A Holocene millennial-scale climatic cycle from a speleothem in Nahal Qanah Cave, Israel

Nahal Qanah Cave, located in the east Mediterranean region, has been inhabited by humans during several periods of the Holocene. These well-dated cultures are used here to establish the age of a speleothem growing over archaeological remains. d18O and d13C from a stalagmite through the last 6000 years display a 1000-2000-year cycle. Depleted d18O and d13C value correlate well with high Dead Sea levels and increased arboreal pollen, suggesting common climatic control affecting the entire region.