Climate change and the collapse of the Akkadian empire: Evidence from the deep sea

Research Article| April 01, 2000 Climate change and the collapse of the Akkadian empire: Evidence from the deep sea H. M. Cullen; H. M. Cullen 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P. B. deMenocal; P. B. deMenocal 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Hemming; S. Hemming 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar G. Hemming; G. Hemming 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar F. H. Brown; F. H. Brown 2University of Utah, Park City, Utah 84112, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar T. Guilderson; T. Guilderson 3Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar F. Sirocko F. Sirocko 4Institut für Geowissenschaften, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, 55099 Mainz, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information H. M. Cullen 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA P. B. deMenocal 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA S. Hemming 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA G. Hemming 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, New York 10964, USA F. H. Brown 2University of Utah, Park City, Utah 84112, USA T. Guilderson 3Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551, USA F. Sirocko 4Institut für Geowissenschaften, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, 55099 Mainz, Germany Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 26 Aug 1999 Revision Received: 21 Dec 1999 Accepted: 27 Jan 2000 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (2000) 28 (4): 379–382. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<379:CCATCO>2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 26 Aug 1999 Revision Received: 21 Dec 1999 Accepted: 27 Jan 2000 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation H. M. Cullen, P. B. deMenocal, S. Hemming, G. Hemming, F. H. Brown, T. Guilderson, F. Sirocko; Climate change and the collapse of the Akkadian empire: Evidence from the deep sea. Geology 2000;; 28 (4): 379–382. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<379:CCATCO>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Akkadian empire ruled Mesopotamia from the headwaters of the Tigris-Euphrates Rivers to the Persian Gulf during the late third millennium B.C. Archeological evidence has shown that this highly developed civilization collapsed abruptly near 4170 ± 150 calendar yr B.P., perhaps related to a shift to more arid conditions. Detailed paleoclimate records to test this assertion from Mesopotamia are rare, but changes in regional aridity are preserved in adjacent ocean basins. We document Holocene changes in regional aridity using mineralogic and geochemical analyses of a marine sediment core from the Gulf of Oman, which is directly downwind of Mesopotamian dust source areas and archeological sites. Our results document a very abrupt increase in eolian dust and Mesopotamian aridity, accelerator mass spectrometer radiocarbon dated to 4025 ± 125 calendar yr B.P., which persisted for ∼300 yr. Radiogenic (Nd and Sr) isotope analyses confirm that the observed increase in mineral dust was derived from Mesopotamian source areas. Geochemical correlation of volcanic ash shards between the archeological site and marine sediment record establishes a direct temporal link between Mesopotamian aridification and social collapse, implicating a sudden shift to more arid conditions as a key factor contributing to the collapse of the Akkadian empire. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.