Revision of the lateglacial Swedish varve chronology

Abstract

A survey of the revised lateglacial varve chronology is given. Almost all revisions are based on new, independent measurements not yet finished. Compared with the old time scale, the preliminary datings (calendar years ± a margin of error) of the ice margin retreat are ‘older’, mainly due to the fact that the postglacial varve chronology has been extended by 365 years. This implies that the so‐called zero year (sensu De Geer 1940: limit of late glacial and beginning of postglacial varve sedimentation). earlier estimated at 6,923 B.C. (Nilsson 1964), is now dated 7,288 B.C. According to the new time scale, deglaciation from Stockholm to the area of zero‐year formation in Indalsälven's valley lasted about 1,190 ± 40 years, compared with 1,073 years in De Geer's (1940) time scale or 1,092 in Jarnefors' (1963). Preliminary varve graph correlations, which are still very weak concerning the Fennoscandian moraine zone, indicate that the ice receded from Högsby, northwest of Kalmar at approximately 10,700+200−300 B.C. At localities just to the north of the Fennoscandian moraines, deglaciation started about 8,750+50−150 years B.C. according to the new varve measurements, and the ice front receded in southern Stockholm 8,470+40−140 B.C. Varve dating now gives older ages (calendar years) than 14C‐dating; about 200–400 years older regarding some ice margin positions in south Sweden.