Anthropogenic Layers Research Articles

Municipal Defensive Walls in Western Poland: The Example of Żagań

ABSTRACT Many relics of municipal fortifications are preserved in multiple cities in the Silesian — Lusatian region. Research works are mainly focused on area such a history, architecture or technical state, without correlation between these areas. The correct approach is to identify walls, or sections of them, as part of parallel, interdisciplinary research that covers the history and chronology of transformations, expansion phases, and their state of preservation which was also the primary and main goal of the research in case of Żagań municipal defensive walls. Thanks to architectural and archaeological analysis, it was possible to determine the chronology of the transformations and layers of the walls. Combining the results of the chronological analyses (C-14, dendrochronology) of wood samples from putlog holes with the results of architectural research allows hypotheses regarding the chronology of constructing objects to be confirmed or excluded. During the study it was found, that it is recommended to correlate the results of archaeological research conducted within the area of excavations next to the foundations of city walls with the results of the structural analyses of soil and water conditions. It is then possible to conduct a comparative analysis of the identified soil and anthropogenic layers. The correlation of architectural research in the field of the chronology of the construction of city walls with the results of the analyses of the cross-sectional deformation of their structure (based on 3D laser scanning) enables answers about the causes of the walls’ inclination to be obtained. The proposed algorithm for interdisciplinary cooperation in research of historical municipal walls is presented.

The Bronze Age occupation of the Black Sea coast of Georgia—New insights from settlement mounds of the Colchian plain

AbstractAlong the lower course of the Rioni and several minor rivers, more than 70 settlement mounds (local name: Dikhagudzuba) have been identified by field surveys and remote sensing techniques. They give evidence of a formerly densely populated landscape in the coastal lowlands on the Colchian plain (western Georgia) and have been dated to the Bronze Age. As yet, limited information is available on their internal architecture, the chronology of the different layers and their palaeoenvironmental context. Based on archaeological sources, remote sensing measurements of three mounds and sediment cores from one mound and its closer surroundings, our study presents a review of the relevant literature and reveals the internal structure, distribution and spatial extent of the mounds. Geochemical and sedimentological analyses of element contents (X‐ray fluorescence) and granulometry helped to identify different stratigraphical layers and differentiate between natural facies and anthropogenic deposits; using the Structure‐from‐Motion technique the mounds' dimensions were calculated. The studied settlement mounds had relatively small dimension (varying from 30 to 100 m in diameter) and were similar in their stratigraphy. Measurement of elements that can identify types of human activity, notably metals and phosphorus, suggest changing intensities of human occupation, pastoral agriculture and metalworking through the occupation sequence. According to the 14C chronology, the formation of the settlements occurred during the first half of the second millennium B.C., which confirms the archaeological interpretation of their Bronze Age origin. The narrow age difference between the lowermost and uppermost anthropogenic layers indicates an intentional construction of the mounds, rather than a successive accumulation of construction debris due to the disintegration of loam bricks by weathering. Therefore, they are indeed mounds and not tells. It is most likely that the characteristic circular moats that surround them were the source of their construction material. Fluvial and alluvial processes in a warm and humid climate dominated the environment of the mounds.

How can past sea level be evaluated from traces of anthropogenic layers in ancient saltpans?

Footprints of human activities identified in the sedimentary sequence of submerged historical saltpans can reveal the history of the site and can indicate the relative sea level during its operational period. Saltpans are man-made constructions used continuously for salt production in the Mediterranean at least for the last 2000 years. The east Adriatic coast contains many such submerged remains, preserved and well-dated by historical archives. Sedimentological, microfossil and geochemical analyses of the sediments from cores drilled in the saltwork area at Brbinj, Dugi Otok, Croatia, enable the reconstruction of various past environmental conditions. The current study aims to: a) identify the anthropogenic unit in the sedimentary sequence deposited over time, b) determine its age, and c) use it as past sea-level limiting points. Basal units made of terra rossa soil materials were identified in the sedimentary records. These layers are located -120 ±7 cm below mean sea level next to the separation wall and -125 ±7 cm and -135 ±7 cm, respectively, in the inner pools, most likely representing a man-made pavement. The terra rossa layer is overlaid by a unit rich in faunal remains dominated by euryhaline foraminifera and ostracod species such as Ammonia veneta and Cyprideis torosa, representing the saltworks unit. The flooding of the saltpans by the rising sea is manifested by the deposition of an upper sedimentary unit dominated by remains of marine species. The base and the top of the saltwork unit are dated by Optically Stimulated Luminescence to 1040±50 CE and to 1390±30 CE, respectively. The study presents a new approach for obtaining footprints of human activities in ancient, submerged saltpans, by identifying and dating the indicative anthropogenic layers and using these for the reconstruction of paleo sea-level. The described method can be applied all around the Mediterranean.

