Four centuries of documentary sources concerning the sea level rise in Venice

Four centuries of written documentary sources concerning sea level rise (SLR) in Venice are analysed to complete the study of potential proxies. This literature has been useful to advance knowledge in history of science and to recover scientific data. Several case studies have been found and discussed, but only two had complete information to reach quantitative sea level values. The first one was reported by Manfredi (1732) and is representative of the 1500-1730 period. The second was by Zendrini (1821) who gave a benchmark in 1810. The results are compared with the multiproxy SLR reconstruction for the 1350-2016 period (Camuffo et al. 2017). Manfredi constitutes an independent verification of this multiproxy series.

Automated summary

Four centuries of written sources on sea level rise in Venice were analyzed to study potential proxies, with only two cases having complete information for quantitative sea level values. The study advanced knowledge in history of science and recovered scientific data, with Zendrini's case in 1821 providing a benchmark for sea level values. This research is also compared with a multiproxy sea level rise reconstruction for the 1350-2016 period.