Geoarchaeological Studies Research Articles

Geoarchaeological Study of Kyshkala During the 11th–15th centuries AD

Geoarchaeological Study of Kyshkala During the 11th–15th centuries AD

Hierarchical organization and skilled workforces for constructing the Tartessic earthen building at Casas del Turuñuelo (Guareña, Spain)

This article presents the results of the geoarchaeological study of earthen building materials used in a Tartessic public building at Casas del Turuñuelo. The construction dates back to the fifth century BCE and is one of the monumental buildings of Tartessic culture, characterized by its complex architecture, prestige goods, and intentional destruction after a feast and animal sacrifice. We applied an integrated methodology combining macro and micro approaches to investigate earthen construction processes, such as techniques, labour organization, workers’ specialization, and environmental exploitation. The sample mainly consists of mudbricks, but we also include other forms of earthen materials such as mud plasters, mud mortars, and geological soils for comparison. In total, 64 samples from different building parts were studied through X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, thin-section petrography, and CHN analyses. The results reveal that the workforce involved in the construction process used different resources and presented different skill levels, but was centrally planned and organized. This study reflects on the communities’ knowledge of the environment, the logistic effort and technical skill employed in the building process, and the existence of strong political structures capable of managing the erection of the complex Tartessic buildings.

Classification of geologic materials used in the Sukhothai Historical Park of Thailand using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer and petrographic analysis

The Sukhothai Historical Park, designated as a world heritage site in Thailand, encompasses the remnants of the Sukhothai Kingdom and serves as a valuable locus for geological and geoarchaeological investigations. Situated in the Sukhothai province, the region is characterized by diverse lithologies, including slate, phyllite, and laterite, as well as red bricks (synthetic materials), utilized in the construction of various ancient structures. Petrographic analysis using polarized light microscopy reveals the phyllites as the primary dimension stones, exhibiting foliated and mylonitic textures with small quartz augen. A portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer was employed for geochemical analysis and the analysis of major oxides and trace elements. The resulting data facilitated the classification of protoliths and comparison with rocks from an abandoned quarry near Saritphong Dam in the western part of the historical park. Notably, phyllites utilized in several prominent structures within the park; Wat Saphan Hin, Wat Pa Daeng 2, Wat Thap Sakae, Wat Chetuphon, Wat Sri Chum, and Wat Mangkorn Temples, exhibited similar characteristics to those in the Wat Khao Noi old quarry, as confirmed by Rubidium (Rb) and Strontium (Sr) values. The SiO2/Al2O3 and FeO/K2O ratios were pivotal in identifying the protoliths of the studied phyllites as shales. In summary, the primary dimension stones for Sukhothai Historical Park originated from the western mountain within the park, with laterites sourced from foothill areas. The presence of quartz pebbles in red bricks suggests local sediment utilization, and quartz additions were employed to enhance structural strength. This comprehensive geoarchaeological study sheds light on the geological composition of the Sukhothai Historical Park, providing valuable insights into the selection and utilization of construction materials in this historically significant site.

APPLICATION OF MICROBIOMORPHIC AND TOTAL PHOSPHORUS ANALYSES TO THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE SREDNY ZELENCHUK TEMPLE, NIZHNY ARKHYZ HILLFORT

The article presents the results of the first geoarchaeological study of the materials of Christian burials identified in the interior of the Middle Zelenchuk temple of the 10th century in the Nizhne-Arkhyz ancient settlement (Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia). The results of microbiomorphic (phytolith) and total phosphorus content analyses allowed us to reveal previously unknown features of the funeral rites of the multicultural and multi-ethnic Christian population of one of the largest cities of the North Caucasus in the Middle Ages. The differences in funerary practices between the 11th and 13th centuries became evident when studying even a small group of funerary complexes in which people of the same social group – representatives of the social elite of Western Alania – were buried. The geoarchaeological study showed an abundance of plant and animal organic matter in the burials. The complex analysis of archaeological materials and data obtained during the microbiomorphic study allowed us to conclude that members of the urban Christian community had several burial traditions: in stone boxes (tombs), in wooden frames, and a mixed ritual when a wooden structure was placed in a stone box. The presence of wooden bark particles in the burials seems to be related not so much to the material from which the burial structures were made as to the presence in the graves of bark or bast objects (bast caskets or boxes, birch bark amulets, toys, etc.). The tradition known from pagan Alanian burials of placing the head of the deceased on a “stone cushion” (more typical for male burials) was preserved in early Christian burials. In one of the four women’s graves studied, the analysis showed the presence of a “hay pillow.” Probably, before the burial, a ritual of washing the deceased was performed, as evidenced by the presence of diatoms and sponge spicules in the samples.

