Introduction
Methods
Element | Cd | Cu | Pb | Zn |
---|---|---|---|---|
Certified content (mg/kg) | 0.38 ± 0.11 | 34.6 ± 0.7 | 18.9 ± 0.5 | 106.0 ± 3.0 |
Measured content (mg/kg) | 0.32 ± 0.12 | 27.8 ± 0.9 | 17.3 ± 0.7 | 86.1 ± 4.0 |
Study area
Results
Content of sand (%) | Content of loam (%) | Content of clay (%) | Organic matter content (%) | pH | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
L-1 | 64–89 | 8–30 | 2–6 | 0.3–2.8 | 5.0–5.8 |
L-2 | 71–96 | 2–28 | 1–6 | 0.1–2.8 | 4.8–6.0 |
L-4 | 75–89 | 8–20 | 3–5 | 0.5–2.0 | 3.9–4.7 |
Tk-1 | 85–96 | 3–12 | 1–3 | 0.2–1.7 | 3.6–4.2 |
Tk-4 | 62–91 | 7–33 | 2–5 | 0.2–2.2 | 3.3–6.0 |
U-1 | 68–91 | 7–28 | 2–6 | 0.2–2.6 | 3.1–4.1 |
U-3 | 58–75 | 21–40 | 4–8 | 0.3–4.0 | 3.1–4.1 |
U-5 | 59–72 | 24–37 | 4–8 | 0.3–3.0 | 3.4–4.2 |
Cd | Cu | P | Pb | Zn | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C | A | B | C | |
Bg | 0.3 | 1.3 | 50 | 11.0 | 9.0 | ||||||||||
L-1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 7.5 | 5.7 | 16.7 | 302 | 84 | 395 | 15.9 | 4.8 | 26.7 | 25.2 | 10.4 | 44.8 |
L-2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 12.0 |
307
| 265 |
767
| 14.9 | 4.6 | 23.2 | 21.5 | 14.8 | 43.5 |
L-4 |
1.8
| 0.4 |
2.3
|
13.2
| 3.7 |
17.5
| 193 | 50 | 272 |
34.9
| 12.6 |
57.9
|
33.8
| 13.1 |
48.5
|
Bg | 0.1 | 1.2 | 40 | 6.0 | 5.0 | ||||||||||
Tk-1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 2.2 |
167
| 81 |
283
| 9.7 | 3.9 | 17.2 | 11.0 | 4.1 | 17.1 |
Tk-4 |
0.3
| 0.2 | 0.7 |
2.3
| 1.5 |
5.2
| 137 | 89 | 276 |
14.4
| 5.5 |
25.2
|
12.5
| 6.3 |
23.8
|
Bg | 0.5 | 1.3 | 30 | 6.0 | 5.0 | ||||||||||
U-1 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.8 |
180
| 69 |
328
| 7.1 | 1.9 | 11.3 | 5.7 | 1.7 | 8.2 |
U-3 |
0.7
| 0.1 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 10.0 | 85 | 40 | 141 | 13.1 | 6.0 |
26.0
| 9.4 | 4.0 | 14.8 |
U-5 | 0.5 | 0.4 |
1.0
|
6.5
| 6.8 |
24.4
| 130 | 53 | 198 |
13.5
| 5.2 | 24.2 |
28.6
| 9.1 |
39.5
|
Discussion
Conclusions
-
Increased trace metals and phosphorus content was found within the archaeological sites studied. Human impact was not limited to the surface layers, but also affected the deeper parts of the profiles. Enrichment factors were low due to soil parameters.
-
The highest concentrations of the elements occurred at the bottoms of depressions and at the foot of slopes. In these profiles, the geochemical record of human activity was often more intensive than within the archaeological objects.
-
Soil erosion can cause the removal of the upper parts of soil profiles, thus destroying the geochemical traces of archaeological sites. Eroded material is accumulated in the depressions and at foot-slope locations. As a result microtopography modifies the initial geochemical human impact within archaeological sites and makes it more spatially diversified. It should be taken into account when using geochemical prospecting.
-
In order to examine the geochemical record of human activity within archaeological sites in areas with varied topography, one should start to look for it at the bottoms of depressions and at the foot of slopes.