Pervasive Arctic lead pollution suggests substantial growth in medieval silver production modulated by plague, climate, and conflict
J. R. McConnell|Nathan Chellman|Andrew Wilson|Andreas Stohl|M. M. Arienzo|Sabine Eckhardt|Diedrich Fritzsche|Sepp Kipfstuhl|Thomas Opel|Philip Place|Jørgen Peder Steffensen
Significance Detailed lead pollution measurements in an array of 13 ice cores spanning nearly half the Arctic showed surprisingly similar temporal variability during past 2 millennia until Industrial Revolution. Lead increased by 250- to 300-fold from Early Middle Ages 1970s industrial peak, reflecting large-scale emissions changes ancient European silver production, recent fossil fuel burning, and other activities. Pronounced decadal-scale increases coincided with exploitation new mining districts, technology development, periods economic prosperity, while decreases climate disruptions, famines, major wars, plagues. Despite midlatitude abatement policies that reduced &gt;80% since 1970s, levels remain 60-fold higher than at start Ages.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen)|Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen)|PubMed Central|Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) (University of Oxford)|PubMed