English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

. This paper aims to reconstruct Middle Bronze Age (MBA; 1600–1250 BCE)land use practices in the northwestern Alpine foreland (SW Germany, Hegau).We used a multi-proxy approach including the analysis of biogeochemicalproxies from colluvial deposits and buried topsoils in the surroundings ofthe well-documented settlement site of Anselfingen and off-site pollen datafrom two peat bogs. This approach allowed for in-depth insights into the MBAsubsistence economy and shows that the MBA in the northwestern Alpineforeland was a period of establishing settlements with sophisticated landmanagement and land use practices. The reconstruction of phases of colluvialdeposition was based on ages from optically stimulated luminescence (OSL)and radiocarbon (AMS14C) dating from multi-layered colluvial depositsand supports the local archaeological record with the first phase of majorcolluvial deposition occurring during the MBA followed by phases ofcolluvial deposition during the Iron Age, the Medieval period and moderntimes. The on-site deposition of charred archaeobotanical remains and animalbones from archaeological features, as well as polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons (PAHs), charcoal spectra, phytoliths, soil microstructure,urease enzymatic activity, microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and heavymetal contents from colluvial deposits, were used as proxies for on-site andnear-site land use practices. The charcoal spectra indicate MBA forestmanagement which favored the dominance of Quercus in the woodland vegetation inthe surrounding area north of the settlement site. Increased levels of5β stanols (up to 40 %) and the occurrence of pig bones (up to 14 %) support the presence of a forest pasture mainly used for pig farming.In the surrounding area south of the settlement, an arable field with aburied MBA plow horizon (2Apb) could be verified by soilmicromorphological investigations and high concentrations of grassphytoliths from leaves and stems. Agricultural practices (e.g., plowing)focussed on five staple crops (Hordeum distichon/vulgare, Triticum dicoccum, Triticum monococcum, Triticum spelta, Triticum aestivum/turgidum), while the presence of stiltedpantries as storage facilities and of heat stones indicate post-harvestprocessing of cereal crops and other agrarian products within thesettlement. In the area surrounding the settlement, increased levels ofurease activity, compared to microbial biomass carbon (up to 2.1 µg N µg Cmic-1), and input of herbivorous and omnivorous animalfaeces indicate livestock husbandry on fallow land. The PAH suites and theirspatial distribution support the use of fire for various purposes, e.g., foropening and maintaining the landscape, for domestic burning and fortechnical applications. The off-site palynological data support the observedchange in on-site and near-site vegetation as well as the occurrence ofrelated land use practices. During the Early and Middle Bronze Age, fireplayed a major role in shaping the landscape (peak of micro-charcoal duringthe MBA), and anthropogenic activities promoted Quercus-dominated forest ecosystemsat the expense of natural beech forests. This indicates a broader regionalhuman influence in the northwestern Alpine foreland at low- and mid-altitudeinland sites during the Middle Bronze Age.

soil

Middle Bronze Age land use practices in the northwestern Alpine foreland – a multi-proxy study of colluvial deposits, archaeological features and peat bogs