The data consists of bulk elemental data (total organic carbon content; n = 360), bulk carbon isotope data (n = 368), organic geochemical data (lipid biomarker concentrations; n = 188), leaf wax hydrogen isotope data (n =15) and general circulation model output (including sea surface temperature, air temperature, run off, precipitation, evaporation, and the hydrogen isotopic composition of precipitation). Sediments were collected in January 2010 on IODP Expedition 318 Site 1356), located ~300 km off Wilkes Land, Antarctica (coordinates: 63°18.6138′ S, 135°59.9376′ E). In this study, we used samples deposited 948.96 and 998.1 meters below the sea floor (mbsf) and that span the earliest Eocene (54.4 to 51.5 million years ago). The data was used to reconstruct hydroclimate and organic carbon cycling during the early Eocene 'greenhouse' interval.