Microarchaeological approach to underwater stratigraphy of submerged settlements: A case study of Atlit‐Yam Pre‐Pottery Neolithic site, off the Carmel Coast, Israel

AbstractThe investigation of submerged archaeological sites faces numerous logistical challenges in the recovery of stratigraphic sequences and, as a result, is often restricted to surface deposits limiting the application of geoarchaeology. This paper outlines a new integrated field and microanalytical methodological protocol to investigate deep stratigraphic sequences (up to 2 m) within the submerged Pre‐Pottery Neolithic (PPN) site of Atlit‐Yam (9267–7970 cal. B.P. [calibrated years before the present]). A new coring method for the extraction of deep underwater stratigraphy was developed to extract three cores: two between architectural remains within the site and one outside the site. The cores were analysed using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, phytolith and pollen analysis and archaeological micromorphology to detect anthropogenic signals and undertake paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Our results indicate anthropogenic evidence at 95 cm depth based on the presence of heat‐altered sediments, high phytolith concentrations and micromorphological observations of archaeological remains. Radiocarbon analysis indicates the oldest anthropogenic layers date to the Mid Pre‐Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) and Late PPNB (9859–9323 cal. B.P.), bearing implications for reassessing the emergence of the first coastal Neolithic villages in the Mediterranean. Our integrated field and multiproxy micro‐geoarchaeological protocol offers a new approach to detecting and studying submerged archaeological sites worldwide.

Geo- and ethnoarchaeological investigations of a cave in the Northern Zagros Mountains (Ashkawta Rash, Iraqi Kurdistan)

Ashkawta Rash Cave was investigated in two short excavation campaigns in 2018 and 2021. Hundreds of anthropogenic layers testify to the use of the cave over the last three millennia. In this article, we combine ethnoarchaeological and measurement technology related issues with the excavation results. After reviewing the archaeological and ethnographical literature we describe various economic practices, such as the stockpiling of dairy products, which can be demonstrated or at least made probable in the cave and its immediate surroundings. We catalogue different uses of the cave and date them wherever possible. Furthermore we describe general modes of cave use within the pastoral economy of northern Zagros, namely the phases of site formation with deposition and accumulation, followed by systematical removal of cave sediments and cultural layers. Grazing initially brings considerable amounts of material into the cave, then these layers, several metres thick, are removed again and again. As a result, future investigations can identify from remote wheter caves in the area yield potential undisturbed strata sequences or not. At the same time, this recognises an important process in the formation of the specific cultural landscape.

Chemical Composition of Tissues of Syringa vulgaris L. and Soil Features in Abandoned Cemeteries

Abandoned anthropogenic sites are transformed when they come into use. In the present study, such objects were abandoned Evangelical cemeteries located in the Land of the Great Mazurian Lakes (northern Poland). This study aims to compare the concentrations of selected major (Ca, Na, Mg, Al, Fe) and potentially toxic elements (Zn, Cd, Pb) in the roots, leaves, and branches of Syringa vulgaris and buried necrosols and unburied soils in which this species grows. The soils analysed differ in their profile structure; in the case of burial necrosols, anthropogenic layers are present, while Brunic Arenosol has a natural horizon arrangement. Regarding pH, the soils analysed are characterised in the weakly acidic (6.6–6.8) to alkaline (7.2–8.6) range, both in KCl and H2O. Total phosphorus has high values in the humus and anthropogenic horizons, especially at coffin sites (Rudówka Mała: layer of Ccoffin—759 mg∙kg−1; Szymonka—844 mg∙kg−1). Necrosols are characterised by a slightly higher variation in major element content than soils outside the burial area. The highest elemental content in Syringa vulgaris is accumulated in leaves and roots. Potassium (K) has the highest content in the studied tissues, and cadmium (Cd) is the lowest. The study showed no significant differences in heavy metal accumulation for plants directly associated with necrosols and soils formed outside of burials, which is confirmed by analyses of environmental indicators. The study showed that plant chemistry is more influenced by the soil substrate and soil-forming process than the soil anthropogenisation associated with burials. There was no significant effect of burials on the chemical composition of individual parts of Syringa vulgaris.

