Alpine ice and the annual political economy of the Angevin Empire, from the death of Thomas Becket to Magna Carta, c. AD 1170-1216

High-resolution analysis of the ice core from Colle Gnifetti, Switzerland, allows yearly and sub-annual measurement of pollution for the period of highest lead production in the European Middle Ages, c. AD 1170-1220. Here, the authors use atmospheric circulation analysis and other geoarchaeological records to establish that Britain was the principal source of that lead pollution. The comparison of annual lead deposition at Colle Gnifetti displays a strong similarity to trends in lead production documented in the English historical accounts. This research provides unique new insight into the yearly political economy and environmental impact of the Angevin Empire of Kings Henry II, Richard the Lionheart and John. Keywords: Colle Gnifetti, Britain, Angevin, ice core, geoarchaeology, lead, silver, Pipe rolls
Introduction Twenty years ago, Brannvall et al. (1999) published the first high-resolution evidence demonstrating that the largest-scale lead pollution in Northern Europe prior to the modern era occurred between c. [...]