Anthropogenic structure emplacement and sediment transport at King Herod's harbour, Israel: ED-μXRF (Itrax) data and foraminifer Pararotalia calcariformata as proxies of coastal development over millennia

The construction of harbours along high energy nearshore environments, which commonly include the emplacement of hard structures both as central features (e.g., piers, jetties) as well as protective measures (e.g., wave breakers, coastal armouring), can alter coastlines in a multitude of ways. These include reconfiguring the coast's morphology, introducing or redistributing exogenous and endogenous materials, and changing localized environmental substrate and structural conditions; and, as a result, impact the associated ecological communities. With growing coastal populations and associated coastal development, concerns over the long-term consequences of such projects are of global interest. Caesarea Maritima, a large-scale, artificially constructed ancient harbour built between 21 and 10 BCE, provides a rare opportunity to address these impacts and investigate its fingerprint on the landscape over 2000 years. To approach this, representative sediment samples were isolated and analyzed from two sediment cores (C1, C2), an excavated trench (W), and a sample of ancient harbour construction material (aeolianite sandstone and hydraulic concrete; COF). Geochemical (Itrax μXRF, magnetic susceptibility) and foraminifera analyses were conducted and results from both methods were statistically grouped into significantly similar clusters. Results demonstrated the increased presence of aeolianite-associated elemental contributions only after the construction of Caesarea as well as in particularly high concentrations following previously proposed tsunami events, during which shallower and deeper materials would have been transported and redeposited. The foraminifera data shows the appearance and eventual abundance dominance of Pararotalia calcariformata as an indicator of coastal hardening. Results suggest that they are an especially well-suited species to demonstrate changing environmental conditions existing today. In previous studies, this species was mistakenly presented as a recent Lessepsian arrival from the Red Sea, when in fact it has had a long history as an epiphyte living on hardgrounds in the Mediterranean and co-existencing with humans and their harbour-building habits. Specimens of P. calcariformata, therefore, are useful indicators for the timing of harbour construction at Caesarea and may be used as rapid and cost-effective biostratigraphic indicators on sandy nearshore coastline in future geoarchaeological studies. This has implications for future studies along the Israeli coast, including both paleoenvironmental and modern ecological assessments.

Linking archaeology and paleoenvironment: Mid‐Holocene occupational sequences in the Varamin Plain (Iran)

AbstractEarly human habitation of the arid to semiarid Central Iranian Plateau was strongly connected to the availability of water and associated natural hazards, such as flooding and drought events. In this geoarchaeological study, we focus on the occupation at the prehistoric site of Ajor Pazi within the formerly active fluvial environment of the Varamin Plain. Through radiocarbon and luminescence‐dated sediment cross‐sections, we apply multivariate statistics to sedimentological characteristics of bulk samples collected during a rescue excavation in 2018. Based on facies interpretations, we differentiate depositional processes and present their implications for the environs of Ajor Pazi. Our results show evidence of settlement activities between 6.4 and 5.6 ka cal B.P. (4.4–3.6 ka cal. B.C.E.). Phases of reduced geomorphodynamics can be distinguished when soil‐forming processes take place. Our findings provide insights into the hitherto scarcely explored Transitional Chalcolithic II period during which the site of Ajor Pazi emerged and began to shape its environs.

