Ancient Arable Landscapes of Central Russia: Scale, Diagnostic Features, and Their Stability

Abstract

Estimations of the areas of inhabitancy and exploration allow us to say confidently that in areas inhabited by representatives of Dyakovo culture (Early Iron Age: the 5th century BC – the 5th century AD) there were no untouched natural landscapes; the whole area for miles around was undergone by regular cutting, burning, tilling, and some variety of economic activities. The extensive nature of land use in the Early Iron Age contributed to large-scale transformations affecting a large area. By their intensity these conversions were much more significant than it appears today. The use of geomorphological approach to determine the extent of ancient anthropogenic impacts makes it possible to attribute to anthropogenically transformed territories much larger areas in comparison with archaeologically defined areas. However, many signs of agrogenesis are reversible with time. After 500–600 years the diagnostics of ancient arable lands on soils of light granulometric composition is difficult. During that time the characteristic linear lower bound of the arable horizon disappears completely, the acidic composition of soil solutions is restored, the humus accumulative horizon is formed. The main indicators specific to agricultural soils are preserved only for biophile elements: gross phosphorous and nitrogen.