We are an NSF-funded collaboration among historians, geoscientists, hydrologists, and climate modelers.
This project began by examining the link between explosive volcanic eruptions and the annual Nile river summer flooding during the Ptolemaic period (305-20 BCE). Current work seeks to understand the connections between the hydrological cycle and human society in Egypt, the wider Mediterranean, and western Asia.
Publications
Explore our latest research on the intersections of climate, history, and society!
Journal of Ancient Judaism
Warfare, Shmittah – and Volcanic Forcing: a New Perspective on the Causes of Famine in Judea during the Maccabean Revolt
The importance to Jewish history and identity of the events of the 160s BCE cannot be overstated: the Maccabean Revolt against Seleucid rule laid the political groundwork for the emergence of the independent kingdom of Judea and set its ideological direction. Among the critical episodes of that decade mentioned in narrative sources are two famines said to have been so severe that they altered the course of the rebellion. These have been little examined heretofore; however, recently improved dating of atmospheric aerosol records derived from polar ice cores and geoscientific studies of the impacts of volcanic eruptions on climatic and social conditions provide a new lens through which the consecutive famines can be understood, supporting the contention that volcanic forcing of the environment was a significant contributory factor for both occurrences. In addition, this fresh perspective enables a reassessment of the textual sources concerning these seminal episodes of Judean history.
FEAtures
Take a look at our appearances in the news, on podcasts, for documentaries, and more!
Yale Peabody Museum
The Yale Nile Initiative gallery pictured here was installed for the March 2024 grand re-opening of the Yale Peabody Museum after its complete four-year renovation. The YNI exhibit is located prominently in the Central Gallery, a light-filled and welcoming space adjacent to the dinosaur hall and classroom spaces. The double-window display focuses on the research of Yale scientists and historians and their colleagues, and is a particular example of successful interdisciplinary research. The accompanying text is designed to be approachable by a broad audience: the museum has had over 300,000 visitors since its re-opening.
News
Stay in the loop of recent updates from our team!
Yale October Workshop
Supported by the 2025 Yale Planetary Solutions Seed Grant courtesy of the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions, the team is excited to host an in-person workshop in October!
The workshop is titled “Resilient Rivers: Historical Lessons for Climate Adaptation and Sustainable Governance”. Physical geography professor Mark Macklin of the University of Lincoln will serve as the keynote speaker.
This project builds on the Yale Nile Initiative to explore how ancient riverine societies adapted to extreme climate events. An intensive workshop will bring together historians, climate scientists, and regional experts—including African and Middle Eastern scholars—to extract actionable insights for modern climate resilience strategies.
science behind the project
Get familiar with the key climate concepts and techniques in our research!
YNI Lecture Series
The Yale Nile Initiative Lecture Series brings together some of the world’s leading experts on climate proxies, hydrology, volcanic forcing, climate modeling, ice core geochemistry, and the history of Egyptian and other pre-modern societies.
YNI exists in a unique space of environmental humanities and paleoclimatology—building upon and expanding prior research in the fields. Background in both the scientific and historical forces that shape our work are equally as important and critical.
Contact us
Reach out to connect or collaborate with our team!
We can also be reached at nileclimateproject@gmail.com