СУЧАСНИЙ ТА ДАВНІЙ РЕЛЬЄФ ГЕОАРХЕОЛОГІЧНОЇ ПАМ'ЯТКИ МЕЖИРІЧ

Background. Comprehensive geoarchaeological studies of prehistoric and historic human settlements involve analyzing all components of the ancient natural environment, including topography and landforming processes. However, insufficient attention to documenting these crucial characteristics, as well as arbitrary use of geomorphological terms, complicates their further interpretation. The research aims to revise existing geomorphological descriptions and paleogeomorphological reconstructions of the Mezhyrich geoarchaeological site, refining and detailing its position within the modern and ancient land surface structure. Methods. The research was conducted using cartographic methods and decoding materials from aerial photography. Additionally, a thorough bibliographic analysis of scientific publications related to paleogeographical reconstructions of the study area was carried out. Results. Discrepancies have been identified in precisely determining the geomorphological context of this site. The study delves into contentious issues surrounding various approaches to numbering the floodplain terraces. These debates stem from the use of different stratigraphic schemes for Ukraine's Quaternary deposits when dating alluvium. Additionally, the debate extends to criteria for terrace numbering. Through the analysis of satellite imagery, hypsometric and geomorphological diagrams, and other geological-geomorphological materials, the contemporary geomorphological situation has been refined, and the peculiarities of the ancient terrain have been unearthed. The role of morphostructural position, the spectrum of processes, and the dynamics of morpholithogenesis have been pinpointed. Conclusions. The conducted research substantiates the pivotal role of terrain in the selection and organization of safe living spaces for ancient humans. To address the issue of linking the Mezhyrich geoarchaeological site to the terrace level, the proposal is to number the terraces based on morphological features, thereby avoiding divergent interpretations of the ages of correlated deposits and discrepancies in terrace designations. Furthermore, there is potential for utilizing the geomorphological information from the investigated Late Paleolithic settlement as a search criterion for locating other ancient human settlements under similar physiogeographic and geological-structural conditions.

Historical vertical ground movements in the Campi Flegrei volcano: A new transect across the caldera rim

This research focuses on a geoarchaeological study of the coastal sector extending from Fusaro coastal lake to Punta Pennata Islet, located in the western peripheral area of Campi Flegrei Caldera (Gulf of Pozzuoli, Italy), to reconstruct relative sea-level (RSL) oscillations and related vertical ground movements which have occurred since the Roman period. Campi Flegrei Caldera is characterized by sudden vertical ground movements of volcano-tectonic origin (i.e. bradyseismic crisis) which strongly modified the coastal landscape during the Holocene. Despite this, the area has been densely inhabited since the Greek-Roman times, preserving numerous traces of its ancient splendor. Part of these findings can be interpreted as high- or low- precision sea-level markers, helping in the reconstruction of the RSL change history. By using a multi-technique approach made of both direct and indirect surveys, the latter performed at the key-site of Punta Pennata through the use of an unmanned surface vessel prototype (ARGO), we investigated different archaeological sites with a twofold purpose. We reconstructed the RSL change of the study area during the last 2.1 ka and, by comparing the RSL data with site-specific geophysical models, we demonstrated that during the considered period the area went through five different evolutive phases characterized by an alternation of prevailing uplift, stability, and subsidence of volcano-tectonic origin, bringing the RSL from −4 and +5 m MSL, up to its current elevation. Moreover, by comparing the RSL data with the present-day sea level, we observed a differential overall subsidence of almost 1-m between the inner and outer sectors of the caldera at Miseno Cape. This validated the presence of a fault, crossing the promontory in an NNW-SSE direction, previously mentioned by other authors. Moreover, the integration of our data and historic sources enabled reconstructing the palaeo-environmental scenario of this area during the 1st century BC.

Searching for traces of human activity in earthen floor sequences: high-resolution geoarchaeological analyses at an Early Iron Age village in Central Iberia

The Northern Iberian Plateau during the Early Iron Age witnessed the proliferation of villages, showcasing well-preserved earthen architectural remains that offer valuable insights into past daily life practices. However, the application of high-resolution geoarchaeological approaches to these contexts has been largely overlooked, despite their significance in assessing complex sedimentary sequences predominantly composed of earth-based construction materials. This paper presents the outcomes of a microcontextual geoarchaeological study conducted on earthen dwellings from the Early Iron Age village of Cerro de San Vicente (Salamanca, Northern Iberia). Our study employed soil micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, XRD, and XRF analyses to investigate site formation processes, characterize construction materials and techniques, and explore aspects of daily life practices, functionality, and dwelling life histories. Our results have enabled the identification of three distinct construction layers within the dwellings, shedding light on recurrent events of floor use, maintenance, and repaving. Additionally, we have detected periods of abandonment and decay of the earth-based construction material that inform on the dynamics of abandonment and reuse within the village. Furthermore, our analysis has revealed the presence of well-preserved lipid biomarkers throughout the sequences, possibly associated with the past functionality of the dwellings. Ongoing and future analyses will further contribute to our understanding of ancient construction practices and the utilization of domestic spaces at Cerro de San Vicente. This study significantly enhances the limited availability of high-resolution, microcontextual data sets concerning Iron Age contexts in Iberia, underscoring the potential of our approach for future consolidation and advancement. By combining different geoarchaeological methodologies, we demonstrate the importance of integrating diverse analytical techniques to gain comprehensive insights into the socio-cultural dynamics of the Early Iron Age settlements.

