Published Case Studies using the Archaeoclimatology MCM

Highlighted countried have published Archaeoclimatology MCM analyses
(Note: models are available for far far more countries)

Numerous publications have demonstrated the utility of the MCM for archaeological questions, as well as the accuracy of the model when compared to existing field data and climate proxies.  These include

• Impact of drought on the decline of Mycenae (Bryson, et al. 1974) and in ad fourth century Spain (Bryson 2004)

• Cultural and enviromental changes in the Arica region of Chile (Ramirez de Bryson, et al. 2001)

• Rainfall patterns in the Sahara (Bryson 1992; R. A. Bryson and R. U. Bryson 1997c)

• Modeled flood levels of the Nile and Jordan Rivers (R. A. Bryson and R. U. Bryson 1997b; Bryson and Bryson 1998), which compared favorably with Hassan’s (1985) reconstruction of lake levels and cultural events in Egypt for the past 9000 years

• Monsoon history and variation in Africa (Bryson 1992), Asia (Bryson 1997; Bryson and Bryson 2000), the Near East (R. A. Bryson and R. U. Bryson 1997b; Bryson and Bryson 1999; Bryson and Bryson 1998), and India (Bryson 1989)

• Movement of ecotones across Iowa (R. A. Bryson and R. U. Bryson 1997a) and the eastern Mohave Desert in California (Ramirez and Bryson 1996)

• Strong correlations between modeled climate and cultural stages in the Northern Plains of the US (Bryson 2003) and in the Pacific Northwest (R. U. Bryson and R. A. Bryson 1997)

Additionally, a comparative analysis of field data and the modeled results of several GCMs and the MCM demonstrated that the MCM had comparable, if not more successful, results (Ruter, et al. 2004).

A wide variety of case studies from many regions of the globe are included in A Paleoclimatology Workbook, edited by Bryson and DeWall (2007a), which is available for purchase online. 

For a full listing of all published case studies (including conference papers and presentations), please click here.

Please see the publications link for complete bibliographic information.

Many case studies using the Archaeoclimatology MCM have been presented at professional conferences and public lectures. A selection of these presentations and posters are also available online. Citations for these and other presentations, posters, and lectures, can be found on the publications page.

• Modeling the History of the Great Rivers of the World (Bryson, et al 2006). Download powerpoint presentation.

• The Modeled Discharge of the Mississippi during the Holocene (McEnaney, et al 2006). Download jpg version of the poster.

• The Modeled Holocene Discharge of the Danube (Ruter and Bryson 2006). Download jpg version of the poster.

• Some of the Many Applications of Archaeoclimatology (McEnaney and Bryson 2005). Download powerpoint presentation.

• Atlases of Archaeoclimatology: Spatial Interpolations of Model Output (McEnaney 2005). Download powerpoint presentation.