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Terminal Pleistocene through mid-Holocene archaeological sites as paleoclimatic archives for the Peruvian coast

TitleTerminal Pleistocene through mid-Holocene archaeological sites as paleoclimatic archives for the Peruvian coast
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2003
AuthorsSandweiss, D.
JournalPalaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology
Volume194
Pagination23-40
AbstractAlong the Peruvian coast, standard paleoclimatic archives such as pollen cores or corals are absent or undeveloped. However, anthropogenic deposits offer paleoclimatic information for the last 13 000 years at temporal scales ranging from centennial for long-term records to seasonal for short-term records. This paper summarizesarchaeologicallybased paleoclimatic data for the Peruvian coast from the Terminal Pleistocene through the Middle Holocene. South of 12‡S, coastal waters have been cool temperate and terrestrial conditions have been hyperarid for the entire period. Between 8000 and 3600 cal BP, the highland precipitation supplying runoff to the south coast mayhave diminished sufficientlyto restrict human occupation of ephemeral streams. North of V10‡S, sea surface temperatures were warmer and seasonal precipitation may have been greater from prior to 13 000 to 5800 cal BP. From 9000 to 5800 cal BP, El Nin‹o was absent or veryinfrequent. After 5800 cal BP, the northern coastal waterscooled and El Nin‹o was present but with a lower frequencythan seen in the historical and instrumental record. El Niño frequencies in the modern and historical range were established V3000 cal BP. Cultural changes correlate temporally with these major climatic transitions.