Palaeoflood level reconstructions in a lowland setting from urban archaeological stratigraphy, Rhine river delta, the Netherlands

Reconstructing water levels reached during past floods contributes to fluvial system understanding and flood risk assessments. For methodological restrictions, this type of research is usually conducted in confined valley settings. In this study, we expand upon that geomorphological context by reconstructing extreme flood levels in a lowland delta setting. We used the archaeological stratigraphy of medieval river cities in the Rhine delta to determine water levels for the largest historic flood in the year 1374. We obtained minimum estimates by identifying thin fluvial deposits interbedded with anthropogenic layers, and further constrained peak flood levels using fourteenth-century raised ground layers directly overlying these deposits. First, we tested the proposed method for extracting flood levels from urban archaeological stratigraphy in the city of Arnhem. Then, we complemented those results with archaeological and historical data in other cities to arrive at a complete overview for the Rhine delta. This overview shows that the 1374 flood levels exceed the highest levels in the instrumental record along the northern distributary (IJssel river), but not along the western distributaries in the central delta (Nederrijn and Waal rivers). This pattern is explained by changes in the discharge division over the different river branches and by the rise of embankments since late medieval times, which considerably decreased the flooded area. Thus, this study demonstrates not only the potential of palaeoflood reconstructions in lowland floodplain settings, but also the pitfalls, resulting from spatially complex flooding patterns and anthropogenic terrain modifications.

Geomechanical characteristics of smelting slag from the depot in Bor

During the geotechnical research at the RTH flotation tailing dump in Bor, the environment representing the so - called "anthropogenic layers" of smelting slag was singled out in the engineering geological materials of the field. It is a petrified, semi-metallic material, which forms layers in the field or is spread in a loose state. This paper presents the results of geomechanical and chemical tests, as well as the SEM analysis of samples of this material.

ЛИТОРИНОВЫЕ ОТЛОЖЕНИЯ КАК ПРИРОДНЫЙ СУБСТРАТ ГОРОДСКИХ ПОЧВ САНКТ-ПЕТЕРБУРГА

A number of urban soils of St. Petersburg on the Littorina terrace were studied. рНН2О, the carbon content of organic compounds, СаСО3 , and mobile phosphorus compounds, particle size distribution, and the content of heavy metals (HM) — Pb, Cu, Zn were determined in soils according to common methods. The studied soils were alkaline, had an increased content of mobile phosphorus compounds, and were contaminated with HM. HM concentrations varied depending on the history of land use, reflected in the structure of the anthropogenic layers. Natural Littorina deposits commonly were found under anthropogenic layers at a depth of 150–190 cm, and were also present as fine earth material in the urbic horizons. Littorina deposits occurring in the lower part of the soil profile are not contaminated with HMs and can serve as a comparison standard for assessing the degree of contamination of surface horizons.