Site Formation Histories and Context of Human Occupations at the Paleolithic Site of La Ferrassie (Dordogne, France)

The Paleolithic site of La Ferrassie (Dordogne, France) has contributed significantly to the understanding of Middle and Upper Paleolithic technocomplexes, as well as Neanderthal skeletal morphology. Excavations at the site have spanned more than a century and uncovered rich archaeological assemblages associated with the Mousterian, Châtelperronian, Aurignacian and Gravettian technocomplexes. Renewed excavations exposed a sequence spanning both Middle and Upper Paleolithic occupations in the Western Sector and low-density Mousterian deposits and Châtelperronian in the Northern Sector. Here, we report on an extensive geoarchaeological study of deposits at the western end of the site to reconstruct and interpret both the depositional history of the sediments and associated human occupations in this poorly documented part of La Ferrassie. Our results point to the nature of the site as originally a karstic cave, with the Western Sector located in what would have been the cave’s mouth. The stratigraphic sequence comprises first fluvial deposition (Phase I) followed by soliflucted deposits and accretion cones that emanate from an elevated platform situated several meters above the modern road next to the site (Phase II) and, finally, spatially restricted channeling (Phase III). Most archaeological assemblages are associated with Phase II and reflect an interplay between occupations directly in this area and bones and artifacts sliding down the slope from the upper platform. Unlike in the Western Sector, in the Northern Sector — situated along the north wall and several meters inside the footprint of the cave — cold features dominate the entirety of the sequence; we interpret these as being linked to microenvironments specific to this location of the karst rather than to general (external) climatic conditions. Relevant is the identification of patterned ground formation in this area, which can be clearly linked to the “monticule” features first reported by Capitan and Peyrony and erroneously interpreted as anthropogenic in origin. Our geoarchaeological results point to a large and complex karst system, with distinct depositional sources and often locally independent sedimentary histories throughout its extent. These formation pathways have differently impacted the main occupation areas and resulted in distinct degrees of preservation of the archaeological assemblages throughout the different areas of the site.

Exploring mudbrick architecture and its re-use in Artaxata, Armenia, during the 1st millennium BC. A multidisciplinary study of earthen architecture in the Armenian Highlands.

Mudbrick constructions are extremely common in ancient western Asia, including the 1st millennium structures of the southern Caucasus and Armenian highlands. However, in the Caucasus the geoarchaeological study of these materials to provide insight into building practices and social structure is a topic little researched, especially when focusing on the longue durée. Artashat/Artaxata (Ararat region, Armenia) was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of the Artaxiads, founded in the eighties of the 2nd century BC, but even before this the site was occupied in the Chalcolithic period, (ca. 5200-3500 BC), Early Iron Age (ca. 1200-900 BC) and in the Urartian period (ca. 800-600 BC) as well. All the previous occupation phases showed communities that made extensive use of earthen constructions as determined during past and recent archaeological excavations. This multidisciplinary study seeks to examine mudbrick architecture as a proxy for environmental and social interactions during the 1st millennium BC combining geoarchaeology, archaeobotany and building archaeology. We analyzed changes and continuities in architectural form and practices, alongside reconstruction of technological and social processes, to identify issues of raw material procurement, attestation of re-use, and consistency of building practices. The results of the geoarchaeological analysis of the earthen building materials used in different parts of the ancient city point to a re-use of materials over time.

