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In this paper we analyze the applicability of seismic full-waveform inversion (FWI) for investigation of tells, which are often characterized by heterogeneous and small-scale stratigraphy. Major aim is to identify location and shape of settlement layers and house remains. Furthermore, a paleochannel, which is important to understand the interaction between tell and the surrounding landscape, was found at the tell flank.

Although Rapa Nui has been proposed as a classic example of cultural collapse, this hypothesis has been repeatedly questioned. This paper investigates cultural continuity on Rapa Nui following the onset of deforestation through a study of red ochre pits. Red ochre pigments are well-known from various contexts on Rapa Nui, but until recently its origin and the extraction process involved in their production were not precisely understood. New excavations have revealed the presence of multiple pits used for pigment production and storage by the island’s prehistoric culture. Previous geoarchaeological studies, including geomorphological, pedological, geochemical and micromorphological analyses, have shown that the pits contain fine layers of reddish iron oxides (ochre), which result from repeated intentional burning. The oxide layers alternate with thin layers of phytoliths, interpreted as the remains of plant material used as fuel, and diatoms. This paper presents new phytolith and diatom data from the previously described site of Vaipú East, complemented with data from similar pits at the new sites of Vaipú West and Poike. New14C dates are also presented from these sites. The phytolith and diatom data provide crucial information about the chaîne opératoire of the ochre production and the formation processes associated with the pits. The evidence of pigment production and storage at Vaipú East shows that labour-intensive ochre production took place on Rapa Nui during at least two separate phases after deforestation, while the pits discovered at other sites indicate that Vaipú East did not stand alone. This provides a further line of evidence in favour of cultural continuity rather than collapse following deforestation in the island’s late prehistory.

This paper presents evidence for a limnological response to the Laacher See eruption (LSE) as detected in lake sediments from Nahe, northern Germany. The sediment section of the Aller o d period dating to between 13 422 and 12 708 cal.aBPis preserved inannuallaminations. Withinthissection,the LSEwasidentifiedasa cryptotephralayer (12 944 44 cal. a BP). Microfacies analysis, continuous high-resolution geochemical measurements and pollen analysesenabledahigh-resolutionreconstructionofenvironmentalchange.TheolderpartoftheAller o d(c. 13 422to 12 943 cal. a BP) was characterized by relatively stable sedimentation conditions. Evidence for windier conditions dating to c. 13 160 to 13 080 cal. a BP probably reflects the Gerzensee oscillation. Pronounced changes of the lake sedimentation followed the LSE. Four unusually thick varves with increased amounts of allochthonous material indicate serious disturbance of the local environment immediately after the LSE, related to increased storminess and/ or the occurrence of high intensity rainfall events. A pronounced reduction of biogenic silica accumulation for c. 60 years after the LSE could reflect a period of acidification. Indications of a simultaneous lake level increase until c. 60 years after the LSE are in line with the supposed reduced evapotranspiration associatedwith cooler conditions. About120 yearsafterthe LSE,increasedoxygenaccessat thelakebottom,allochthonous inputandClfluxespointto anonsetofincreasinglystrongerwesterlywinds,probablyasalong-termresponsetotheLSE.Thissupportstheideaof a southward shift of the mid-latitude westerlieswind system within the interval between the LSE and the beginning of the YoungerDryas. Thepaceofthe southwards shiftof thiswind systemdecreased from 10 km a 1 inthe initialphase (40 – 120 years after LSE) to 6 km a 1 in the later phase (120 – 200 years after LSE)

We investigate the relative fractions of remanent and induced magnetization of the fillings of neolithic long pits in order to develop remanent magnetization as an additional parameter for the archaeological interpretation of magnetic maps. We determine the Koenigsberger ratio – the ratio between induced and remanent magnetization intensities – for key targets by combining magnetic mapping with downhole measurements of susceptibility, numerical modelling, and inversion computations. The susceptibility data were acquired in drill holes along profiles crossing the targets identified by magnetic mapping. The targets of this exemplary study are house-accompanying pits at the Linearbandkeramik site Vráble ‘Farské’. For this purpose, we conducted auger drillings with a point distance of 25 cm and measured the susceptibility with a downhole susceptometer. The resulting two-dimensional susceptibility distributions were used to calculate synthetic magnetic anomalies corresponding to the case of solely induced magnetization. The comparison to the observed magnetic data showed a considerable discrepancy that can only be explained with remanent magnetization. To determine the Koenigsberger ratio we developed a new interpretation approach, using parts of the measured susceptibility distribution as a basis function. The free parameters of this numerical problem are determined by non-linear inversion. We applied the novel approach to six exemplary profiles and found Koenigsberger ratios between 1.6 and 10.5 with the majority of the values being smaller than 4. These values apply to soil volumes with susceptibility values larger than 27–160 × 10-5 SI. Laboratory measurements on soil samples were used to examine the possible causes of the observed magnetization. The analyses suggest that the increase in susceptibility and remanent magnetization in the pits is caused by an increase of the population of magnetotactic bacteria and deposition of magnetized material, followed by the alignment of the ferrimagnetic iron compounds in the waterlogged environment of the pits and accumulation of viscous remanent magnetization.