Identification of buried historical mineshaft using ground-penetrating radar

Buried historical mineshafts constitute significant sinkhole hazards and sources of geotechnical risks. The locations of buried mineshafts on old mining maps are prone to inaccuracies. An efficient way to limit these inaccuracies is to use geophysical methods. However, their effectiveness strongly depends on the local survey conditions.The aim of the study was to identify the buried 14th century Wielki mineshaft in Bochnia Salt Mine, a UNESCO Worldwide Heritage Site, Poland. The need to locate this shaft was due to the following reasons. Firstly, the Bochnia Salt Mine had difficulties with water flowing into the workings from the supposed location of the Wielki mineshaft. The shaft area was one of the most waterlogged in the salt mine's terrain. An urgent task was to determine the shaft's exact location to implement a waterproof barrier to protect the historic mine workings. Secondly, the modernisation of the market square in Bochnia required clarification of the location of the Wielki mineshaft and checking as to whether it posed a sinkhole hazard to the terrain surface. Another important reason for locating the medieval shaft was its archaeological value.A ground surface and borehole ground-penetrating radar (GPR) study and geological-engineering recognition using boreholes were employed to indicate the location of the Wielki shaft. The anthropogenic layer of heterogeneous material and the urbanised site resulted in challenges with regard to detecting evident georadar anomalies. Several dozen intersecting GPR profiles were gathered in the research area using 250 MHz and 100 MHz antennae. The initial surface GPR results, indicative of the GPR anomaly, were consolidated by cored borehole investigation and a borehole GPR study. In particular, the presence of a void, loosened zones, and wooden fragments of the shaft lining was confirmed in the inclined control borehole. Following our classification of typical causes of the occurrence of sinkholes over buried mineshafts, the consolidation of backfill material in a mineshaft was determined as the cause of the sinkhole originated above the Wielki shaft (type B sinkhole). Destruction of the shaft's wooden cap may result in the occurrence of a sinkhole on the ground surface. Therefore, the void was backfilled and a hydraulic barrier was consequently made to stop the seepage of water into the Bochnia Salt Mine's historic workings.This case study demonstrates that surface and borehole GPR surveying integrated with borehole data offers the possibility of obtaining the high-resolution data needed to accurately locate an old buried mineshaft in an urbanised area. The GPR anomaly was indirectly detected on the basis of the deflection of the boundary between the natural ground and an anthropogenic layer with sufficient contrast in their electromagnetic properties. This approach can be useful wherever the georadar penetration range is limited by high attenuation and dispersiveness of the anthropogenic layer.

Revision excavations of the Upper Paleolithic site in Moravany nad Váhom-Podkovica (Slovak Republic)

The Paleolithic site in Moravany nad Váhom-Podkovica is located in the north-eastern part of the Moravian settlement area and is among the most famous Upper Paleolithic sites in Slovakia. It is a key site of the Willendorf-Kostenkian and the so-called shouldered Point Horizon in Central Europe. Despite decades of research, interest during the previous century and the numerous existing – but lost or scattered – collections, the context of the finds and the characteristics of the cultural layers remain almost unknown. Modern research methods and the absence of the relevant chrono-cultural classification of the assemblages led to reopening the field research. This research aims to review and reassess the results of older excavations, to identify the exact location of the site and the conditions of the preservation of the layers. The goal is also to collect new material suitable for multidisciplinary analysis and dating as most of the old collections have been scattered. The new excavations conducted at the site in 2016 and 2019 brought interesting results, such as a preserved anthropogenic layer with an evident structure filled with datable material. This article presents the methodology and the results of this work with a focus on the first mineralogical evaluations, the analysis of faunal remains and an overview of the stone industry.

The Mousterian loess sequence La Combette (France) and its chronological framework: A re-investigation

The La Combette rock-shelter, located in the Luberon mountains (Southern France), is an essential local archaeological discovery. The site comprises several Palaeolithic layers suggesting multiple phases of Mousterian occupation. The sediment sequence of c. 7 m thickness indicates rapid changes in the environmental conditions, which led to an abandonment of the site. While the first chronological studies were carried out in the late 1990s, in 2014, new sediment samples were taken for state-of-the-art luminescence-dating analyses using fine grain (4-11 µm) quartz and polymineral separates. Samples were taken from the loess-dominated upper archaeological levels A to D (upper main unit) as well as from the anthropogenic layer E, embedded in a fluvial context, and from the bottom deposits of the layer F/G. Here we present the obtained chronological dataset in conjunction with 24 so far unpublished thermoluminescence dating results from burnt flint artefacts from layers E and F/G. We combine and discuss our results against previous chronological datasets, which seem to be broadly confirmed by our new findings framing the sedimentation history of La Combette at 78.3 ka to 39.4 ka. In summary, it appears that the local environmental conditions were deeply impacted by the climatic changes during MIS 4/3. This caused rapid sediment influx that finally rendered the rock shelter uninhabitable as a potential refuge, until its re-discovery in the second half of the 20th century.

