the megadrought at the end of the Late Bronze Age began approximately 3,200 years ago, it is now commonly referred to in scientific literature as the “3.2 ka BP event,” in which “ka” stands for “kilo-annum” (as in “thousand years”) and “BP” stands for “Before Present.” It is also sometimes more simply called the “3.2ka event” or, more elaborately, the “3.2 cal ka BP event” (where “cal” stands for “calibrated years,” referring to radiocarbon dating).