A multiscalar and multiproxy geoarchaeological approach to site formation processes at the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic site of La Roche-à-Pierrot, Saint-Césaire, France

The site of La Roche-à-Pierrot in Saint-Césaire (Charente-Maritime, France) produced a succession of Mousterian, Châtelperronian and Aurignacian occupations, and continues to play a central role in debates concerning the Middle-to-Upper Palaeolithic transition. The source of controversy surrounding the site relates to ambiguities concerning the overall archaeological sequence, the cultural association of the human remains found at the site and the limited number of robust absolute dates. Here, we present the results of a multiscalar, multiproxy geoarchaeological investigation of the site's sedimentary sequence. Our study integrates geomorphology, field lithostratigraphy, microstratigraphy, geochemistry and absolute dating methods (radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence) designed to characterize site formation processes. We propose a site formation model involving the evolution of a karstified limestone cliff from a semi-closed system to an exposed slope deposit, with sediments at the base of the cliff accumulating under periglacial conditions of MIS3, broadly between ca. 59.9 ± 3.9 ka and ca. 37.7 ka. The lowermost Mousterian occupations took place in a semi-closed, sheltered space in which sedimentary rates were low, involving mainly cryoclastic roof spall and episodic percolation of fine-grained sediment. This depositional environment generated a Mousterian archaeological palimpsest in the proximal area and translocated downslope. Subsequent Mousterian, Châtelperronian and Aurignacian remains embedded within diamictons were deposited in an open-air context, on a sloping surface at the apex of a palaeotalus, and possibly above the site, at the top of the cliff. The resulting diachronous surfaces and immature deposits were subject to solifluction and slopewash, with low sedimentary rates. Our geoarchaeological study sheds new light on previously noted spatial inconsistencies in the archaeological sequence and constitutes a rigorous framework for further archaeological research at the site, highlighting the potential of a multiscalar, multiproxy site formation research to improve stratigraphic investigation of Palaeolithic sites in similar geomorphological contexts.

Reconstructing formation processes at the Canary Islands indigenous site of Belmaco Cave (La Palma, Spain) through a multiproxy geoarchaeological approach

AbstractThe indigenous populations of La Palma (Canary Islands), who arrived on the island from Northwest Africa ca. 2000 years B.P., were predominantly pastoralists. Yet, many aspects of their subsistence economy such as the procurement, management, and use of wild plant resources remain largely unknown. To explore this, we studied the 600–1100‐year‐old archaeological site of Belmaco Cave, which comprises a stratified sedimentary deposit representative of a fumier. Here, we present a high‐resolution, multiproxy geoarchaeological study combining soil micromorphology, lipid biomarker analysis, X‐ray diffraction, μ‐X‐ray diffraction, μ‐X‐ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and μ‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, to characterize formation processes and explore plant sources. Recurrent goat/sheep habitation and maintenance activities are represented by interstratified layers of unburned dung, charcoal‐rich sediment, and dung ash. Lipid biomarker data show a herd diet mainly composed of herbaceous plants, which is key to understanding the mobility of indigenous shepherds. Our results also revealed an unusual suite of authigenic minerals including hazenite, aragonite, and sylvite, possibly formed through diagenetic processes involving interaction between ash, dung, urine, volcanogenic components, and bacterial activity, coupled with arid and alkaline conditions. Our study shows the potential of a multiproxy approach to a fumier deposit in a volcanogenic sedimentary context.

Soil and spatial analyses in the assessment of the focal point of the extinct medieval royal burgh of Roxburgh

The ‘lost’ royal burgh of Roxburgh in the Scottish borders is arguably one of the most important archaeological settlement sites in Scotland of the medieval period. Although short-lived, being occupied as an urban centre for just around 300 years, in its heyday, it was a royal residence, jurisdictional and administrative seat, and regional focus of economic activity and international trade. Presently however, very little surviving above-ground trace remains of this once dynamic settlement. With a Scheduled Monument status (No. 4284), activity on-site is now restricted to prevent damage to the below-ground archaeology. This study explores the locale(s) of Roxburgh’s main thoroughfare in the Friars’ Haugh area during its occupation through the spatial analysis of soil data coupled with historical records and findings from past research studies. The aim of the study is two-fold; (1) to determine the viability in the investigation of archaeological landscapes of standard, relatively non-invasive low-cost analytical techniques applied in the study, as permissible on sites with Scheduled Monument status, (2) in synergy with previous geophysical, and geoarchaeological studies carried out on the site, provide new evidence and/or corroborate the existing knowledge base in advancing the discourse on the history and development of Roxburgh. The study area encompasses the putative location of the main street as identified in a previous study by GSB Prospection and Wessex Archaeology. Suites of soil markers (phosphorus concentration, magnetic susceptibility, organic carbon content, and soil pH), were used to demarcate zones of high to low activity through quantitative changes in the concentration and/or value of these markers. Potable optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analysis was used to investigate depositional history that revealed a progressive accumulation of materials of proximal origins, however, evidence of mixing of sediments is discernible. The spatial distribution of soil markers across the site shows two zones of substantial enhancement, revealing potentially a second thoroughfare on the west of the site (site B), in addition to the main thoroughfare on site A which overlaps with the site identified in previous studies.

