Prado L. F. auteur aut IRD Wainer I. auteur aut IRD Chiessi C. M. auteur aut IRD Ledru Marie-Pierre auteur aut IRD Turcq Bruno auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access The mid-Holocene (6000 calibrated years before present) is a key period in palaeoclimatology because incoming summer insolation was lower than during the late Holocene in the Southern Hemisphere, whereas the opposite happened in the Northern Hemisphere. However, the effects of the decreased austral summer insolation over South American climate have been poorly discussed by palaeodata syntheses. In addition, only a few of the regional studies have characterised the mid-Holocene climate in South America through a multiproxy approach. Here, we present a multiproxy compilation of mid-Holocene palaeoclimate data for eastern South America. We compiled 120 palaeoclimatological datasets, which were published in 84 different papers. The palaeodata analysed here suggest a water deficit scenario in the majority of eastern South America during the mid-Holocene if compared to the late Holocene, with the exception of northeastern Brazil. Low mid-Holocene austral summer insolation caused a reduced land-sea temperature contrast and hence a weakened South American monsoon system circulation. This scenario is represented by a decrease in precipitation over the South Atlantic Convergence Zone area, saltier conditions along the South American continental margin, and lower lake levels. specialized AMERIQUE DU SUD 021 064 9 5 2117-2133 2013 1814-9324 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061273 10.5194/cp-9-2117-2013 1814-9324 [F B010061273] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010061273 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers18-01/010061273.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2013-12-23 2018-02-05 fdi:010061273 fre