Geoarchaeological signatures of anthropogenic soils in southeastern Uruguay: Approaches to formation processes and spatial–temporal variability

AbstractThis contribution focuses on the interpretation of earthen mound formation processes in the lowlands of the Pampa biome, southeastern Uruguay, through the integrated analysis of sedimentological and archaeological data. The three analyzed mounds from the La Tapera site have different heights and radiocarbon chronologies, indicating different construction periods across the last 4000 years. In addition, soils from surrounding plains were analyzed to provide a comparative basis for geoarchaeological characterization. From granulometric, compositional, and geochemical results, we identified different soil classes and several anthropogenic layers inside the earthen structures. Mound soils stood out from the rest due to higher levels of P, soil organic matter (SOM), and micro‐artifact content, leading to their classification as hortic Anthroportic Udorthent soils or hortic‐cultural cumulic archaeo‐anthrosols. Geoarchaeological differences between mounds are inferred as variations in the formation processes and/or construction technologies, possibly related to the functionality and height of the structures. Evidence from this contribution demonstrated the existence of ancient ways to produce nutrient‐rich long‐lasting anthropogenic soils that left persistent geoarchaeological signatures on the landscape. These findings highlight the need to broaden the discussion, culturally and geographically, about the genesis and development of management practices and associated indigenous knowledge to include the lowlands of southeastern South America.

Stratigraphy and Chronology of Sodicho Rockshelter – A New Sedimentological Record of Past Environmental Changes and Human Settlement Phases in Southwestern Ethiopia

The preservation of archaeological remains and environmental information in a sediment accumulation can vary in caves and rockshelters, depending on external climatic conditions, and the circumstances within the shelter. Several sediment stratigraphies in the Horn of Africa are characterized by erosion layers, discordances and chronological gaps, that create uncertainties about the impact of climatic and environmental shifts on human settlements. Archaeological sites in Ethiopia that preserve information about human occupation during the Upper Pleistocene and Holocene often deal with major gaps during a period corresponding to MIS 2. In this study we present the first results of sedimentological, geochemical analyses and radiocarbon dating at Sodicho Rockshelter (1930 m above sea level) that provide evidence on high altitude settlement during this mentioned chronostratigraphic gap and subsequent time slices. This new archaeological site in the southwestern Ethiopian Highlands hosts a 2-m-long sediment record. So far, a stratigraphy has been excavated that dates back to ∼27 ka, including several settlement phases of Late Pleistocene and Holocene hunter-gatherers and providing information on environmental changes. A multiproxy approach was chosen to establish a first general stratigraphy of the site and to disentangle the sediment composition as well as site formation processes. The results suggest a variation of allochthonous and autochthonous geogenic deposits, and anthropogenic accumulation processes. With the help of radiocarbon dating, anthropogenic layers were dated covering the arid Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ∼21 ± 2 ka). The occupation phases were interrupted in cause of environmental changes. The most prominent is the accumulation of reddish, archaeological sterile deposits that can be chronologically associated with the African Humid Period (AHP, ∼15–5 ka BP). Geochemical records point to dry spells within this humid phase, suggesting correlations with regional climate signals of lacustrine sediments. These sediment accumulations of past wet conditions are covered by alternating layers of Holocene volcanic fallout and sediments with preserved cultural material. Our study provides a preliminary impression of still poorly understood time periods of human occupation in the southwestern Ethiopian Highlands. The data obtained from Sodicho Rockshelter could validate the current state of knowledge and partially reduce the chronostratigraphic gap.

