Posted on 02/10/2016 12:58:46 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Tree-ring measurements have revealed a period of extreme cold in Eurasia between 536 and around 660 CE. It coincides strikingly with the Justinian plague, migrations of peoples and political turmoil in both Europe and Asia...
WSL dendroclimatologist Ulf Buntgen and his fellow researchers were able for the first time to precisely reconstruct the summer temperatures in central Asia for the past 2,000 years. This was made possible by new tree-ring measurements from the Altai mountains in Russia. The results complement the climatological history of the European Alps, stretching back 2,500 years, that Buntgen and collaborators published in 2011 in the journal Science...
Tree-ring widths in old trees reflect the summer climate in any given year in the past. Looking at these, the researchers were particularly struck by a cold phase in the 6th century. It exhibited even lower temperatures, longer duration and larger expanse than the temperature drops in the Little Ice Age (13th to 19th centuries CE). "This was the most dramatic cooling in the Northern Hemisphere in the past 2,000 years," explains Buntgen...
In light of this, the researchers refer to the period from 536 to around 660 CE for the first time as the "Late Antique Little Ice Age" (LALIA). This was triggered by three major volcanic eruptions in 536, 540 and 547 CE[1], whose climatic impact was prolonged further by the retardant effect of the oceans and a minimum in solar activity.
According to the team of naturalists, historians and linguists, this period bore witness to a whole series of social upheavals. After famine, the Justinian plague established itself between 541 and 543 CE, killing millions of people in the centuries that followed and possibly contributing to the decline of the Eastern Roman Empire.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsl.ch ...
Studying old trees in the Altai mountains allowed reconstructing Eurasia summer temperatures over the last 2,000 years. (Photo: Vladimir S. Myglan
Tree-Ring Data Reveals Little Ice Age 1,500 Years Ago
http://archaeology.org/news/4137-160209-eurasia-summer-temperatures
A flash from the past!
https://youtu.be/dul_hYde0nk
Hide the Decline - Climategate
;’)
And not a single sport utility vehicle anywhere to be seen.
I am curious as to the connection between this cold period and the plague during Justinians reign. It is generally considered that the plague arrived from Egypt on grain ships.
Herds of man-made SUVs have taken over manipulating the world’s climate, just doing the job that volcanoes won’t do any more.
When this topic went up, I thought, 'should be quick and easy to post the related FR topic links' from our fine selection of black death and plague. Yow, this will take a while. Long, related keywords, robot #1 (not Marco Rubio) is processing it now, then robot #2 will work it over, then a couple of sorts and duplicate removals, and I'll do a hand edit.
Interesting, as usual!
Thanks!
I'd guess that some years of extra cold would reduce crops in the more northern latitudes, thus necessitating the import from warmer climes.
These scientists blame this on volcanoes and a solar minimum but if they would study thier history it would become clear it was God’s wrath due to monotheletism and iconoclasm.
Wonder if this is what brought down Rome for good.
Climate is always changing.
Thanks!
Interesting thought. Byzantine influence was very strong in the Levant.
Wonder if this is what brought down Rome for good.
No. It was the loss at the battle of Manzikert which empowered the Ottomans and the sacking of Constantinople by crusaders that fatally weakened Byzantium.
By the way, an excellent treatment of Byzantium on U Tube is John Romers Byzantium. Worth watching.
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