Mesolithic hearth-pits and formation processes: a geoarchaeological investigation of sediments from El Arenal de la Virgen site (SE Iberia)

Hearth-pits are some of the most common archaeological features documented in open-air Mesolithic sites, especially in coversand areas of NW Europe. However, very few geoarchaeological studies have addressed their formation, function and relationship with occupation surfaces. This work introduces new interdisciplinary investigations on the sediments of the Mesolithic open-air site of El Arenal de la Virgen (SE Iberia). A selection of five hearth-pits from two different occupation phases (Phase 1: 9.3–9.1 cal ka BP and Phase 2: 8.6–8.3 cal ka BP) has been analysed using stratigraphy, texture, soil chemistry, micromorphology, petrography and OSL and TL analyses. Combustion traits of the carbonate rock assemblages preserved in the sediments of the hearth-pits have also been investigated and compared to reference and experimental data from local geogenic materials. Our results allowed us to discuss the anthropogenic origin and taphonomy of the hearth-pits studied and approach their function. The structures from Phase 1 are interpreted as a possible oven and a dumping feature linked to single/occasional use events. In contrast, for hearth-pits from Phase 2, we propose they were related to combustion and dwelling areas subject to recurrent occupation episodes and disturbance. Finally, our sedimentary and soil data revealed existing favourable paleoenvironmental conditions during the Mesolithic occupation of the site characterized by increased moisture, temperature and vegetation cover, in contrast to the Pleistocene and Middle Holocene periods pre- and post-dating the human settlement. This work highlights the potential of integrating geoarchaeological and contextual evidence to clarify the factors involved in the formation of hearth-pits and infer intra-site occupation patterns.

Choosing the site, getting the stones, building the dolmens: local sourcing of andesites at the El Pozuelo megalithic complex (Huelva, Spain)

The geoarchaeological study focuses on the lithological characterization and provenance determination of the rocks of the El Pozuelo dolmens. The difficulty of identifying volcanic rocks in the intensely altered and deformed environment of the Iberian Pyrite Belt has required the implementation of a research methodology combining the archaeological and geological analysis of the megaliths and the area surrounding the Los Llanetes group. A total of 29 thin sections and 14 geochemical analyses (ICP-AES, ICP-MS and REE) have been carried out on samples from the dolmens and potential source areas, focusing on the chemical elements considered immobile during alteration processes. The petrological analyses confirm the identification of different andesite lithotypes and enable us to correlate the rocks used in the construction of the megaliths with source areas and quarries located within a 50–350 m radius. Several patterns are observed in the selection of the rocks, based on the material, visual and symbolic properties of the different lithologies. Foliated andesite is the most common stone used in the monuments, due to its excellent physical properties and technological suitability for extraction and transformation into megalithic supports. Other types of andesite (sheared, massive and amphibole-phyric), white quartz, ferruginous agglomerate and gabbro were also used for different architectural purposes. The results confirm the importance of locally available suitable rocks in determining site location, raw material procurement and monument construction during the Late Neolithic.

Stratigraphic pattern of soil remnants, cultural and colluvial deposits in a small dry valley in the Viking settlement Hedeby, Northern Germany

