Age and palaeoenvironment of the enigmatic Arternian Interglacial - Evidence from the Muschelton at Voigtstedt/Hackelsberg (Thuringia, Central Germany)

The stratigraphic range of the recorded taxa, in combination with the palaeomagnetic reverse polarity and amino acid racemization studies, indicate an Early Pleistocene age for the Arternian Interglacial, within the range of MIS (marine isotope stages) 29-21 (c. 990-810 ka). In contrast to interpretations in former studies, our investigations of the Muschelton from Voigtstedt/Hackelsberg do not indicate subarctic climate prior to or following a clearly separated interglacial. As evidence for high summer temperatures was present throughout the Muschelton sequence, the changes between cold and temperate stages in the pollen record can be best explained by changes in continentality. This result confirms climatic inferences for pollen records of other Early and early Middle Pleistocene sites in Central Europe.