Application of different geophysical techniques to study Technosol developed on metallurgical wastes

AbstractResearch conducted in a municipal park in a small town located in the Province of Silesia (southern Poland) showed that the park vegetation was growing on a Technosol, formed on highly magnetic anthropogenic material. The metallurgical waste came from the local steel mill and foundry and creates a subsoil in a significant part of the municipal park. This waste is covered with an organic layer of approximately 10 cm. Utilizing specific magnetic and geoelectrical properties of the wastes, we proposed a unique combination of integrated geophysical measuring techniques including soil magnetometry, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) with varying unit electrode spacing, and electromagnetic profiling (EM) to assess continuity, thickness, and the depth of the anthropogenic layer of metallurgical wastes. The maximal thickness of the metallurgical wastes was identified in the western part of the studied area, and the same material was found in the eastern part of the park forming individual lenses or nests within 8 m deep zone in the area of a buried ravine where the historical railway line was located. The shallow ERT profiles (with unit electrode spacing 0.5 m) also revealed a thin layer of material with high resistivity (>500 Ωm). Thermomagnetic analyses have shown that the sources of the extremely high magnetic susceptibility of the wastes were magnetite and metallic iron (αFe). The detected high concentration of Fe and Mn was not accompanied by potentially toxic metals and, at relatively high pH values (6.5–9.0), does not constitute a significant ecological threat.

Рятівні археологічні дослідження у Краківському передмісті Львова

Results of rescuing archeological researches carried out by the expedition of SRC “Rescuing archaeological service” of IA of NAS of Ukraine led by N. Voitovych on the territory of building of private medical centre are presented at the article. During field season of 2013 archeological researches in Pidmurna Street, 5 were focused on the southern part of examined locality, where trench 2 with an area of 26.2 м² was dug. Through archeological researches remains of the foundation of Austrian building was discovered and also part of interior of basement (stone pavement) was found. In addition, wooden construction of residential use was discovered. It was destroyed in a fire in the second half of XVII century. A significant amount of mobile material in a good taphonomic condition was recorded in the infill of the building. It consisted of ceramic, glass and metal ware, tiles, metal products (stirrups, coins, crossbow arrowhead). At the southern wall of the trench, a cluster of wood was discovered, which served as a strengthening of the slope to prevent falling. The last one can be dated back to XVII–XVIII centuries. Another wooden construction was found in the cultural layers of XV–XVI centuries. It was also discovered anthropogenic layers that can be dated back from VIII century B.C. to XVIII–XIX centuries A. D. inclusively. Archaeological material, dated back from VIII century B.C. to XVIII century A. D. inclusively was found in the trench. It is established that the bedrock was found on the depth of 4.3–4.9 m, with a decrease to the north-eastern direction. A significant amount of mobile material was collected. The largest number of finds is represented by artifacts from Late Middle Ages (ceramic, glass and wooden ware, building ceramics, leather footwear, products made of metal), which indicates that population of the former Old Rus' suburbs not finished after the capture of Lviv by Kazimierz III and relocation of the city inside the walls, but on the contrary – obtained a new momentum to its further development, this time as a Krakow suburb of Lviv. Key words: Lviv, Pidmurna Street, archeological researches, wooden construction, ceramic ware, leather footwear, metal products.

Sentinel-1 Data for Underground Processes Recognition in Bucharest City, Romania

Urban areas are strongly influenced by the different processes affecting the underground and implicitly the terrestrial surface. Land subsidence can be one of the effects of the urban processes. The identification of the vulnerable areas of the city, prone to subsidence, can be of great help for a sustainable urban planning. Using Sentinel-1 data, by the PSI (persistent scatterer interferometry) technique, a vertical displacements map of Bucharest city has been prepared. It covers the time interval 2014–2018. Based on this map, several subsidence areas have been identified. One of them, holding a thick layer of debris from urban constructions, was analyzed in detail, on the basis of an accurate local geological model and by correlating the local displacements with the urban groundwater system hydraulic heads. The properties of the anthropogenic layer have been characterized by complementary geotechnical and hydrogeological studies. A dynamic instability pattern, highlighted by PSI results, has been put into evidence when related to this type of anthropogenic layer. This thick anthropogenic layer and its connections to the urban aquifer system have to be further analyzed, when the procedures of urban planning and design invoke constructive operations modifying the aquifer dynamics.

