varve
varve [Ge].Laminated lake sediment showing alternating layers of coarse and fine mud laid down over the course of a single year as a result of seasonal fluctuations in the sediment load of water courses emptying into the lake. The kind of sediment depends on the proximity of glaciers and local climatic conditions. Varved sediments typically preserve excellent environmental sequences providing palaeoenvironmental contexts for local archaeological sites, including evidence for progressive changes in vegetation, forest fires, and the effects of human communities on soil erosion and run-off regimes within the catchment. Varves provide high-quality geochronological resolution to the environmental data through VARVE ANALYSIS.
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