Anthropogenic soils in Yaroslavl (Central Russia): History, development, and landscape reconstruction

Abstract

The town of Yaroslavl is located in Central Russia about 280 km N–E of Moscow. The Russian prince Yaroslav the Wise founded the town about 1000 years ago and gave his name to it. The goal for archaeological and paleopedological research was to reconstruct the history of the place from the very beginning of anthropogenic impact. Several buried soils and cultural layers were studied using morphological, chemical, physical, microbiomorphic, and radiocarbon analyses. Two ancient ramparts were excavated in the central part of the modern town.The results of paleoanthropogenic soils study in Yaroslavl allow reconstruction of the early history of the locality. Initially, the area was characterized by typical podzols supporting coniferous forests. Following the first stage of anthropogenic impact (cutting of forests, ploughing), new agricultural soils formed here. After that there was a period practically without any impact, and natural soil formation processes began.The second stage of anthropogenic activity started after approximately 250–350 years and a new ploughing horizon formed. Two ramparts were built one after another over that soil, which was thus covered over and preserved for history.The differences in the properties of soils from the site confirm that people arrived there over 1000 years ago (perhaps 300–400 years earlier) and that the town was built on soil that had already undergone several stages of cultivation. A long history produced different natural and cultural layers (subsoils) with specific properties in all stages of development (natural or artificial).