Climatic variability in the Late Copper Age: stable isotope fluctuation of prehistoric Unio pictorum (Unionidae) shells from Lake Balaton (Hungary) |
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Authors: | Gabriella Sch?ll-Barna Attila Demény Gábor Serlegi Szilvia Fábián Pál Sümegi István Fórizs Bernadett Bajnóczi |
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Affiliation: | (1) Institute for Geochemical Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Buda?rsi str 45, 1112 Budapest, Hungary;(2) Archaeological Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, ?ri str 49, 1014 Budapest, Hungary;(3) Field Service for Cultural Heritage, Dugovics sq 13-17, 1036 Budapest, Hungary;(4) Department of Geology and Paleontology, University of Szeged, Egyetem str 2, 6722 Szeged, Hungary; |
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Abstract: | Geochemical records of bivalve shells have been increasingly studied in the last decade to obtain information on climate conditions.
In this paper we present stable isotope compositions of living and prehistoric shells of freshwater mussels (Unionidae) and
their relationships with climate conditions in a shallow lake environment of Lake Balaton, West-Central Hungary. Physical
conditions and stable oxygen isotope compositions of lake water samples were monitored where living bivalves were collected.
Comparisons between seasonal variations in ambient temperature, water composition and within-shell isotopic variations indicate
that the shells of Unio pictorum do reflect local changes at high resolution and thus can be used to study past conditions. Additionally, shells covering
the last two decades were gathered at several locations along the lake in order to determine spatial and temporal variations
in the shells’ isotopic compositions as a function of weather conditions. As an application, prehistoric shells collected
in archaeological excavations were analysed in order to study past environmental variations. Climate variations during the
Late Copper Age (5460–4870 cal. yr BP) have been assumed on the basis of geomorphological and archaeozoological observations
at the site Balatonkeresztúr-Réti-dűlő (south of Lake Balaton), that suggested increasing humidity as a cause of changes in
settlement location and domestic livestock husbandry. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of prehistoric bivalve
shells were analyzed from excavations representing five archaeological subphases (Boleráz subphase, 5460–5310 cal. yr BP;
two transitional subphases around 5310 cal. yr BP; Early Classic subphase, 5310–5060 cal. yr BP; Late Classic subphase, 5040–4870 cal.
yr BP). The analyses revealed significant negative C and O isotope shifts in the transitional subphases relative to the earlier
and later subphases. The isotopic variations indicate that the local climate became relatively wet and possibly cold around
5310 cal. yr BP, then it returned to drier (and likely warmer) conditions during the Classic subphases. This interpretation
is in agreement with previous studies on climate changes related to the “5.3 ky event” in the European continental area and
the North Atlantic Region, indicating an Atlantic influence in the Carpathian Basin. |
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