Assessment of elements mobility in anthropogenic layer of historical wastes related to glass production in Izera Mountains (SW Poland)

A geophysical survey conducted in the remote forest glade, located in the Izery Mountains (SW Poland), revealed the existence of an anthropogenic layer of historical glass wastes dumped in this area during the activity of a glass factory in the 18th and 19th centuries and domestic wastes dumped during the second part of the 20th century. The aim of the study was assessment of potential ecological risk related to the release of potentially toxic elements to the soil, groundwater and surface waters. The assessment was done on the base of classical geochemical analysis supported by calculation of environmental indices as well as on mobility of elements (leaching test and BCR sequential extraction). As an innovative aspect in the geostatistical interpretation of the data, some magnetic parameters (magnetic susceptibility-χ, χ/Fe ratio) were also used. It allowed for a better understanding of the relationship of PTEs with various forms of iron. The BCR sequential extraction found that among the PTEs, only Zn (up to 43%) was in a potentially mobile fraction probably occurring in ionic form, associated with iron oxides only by surface adsorption forces. The leaching has shown a slight increase in Zn and Cu content in the surface waters; however, it was not considered to be a real ecological threat because the pH of the waste material and soil cover is >6.0 and the scenario of a radical decrease in pH is rather unrealistic. The other PTEs were associated with more stable E2, E3 and E4 fractions. Zinc, similar to Ni, Co and Cu in waste samples, was highly correlated with magnetic parameters (χ and χ/Fe). It means that a considerable part of these metals was associated with ferrimagnetic iron oxides, although they can also occur in the form of inclusions in aluminosilicates and enclosed in glassy phases.

A technotypological analysis of the Ahmarian and Levantine Aurignacian assemblages from Manot Cave (area C) and the interrelation with site formation processes

For more than a century, prehistoric research has focused on cave sites and rock shelters, mostly because of good preservation of organic remains associated with stratified anthropogenic layers. Manot Cave in the Western Galilee, Israel offers the possibility of studying prehistoric assemblages in pristine condition because of the collapse of the cave entrance some 30 thousand years ago. Nine years of excavations have uncovered an Early Upper Paleolithic archaeological sequence. Area C, situated at the bottom of the talus, was exposed to fast and slow depositional and postdepositional processes affecting sediment accumulation. The central part of area C was selected for this study, as it was least disturbed. Following a technotypological analysis, and taking postdepositional processes into consideration, the assemblages were defined and assigned to the Levantine Aurignacian, and Ahmarian traditions. The two archaeological horizons are separated by a mixed horizon within which indicative artifacts of both traditions alternately appear. The Ahmarian assemblage, dated to 46–42 ka cal BP, fits within the northern Mediterranean Ahmarian sites, which technotypologically differs from and is currently dated earlier than the southern desert region Ahmarian sites. The main technotypological characteristics of the assemblage from the Levantine Aurignacian Horizon, dated to 38–34 ka cal BP, are comparable to those from Manot Cave area E layers V-VI, and Ksâr ‘Akil levels VII-VIII. Yet, several technotypological elements seem more compatible with the unnamed assemblage from Ksâr ‘Akil levels XI-XIII and possibly layer IX from area E.

Geoquímica de Terrenos Urbanos Modificados pela Humanidade e Serviços Ecossistêmicos (SE): o Caso de Santa Maria (RS, Brasil)

Human agency leaves several marks on the environment, which includes deep modifications on the geological surficial layers of the planet, including the formation of technogenic ground. In the last decades, urban expansion has been accompanied by an increase in the extension of degraded lands, which includes modifications in the ground by the introduction of anthropogenic materials and actions such as cutting, revolving and compaction, which affects ecosystem functions of these substrates. In Brazil, this process has intensified since the second half of the 20th Century. Thus, the objective of this work was to investigate the changes in the ground geochemical properties of the city of Santa Maria (RS) and how it may affect the possible ecosystem services provided by these soils. For this purpose, a morphological description of soil profiles to identify the existence of anthropogenic layers was carried out and laboratory tests were conducted to determine pHwater, pHKCl, Ca2, Mg2, K, Na, Al3, H+Al, Cu, Zn and calculation of S, Al% and V%. The results pointed out that there is an enormous variation of anthropogenic constituents in the material, which are capable of altering both the properties of the ground surficial layers as well as their functions and the provided ecosystem services.