Large scale geochemical signatures enable to determine landscape use in the deserted medieval villages

Abstract

Medieval settlement activities lead to the enrichment of nutrients in archaeological soils. The fundamental question we ask is whether large-scale mapping of soil horizons can be used to interpret former medieval activities. A portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF) was used to map the content of elements in soils over an area of 104.4 ha at the deserted medieval village of Hol, Czech Republic. Our methods were used to define differences in the geochemical composition of the soil in different parts of the village’s residential and field area (as a quantitative part of the research). Additionally we tried to interpret the results in terms of the variability of the natural environment and the medieval village (i.e. a more qualitative interpretational part of the research). Results of XRF spectrometry showed notable differences in element soil composition in different parts of the village. The presence of very low soil P content is probably caused by ineffective manuring practices in combination with the short duration of the agricultural cultivation. Nevertheless, soil P content helped us to interpret an area of gardens in homesteads IX, X and XI, where the presence of wooden constructions for agricultural purposes is presumed. Agricultural management at the deserted medieval village Hol was connected with organic waste and ash from homesteads (P, Sr, Zn, probably Mn). The spatial distribution of the soil content of elements and PCA allows us to claim that we can differentiate the functional parts of the village based on geochemical methods. At the site of the village we documented deteriorated natural conditions (pedological): for example, the underground water level and eluvial horizons. These conditions could have already been affecting the medieval village Hol. The deserted medieval village Hol does not differ from other deserted medieval villages, where a similar low agricultural fertility is assumed (for example, Kří).