This study aimed to identify spatial distribution of soil remnants, colluvial and cultural deposits in a small dry valley of the early medieval Viking settlement Hedeby; reconstruct factors of soil destruction and main phases of deposits formation. Hedeby (54° 29′ 27.77″ N, 9° 33′ 54.42″ E) is located approximately 40 km northwest of Kiel, Northern Germany, at the western shore of the lake Haddebyer Noor. The protected status of the settlement as a UNESCO heritage site predetermined the choice of a minimum-destructive technique of coring.The stratigraphy demonstrated that the main factors of soil destruction were surface erosion, incorporation of the soil horizon A into a cultural layer and extraction of soil material for earthwork formation such as construction of the semi-circular fortification rampart. Buried soil horizons were additionally mixed by active local bioturbation.Three periods of deposit formation were identified. The occurrence of soil erosion due to intensive deforestation in the earliest period of settlement erection was indicated by the deepest colluvial layer M1. During the Viking settlement period formation of the exposed colluvial layer M2 and cultural deposits must have been simultaneous but at different locations. After the Viking Age settlement period, the erosion was activated by agricultural land use in late medieval time. This was clearly seen in the central part of the valley, where cultural deposits were covered by colluvium.This study closes a gap in the long-term archaeological and geoarchaeological study of Hedeby, i.e. it contributes to the discussion of the relationship between human activity and landscape development in this significant settlement. Moreover, it brings new knowledge on the large-scale vision of the landscape transformation performed by Viking Age settlers.

Site formation process of the Dadong Paleolithic site in Jilin province, China: A geoarchaeological approach

The Dadong site, located in the Changbaishan region of Jilin province, China, is an important Upper Paleolithic site characterized by its large distribution area and abundant stone artifacts. This study presents a geoarchaeological study of a newly excavated area of this site. Soil micromorphology, particle size analysis, and pH measurements were used to reconstruct the site formation process from around 60 ka to the present. Additionally, this study examines the impact of volcanic eruptions and local geomorphology on ancient human adaptation in this area. This paper also investigates the effects of post-depositional processes, particularly freeze-thaw, on the distribution of lithics. This study is the first soil micromorphological study of a Paleolithic site in Northeast China, and is important for studying the changes of the Pleistocene environment in this region as well as the development of microblade technology in Northeast Asia.

Mid- to Late Holocene geomorphodynamics in a long-term settled mountain catchment in the Pergamon micro-region, western Turkey

AbstractFrom 300 BC to AD 300, the city of Pergamon underwent a profound transformation that impacted the rural settlement patterns and the concomitant geomorphodynamics. We present a geoarchaeological study in a long-term settled catchment in the Pergamon micro-region to disentangle the Holocene geomorphodynamics and triggering factors, for example, climate change and human activity. The analyses of eight radiocarbon-dated sediment profiles from the Tekkedere alluvial fan and its catchment indicate four principal sedimentation phases. Phase 1 (ca. 6.2 to 5–4 ka) is dominated by the floodplain aggradation of the receiving Bakırçay River, which is followed by the formation of floodplain soils (phase 2). Substantial geomorphodynamic changes occurred around 4 ka (phase 3), when the edge of the floodplain was buried by fan sediments of the tributary Tekkedere creek. This is attributed to supraregional aridization and rapid climate change events, superimposed by the onset of local human activities. Repeated cycles of coarse- and fine-textured fan sediments with age inversions after ca. 3.8 ka and valley infills younger than 1300 yr BP indicate the strong erosion and redeposition of sediments in phase 4. These increased geomorphodynamics may coincide with the changing settlement pattern and thus reflect human–environment interactions.

Geostatistical and geoarchaeological study of Holocene floodplains and site distributions on the Sha‐Ying River Basin, Central China

AbstractGeostatistics has become a powerful method for investigating complex spatial variations of prehistoric settlements in floodplains and other geomorphological settings. A geoarchaeological drilling program that covers most of the Sha‐Ying River Basin provides a rare opportunity with unusually detailed environmental data to contest and develop the geostatistics method, which proves to be essential, in combination with archaeological data, to understand long‐term (9000–2500 B.P.) patterns of human inhabitation and adaption to volatile floodplain environments in eastern Central China. We analysed the variography and multivariate ordination of the borehole data and explored the complexities of landform evolution, with reference to sedimentation processes and soil development in the floodplain of the Sha‐Ying River. The recurrent impact of river floods on regional landforms is manifested by spatial‐autocorrelated properties over distances up to 10 km, sometimes with directional trends. We then developed a model of landform evolution through kriging and compared the model with detailed reconstruction of archaeological settlement patterns. Our results illustrate long‐term socio‐environmental dynamics by which human communities first populated and then adapted in diverse ways to the changing floodplain environments from the early to middle Holocene. This improved method will have far‐reaching implications for future studies on similar geomorphological settings across vast floodplains of Central China and other global regions.