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Exceptional secular variation recorded in Neolithic hearths, Orkney and Swedish lake sediments

Suttie, Neil LU orcid ; Harris, Sam ; Batt, Catherine M. ; Nilsson, Andreas LU ; Snowball, Ian LU ; Card, Nick and Outram, Zoe (2025) In Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors 366.
Abstract

Geomagnetic field models constrained by direct observations extend back some 400 years and the magnitude of decadal to centennial variations that they display is often assumed to be typical of the secular variation over longer timescales. Here we present archaeomagnetic directions from layered Neolithic hearths in Orkney, dating to around 3000 BCE, that challenge this assumption. Combining stratigraphic controls with radiocarbon dates allows for a precise chronology, which, in turn, implies directional change of more than 12°/century lasting for 200 years, far in excess of anything seen at this latitude over the era of historical observations. These archaeomagnetic data are complemented by similarly rapid changes in inclination recorded... (More)

Geomagnetic field models constrained by direct observations extend back some 400 years and the magnitude of decadal to centennial variations that they display is often assumed to be typical of the secular variation over longer timescales. Here we present archaeomagnetic directions from layered Neolithic hearths in Orkney, dating to around 3000 BCE, that challenge this assumption. Combining stratigraphic controls with radiocarbon dates allows for a precise chronology, which, in turn, implies directional change of more than 12°/century lasting for 200 years, far in excess of anything seen at this latitude over the era of historical observations. These archaeomagnetic data are complemented by similarly rapid changes in inclination recorded in two high temporal resolution sediment cores from Kälksjön, Sweden. As well as raising the possibility of using archaeomagnetic dating within this important archaeological period, the new data pose questions regarding our understanding of the secular variation, the limitations of the historic field as a proxy for the past, and the underlying dynamical processes within the core. This research highlights the importance of archaeology to the wider scientific community and the potential of archaeological material to further our understanding of Earth processes.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Archaeomagnetism, Lake sediments, Secular variation
in
Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors
volume
366
article number
107412
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105008310497
ISSN
0031-9201
DOI
10.1016/j.pepi.2025.107412
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3d0e61b8-732c-4fba-a64f-19028c90133b
date added to LUP
2025-11-04 12:50:46
date last changed
2025-11-04 16:16:46
@article{3d0e61b8-732c-4fba-a64f-19028c90133b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Geomagnetic field models constrained by direct observations extend back some 400 years and the magnitude of decadal to centennial variations that they display is often assumed to be typical of the secular variation over longer timescales. Here we present archaeomagnetic directions from layered Neolithic hearths in Orkney, dating to around 3000 BCE, that challenge this assumption. Combining stratigraphic controls with radiocarbon dates allows for a precise chronology, which, in turn, implies directional change of more than 12°/century lasting for 200 years, far in excess of anything seen at this latitude over the era of historical observations. These archaeomagnetic data are complemented by similarly rapid changes in inclination recorded in two high temporal resolution sediment cores from Kälksjön, Sweden. As well as raising the possibility of using archaeomagnetic dating within this important archaeological period, the new data pose questions regarding our understanding of the secular variation, the limitations of the historic field as a proxy for the past, and the underlying dynamical processes within the core. This research highlights the importance of archaeology to the wider scientific community and the potential of archaeological material to further our understanding of Earth processes.</p>}},
  author       = {{Suttie, Neil and Harris, Sam and Batt, Catherine M. and Nilsson, Andreas and Snowball, Ian and Card, Nick and Outram, Zoe}},
  issn         = {{0031-9201}},
  keywords     = {{Archaeomagnetism; Lake sediments; Secular variation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors}},
  title        = {{Exceptional secular variation recorded in Neolithic hearths, Orkney and Swedish lake sediments}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pepi.2025.107412}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.pepi.2025.107412}},
  volume       = {{366}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}