Vertical profiles of the total organic carbon(TOC), total nitrogen(TN) , phosphorus, susceptibilities, elements and partical size were analyzed in a sh ort 137Cs-dated sediment core collected from Honghu Lake, China. The average sed imentation rate was 1.55 mm/a. The results indicated that trophic status of Hong hu Lake in the historical period had experienced three stages. Before 1840 the l ake was characterized with lower productivity, TOC was less than 9.92 g/kg; TN w as 0.902 to 1.24 g/kg. During about 1840—1950, population increased quickly, th ere was an obvious change in TOC with an average of 13.0 g/kg. Since 1950, human impacts have accelerated the lake eutrophication and nutrients enriched in the sediment with TOC of 21.7 to 93.1 g/kg, TN of 1.77 to 8.78 g/kg. The heavy metal concentration profiles presented similar distribution trends except Pb and Mn. The results from elements analyses indicated that Honghu Lake had not been pollu ted by heavy metals except lead.