosuj{\"a}rvi, Raimo Pikkupeura, and Jouni Unga. We also thank the help in the joiner's workshops in Rovaniemi and Kolari by Pasi Aatsinki, Tarmo Aalto, Pekka N{\"a}rhi, Aarno Niva, Kuisma Ranta, Kullervo Ruotsalainen and Eero Siivola. Dominik Fleitmann is thanked for sending the stalagmite data. We are grateful for anonymous referee comments. This work was supported by the Academy of Finland (grants 251287 , 251441 , 288083 , 288267 and 292788 ). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 Elsevier Ltd",
year = "2019",
month = jan,
day = "15",
doi = "10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.11.031",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "204",
pages = "208--215",
journal = "Quaternary Science Reviews",
issn = "0277-3791",
publisher = "Elsevier Limited",
}