Coeval dry events in the central and eastern Mediterranean basin at 5.2 and 5.6ka recorded in Corchia (Italy) and Soreq caves (Israel) speleothems

Abstract

Soreq (Israel) and Corchia (central Italy) Caves are located 2500km far apart along the Mediterranean winter-storm track and are ideally suited for investigating past variations of winter rainfall in the Mediterranean region. Analyses of speleothem δ18O records from both caves for the period between ca. 7 to 4 ka BP show some striking similarities for the ca. 6 and 4ka interval, but lack agreement between ca. 7 to 6kaBP. Two prominent isotopic excursions, argued to reflect relatively drier conditions, are centred at ca. 5.6 and ca. 5.2 ka. The 5.2 ka event lasts less than a century, whereas the 5.6ka event extends from ca. 5.7 to 5.4 ka. A period of progressive drying is also apparent from c..