SAMPLES taken stalagmites found in a Scottish cave show that climate change could have been the spur which brought down the Roman Empire and later created conditions for the Vikings to flourish in northern Europe.
Growth rings cut from rock formations in the Cave of the Roaring, near the River Loanan in Sutherland, show that a period of harsh winters occurred around 290AD to 500AD, corresponding with the decline of Rome.
The stalagmites, which contain a record of the weather from 1,000BC to the present day, also show a period of warm winters coinciding with the high age of the Vikings, 600AD to 900AD.
The cave has been described as a treasure trove by scientists, who say that the cold winters could be behind the great barbarian migrations which brought down the Roman Empire from the east.
Andy Baker, lead researcher of the Australian study, said: "Our research provides a climate context for the big human migration events in Europe and allows us to build a hypothesis about the impact of the environment on societal change."
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