Old trees reveal Late Antique Little Ice Age (LALIA) around 1,500 years ago

Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL ^ | February 8, 2016 | Ulf Buntgen

[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.

[SunkenCiv]

Studying old trees in the Altai mountains allowed reconstructing Eurasia summer temperatures over the last 2,000 years. (Photo: Vladimir S. Myglan

[SunkenCiv]

Tree-Ring Data Reveals Little Ice Age 1,500 Years Ago
http://archaeology.org/news/4137-160209-eurasia-summer-temperatures

[SubMareener]

A flash from the past!
https://youtu.be/dul_hYde0nk
Hide the Decline - Climategate

[SunkenCiv]

;’)

[Larry Lucido]

And not a single sport utility vehicle anywhere to be seen.

[Jimmy Valentine]

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.

[PIF]

Herds of man-made SUVs have taken over manipulating the world’s climate, just doing the job that volcanoes won’t do any more.

[blam]

The Dark Ages: Were They Darker Than We Imagined?

[SunkenCiv]

join or quit view topics view or post blog bookmark post new topic subscribe

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

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.

[Monkey Face]

Interesting, as usual!

Thanks!

[meadsjn]

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.

I'd guess that some years of extra cold would reduce crops in the more northern latitudes, thus necessitating the import from warmer climes.

[Sawdring]

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.

[SunkenCiv]

Buncha keywords, Justinian/s/plague, blackdeath, blackplague, yersiniapestis, maybe others, newest to oldest, duplicates out, year shown:

• Did famine worsen the Black Death? [2016]
• The Justinian Plague of 562 A.D. an Electromagnetic Drama? [2015]
• Plague Infected Humans Much Earlier Than Previously Thought [2015]
• The Mutant Genes Behind the Black Death [2015]
• Victims of the Great Plague 'discovered' at Liverpool Street station [2015]
• Peasant Revolt Hits London [2015]
• Rats reprieved as giant gerbils are blamed for the Black Death [2015]
• Want Something Creepy? Step Inside Europe's "Bone Churches" [2014]
• Is Ebola the Same Virus as the Black Death? Historical Similarities are Striking [2014]
• Experts: Ebola Outbreak, Black Death 'Plague' Spread From Africa as Viruses [2014]
• Was Ebola Behind the Black Death? [2014]
• Could the Black Death Actually Have Been an Ebola-like Virus? [2014]
• Europe goes back to the Middle Ages: Map shows how patchwork continent would look if every [2014]
• New study sheds light on survivors of the Black Death [2014]
• Retired army general wants Egypt's St. Catherine's Monastery demolished [2014]
• Historic Sinai monastery criticized as threat to Egypt's security [2014]
• Black Death skeletons unearthed by Crossrail project [2014]
• European genes altered by Black Death [2014]
• Black Death may have scuppered Roman Empire [2014]
• Plague decoded: Researchers link 2 of the most devastating pandemics in history [2014]
• Why Halley's Comet May Be Linked to Famine 1,500 Years Ago [2013]
• Mount Sinai monastery latest victim of Egypt's upheavals [2013]
• How The Bubonic Plague Actually Saved Europe In The 14th Century (Finance) [2013]
• Plague Helped Bring Down Roman Empire [2013]
• Mass grave in London reveals how volcano caused global catastrophe [2012]
• Black death DNA unravelled (Genetic code of 'mother' of deadly bubonic plague reassembled) [2011]
• Black Death Genetic Code "Built" [2011]
• Deadly Black Death bug hasn't changed, but we have [2011]
• Black Death Bacterium Identified: Genetic Analysis of Medieval Plague Skeletons... [2011]
• Fall of Rome Recorded in Trees [2011]
• BBC:Roman Rise, Fall 'Recorded in Trees' (Climate Change Led to Fall of Empire) BARF-A-GANZA! [2011]
• Climate Changes Linked to Fall of Roman Empire [2011]
• Cause of the big plague epidemic of Middle Ages identified [2010]
• GREAT CHASTISEMENT DURING MIDDLE AGES WAS FEROCIOUS SPREAD OF 'BLACK DEATH' [2009]
• Macedonia: Archaeological Excavations of Justiniana Prima Continue near Skopje [2009]
• Comet smashes triggered ancient famine [ March 536 AD ] [2009]
• Year in Review for Medievalists [2009]
• Study of ancient and modern plagues finds common features [2008]
• Scientists Discover Why Plague Is So Lethal [2008]
• Plague Victims Discovered After 1500 Years (Justinian) [2008]
• The Chances Of Surviving The Black Death [2008]
• Justinian 30, Factionists 10: The Nika Rebellion of AD 531 [Superbowl Warm-up] [2008]
• Black Death Targeted The Weak [2008]
• Clues to Black Plague's Fury in 650-Year-Old Skeletons [2008]
• Medieval DNA, Modern Medicine (Lessons From The Black Death) [2007]
• Black Death Casts A genetic Shadow Over England [2007]
• Lost documents shed light on Black Death [2007]
• British Historian Claims to Have Found the Temple Treasures [2006]
• An Empire's Epidemic (Justinian Plague) [2006]
• Europe's Chill Linked To Disease (Black Death Caused Little Ice Age?) [2006]
• How the 6th Century Church handled Sex Abuse (warning: graphic) [2005]
• The Black Plague and its descendants [2005]
• The Black Death and Its Descendents - (dangers & costs of environmental extremism) [2005]
• Medieval Plague May Explain Resistance to HIV [2005]
• Global Warming and Global Cooling are as Old as the Black Plague [2005]
• Black Death Mutant Gene Resists AIDS, Say Scientists (Virus) [2005]
• Bubonic Plague Traced To Ancient Egypt (Black Death) [2004]
• WERE THE DARK AGES REALLY DARK? [2002]
• The Dark Ages: Were They Darker Than We Imagined? [2002]
• Medieval Black Death Was Probably Not Bubonic Plague [2002]
• Black Death 'Was Not Plague' Say Experts [2002]

[tbw2]

Wonder if this is what brought down Rome for good.

[ZULU]

Climate is always changing.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Thanks!

[Jimmy Valentine]

Interesting thought. Byzantine influence was very strong in the Levant.

[Jimmy Valentine]

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.