Hydroclimatic changes in south-central China during the 4.2 ka event and their potential impacts on the development of Neolithic culture

• DOI: 10.1017/qua.2022.11
• Publication Date: 2022-05-12T10:43:46Z
• Authors: Tianli Wang; Dong Li; Xing Cheng; Jianghu Lan; R. Lawrence Edwards; Hai Cheng; Xingxing Liu; Gang Xue; Hai Xu; Le Ma; Jingjie Zang; Yaqin Wang; Yongli Gao; Ashish Sinha; Liangcheng Tan
• Keywords: Stalagmite; Pluvial; Indus; Demise; Human settlement

Abstract The 4.2 ka event is widely presumed to be a globally widespread aridity and has been linked several episodes of societal changes across the globe. Whether this climate impacted cultural development in south-central China remains uncertain due lack regional paleorainfall records. We present here stalagmite stable carbon isotope trace element–based reconstruction hydroclimatic conditions from China. Our data reveal sub–millennial scale (~5.6 4.3 ka) drying trend region followed by gradual transition wetter during (4.3–3.9 ka). Together with existing archaeological evidence, our suggest that drier before may have promoted Shijiahe culture, while pluvial adversely affected its settlements low-lying areas. While military conflicts Wangwan III culture accelerated collapse we joint effects region's topography also played important causal roles demise.