Four　stalagmites　covering　the　last　7.0　ka　were　sampled　on　Socotra,　an　island　in　the　northern　Indian　Ocean　to　investigate　the　evolution　of　the　northeast　Indian　Ocean　Monsoon　(IOM)　since　the　mid　Holocene.　On　Socotra,　rain　is　delivered　at　the　start　of　the　southwest　IOM　in　May-June　and　at　the　start　of　the　northeast　IOM　from　September　to　December.　The　Haggeher　Mountains　act　as　a　barrier　forcing　precipitation　brought　by　the　northeast　winds　to　fall　preferentially　on　the　eastern　side　of　the　island,　where　the　studied　caves　are　located.　delta　O-18　and　delta　C-13　and　Mg/Ca　and　Sr/Ca　signals　in　the　stalagmites　reflect　precipitation　amounts　brought　by　the　northeast　winds.　For　stalagmite　STM6,　this　amount　effect　is　amplified　by　kinetic　effects　during　calcite　deposition.　Combined　interpretation　of　the　stalagmites＇　signals　suggest　a　weakening　of　the　northeast　precipitation　between　6.0　and　3.8　ka.　After　3.8　ka　precipitation　intensities　remain　constant　with　two　superimposed　drier　periods,　between　0　and　0.6　ka　and　from　2.2　to　3.8　ka.　No　link　can　be　established　with　Greenland　ice　cores　and　with　the　summer　IOM　variability.　In　contrast　to　the　stable　northeast　rainy　season　suggested　by　the　records　in　this　study,　speleothem　records　from　western　Socotra　indicate　a　wettening　of　the　southwest　rainy　season　on　Socotra　after　4.4　ka.　The　local　wettening　of　western　Socotra　could　relate　to　a　more　southerly　path　(more　over　the　Indian　Ocean)　taken　by　the　southwest　winds.　Stalagmite　STM5,　sampled　at　the　fringe　between　both　rain　areas　displays　intermediate　delta　O-18　values.　After　6.2　ka,　similar　precipitation　changes　are　seen　between　eastern　Socotra　and　northern　Oman　indicating　that　both　regions　are　affected　similarly　by　the　monsoon.　Different　palaeoclimatologic　records　from　the　Arabian　Peninsula　currently　located　outside　the　ITCZ　migration　pathway　display　an　abrupt　drying　around　6　ka　due　to　their　disconnection　from　the　southwest　rain　influence.　Records　that　are　nowadays　still　receiving　rain　by　the　southwest　winds,　suggest　a　more　gradual　drying　reflecting　the　weakening　of　the　southwest　monsoon.　(c)　2013　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.