Abstract
Abstract. From the mid-14th century CE onwards, extensive soil erosion, caused by intensive agricultural practices, has led to the destruction of landscape structures in Central Europe. In 2016, the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin investigated the colluvial deposits at the site of Gortz in western Brandenburg (Germany), which had accumulated on the lower slopes and were caused by the processes just mentioned. The mapping of each individual archaeological find made it possible to project all finds onto one profile running along the slope. Transformation of the finds' coordinates from profile view to plan view enabled the visualization in a Geographical Information System (GIS). The combination of adjacent strata into larger units using a pedological and sedimentological approach enabled an improved dating of colluvial deposits. In addition, the method facilitated the dating of historical water levels in the Beetzsee chain of lakes, which are part of the Havel river system. As a result, it could be demonstrated that substantial anthropogenic activity, such as clay quarrying and bank straightening, took place during the Late Slavic Period. An interlocking horizon of colluvial and lacustrine deposits indicates that the water level of the lake Oberer Beetzsee rose from a value under 29.4 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in the 11th/12th century CE to approximately 29.8 m a.s.l. in the 13th century CE. However, isolated flooding events during the 13th century CE can be recorded up to a height of 30.5 m a.s.l. A modern colluvial deposit of 1 m in thickness indicates an acute endangerment of the archaeological site by modern agriculture.
Highlights
Introduction and objectivesThe combination of archaeological and soilsedimentological investigations into erosion processes at archaeological sites enables reliable conclusions to be made about historical settlement phases and their paleoenvironmental context
Almost every anthropogenic activity phase leads to the formation of a colluvial deposit
If very little or no ceramics can be found for an epoch, this is an indication of an anthropogenic resting phase, i.e. a period in which no ceramics were used or relocated which could indicate less intensive human activity
Summary
Introduction and objectivesThe combination of archaeological and soilsedimentological investigations into erosion processes at archaeological sites enables reliable conclusions to be made about historical settlement phases and their paleoenvironmental context. Systematic field walking on sections of the site resulted in the collection of 7600 surface finds from 2.6 ha (Schenk, 2018). This accumulation can be seen as a clear indicator of the destruction of associated archaeological features. Erosion processes are not just the result of modern agriculture alone; rather, they are associated with many anthropogenic interventions in existing landscape structures since the Neolithic Age. The consequence of soil erosion is a shift of the topsoil from the upper slopes to the lower slopes and the foot of the slope and beyond. Almost every anthropogenic activity phase leads to the formation of a colluvial deposit. The terms activity and resting phase are used according to the definition of Bork (Bork et al, 1998)
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