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The Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) is a preindustrial phase of pronounced natural climate variability with a core period from 1000 to 1200 CE. The paper presents a synthesis that integrates palaeotemperature records from the Greater Mediterranean Region encompassing the past 1,500 years based on multiproxy data from 79 published land and marine sites. MCA warming dominated the Western Mediterranean (Iberia, NW Africa) as well as the northern land areas of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean region. MCA cooling prevailed in the Canary Current Upwelling System, southern Levant, and some sea areas of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. Previous palaeoreconstructions suggest persistent positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO+) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO+) conditions during the MCA, while the Little Ice Age was dominated by an AMO− and NAO− regime. During the past 150 years, AMO+ conditions are typically associated with warming episodes in the Mediterranean area. A similar relationship appears to have also been established during the MCA as the majority of all Mediterranean land sites experienced warm climate conditions. In contrast, the NAO typically leads to a characteristic west‐east temperature dipole pattern in the basin, as documented for the last decades. During NAO+ conditions the Western Mediterranean is generally warm (and dry), while large parts of the Central and Eastern Mediterranean are cold. Similar trends seem to have been developed during the MCA when the NAO+ regime led to consistent warming in the Western Mediterranean, while a significant number of sites with MCA cooling existed in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean.

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We report high-resolution multi-proxy analyses (lithology, µXRF and magnetic susceptibility (MS)) of two short gravity sediment cores from the crater Lake Gölcük, southwest Turkey. Our results provide a detailed hydroclimatic record for the last ~290 years. Aided with factor analysis of µXRF data and 210 Pb and 137 Cs dating, our multi-proxy data show that the Lake Gölcük records documented a series of wet and dry periods between ~ 1730 (±71) and ~ 2018(±3) CE. Wet periods are evidenced by dark olive green mixed lithology (sandy, clay and silts) and high values in MS and log(Sr/Ca). On the other hand, dry periods are associated with light olive green clayey mud lithology and high values in log(Ca/K). We relate the wet periods to negative North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO-) and the dry periods to NAO+. Additionally, all wet periods are related with time of low solar activity and dry periods, except Dalton Minimum, are related with periods of high solar activity. Consequently, we suggest that hydroclimatic changes observed in the Lake Gölcük sedimentary records were caused by the influence of large scale atmospheric circulation and solar activity.

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A high-resolution multiproxy lake sediment dataset, comprising lithology, radiography, μXRF elemental, magnetic susceptibility (MS), δ13C, and δ18O measurements since ca. AD 400 is presented in this study. Changes in lithology, radiography, magnetic susceptibility (MS), δ13C, and δ18O reflect wet/dry climate periods, whereas variability in log(Ca/K) can reflect warm/cold climate periods. Analyses of the multiproxy results allow the distinction of several climate periods, which may be associated with climatic phenomena such as changes in North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and/or solar activity. The influence of NAO−/NAO+ (negative/positive) is suggested to be related with the southward/northward displacement of the storm tracks resulting from the NAO−/NAO+ phases. For solar activity, the influence is explained through a direct increase in solar heating leading to calcite precipitation. The Dark Ages Cold Period (DACP, AD 450–750) reflects cold-dry climate conditions at this site, indicative of a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO+) and low solar activity. The Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA, AD 950–1250) exhibits wet-dry-wet and warm-cold-warm climate conditions. The wet/dry periods likely are associated with NAO−/NAO+, respectively, and the warm/cold period may reflect relatively high/low solar activity. The Little Ice Age (LIA, AD 1400–1850) is characterized by dry and cold climate conditions, suggesting the influence of NAO+ and low solar activity. Comparison of the results of this study with local and regional results suggests a generally similar climate pattern, which is indicative of similar climate mechanisms. The contradictions can be associated with age-related uncertainties, orographic differences, and/or other regional teleconnections.