Absolute geomagnetic field intensity in Georgia during the past 6 millennia

Abstract

We present new archaeointensity data from Georgia from ca. 3000 BCE to 1500 CE. Forty-eight potsherds and fired clays were subjected to Thellier-type paleointensity experiment using the IZZI protocol (Tauxe and Staudigel, 2004) with routine pTRM check. We observed an excellent agreement between samples collected from the same site, supporting the precision of the paleointensity working methodology. The new archeointensity data obtained in this study clarify some issue regarding the high variability period in Georgia. The results show a significantly high field maximum at 900 BCE, with VADM of about 160 ZAm2, bounded by two low field minima around 1250 BCE and 400 BCE, with VADM of less than 60 ZAm2.