ZusammenfassungIn der Theiß-Region an der nördlichen Peripherie der südosteuropäischen Tellkulturen beobachten wir zwischen 5300 und 4450 v. u. Z. das Auftreten großer bevölkerungsreicher Siedlungen, die durch die Kombinationen unterschiedlicher Siedlungskomponenten, von Tells, Flachsiedlungen und Kreisgrabenanlagen gekennzeichnet sind. In diesem Beitrag ist die Entwicklung einer solchen Mehrkomponenten-Siedlung – Borđoš in der serbischen Vojvodina – rekonstruiert, basierend auf geophysikalischen Untersuchungen, Ausgrabungen, systematischen Oberflächenbegehungen und 14C-Datierungen. Zwischen 4850 und 4700 v. u. Z. wurde in Borđoš eine bereits länger existierende Tellsiedlung durch eine große Flachsiedlung ergänzt oder zeitweise ersetzt. Im Kontext ähnlicher Fundstellen aus dem Theiß-Gebiet und darüber hinaus interpretieren wir diese Dynamik als Ausdruck eines zeitweise verstärkten überregionalen Trends zu Bevölkerungsagglomeration zwischen etwa 4900 und 4700 v. u. Z. Hinsichtlich der Entwicklung von Tellsiedlungen und Flachsiedlungen zeichnen sich innerhalb des Theiß-Gebietes erhebliche regionale Unterschiede ab: Im südlichen Teil des Untersuchungsgebietes bilden Tells häufig die Keimzelle später wachsender komplexer Siedlungen. Dagegen stellen im Norden eher große Flachsiedlungen den Ausgangspunkt großer Siedlungen dar. Tells repräsentieren hier entweder räumliche Separierungen mit speziellen Funktionen oder stellen das Ergebnis einer länger andauernden Besiedlung in einem kleinen Teil der ursprünglichen Siedlungsfläche dar. Diese Größenreduzierung von Siedlungen oder teils ihre komplette Auflassung verstehen wir als Teil eines im Karpatenbecken und dem westlichen Balkan weiträumig sichtbaren Trends hin zu erheblich geringeren Bevölkerungsdichten und räumlich stärker verteilten Siedlungen, der nach 4700 v. u. Z. einsetzte.Aus Tells- und Flachsiedlungskomponenten bestehende Großsiedlungen der Theiß-Region zeichnen sich durch eine große Diversität hinsichtlich ihrer Größe und räumlichen Konfiguration aus. In Borđoš beobachten wir das Auftreten eines in der Region bisher unbekannten zentripetalen Siedlungslayouts, in dem die Häuser auf einen zentralen Platz im Zentrum der Siedlung ausgerichtet sind. Wir interpretieren die neuartige Siedlungskonfiguration als das Ergebnis des Zusammenschlusses einer im Hinblick auf kulturellen Hintergrund, Identitäten und Netzwerkeinbindung sehr heterogenen Bevölkerung. Demnach können wir die Gruppierung der Häuser um einen zentralen Platz als Ausdruck einer sozialen Organisation verstehen, die in stärkerem Maße als bei Siedlungen mit parallelen Hausreihen auf der Aushandlung kommunaler Belange beruhte.

The unique size and development of prehistoric megasites of the north Pontic Cucuteni-Tripolye Chalcolithic groups (4100–3600 BCE) challenge modern archeology and paleoecology. The extremely large number of houses (approximately 3000, mostly burned) necessitates the development of multidisciplinary technologies to gain a holistic understanding of such sites. In this contribution, we introduce a novel geophysical methodology and a detailed analysis of magnetic data – including evolved modeling techniques – to provide critical information about the setup of findings, enabling a thorough understanding of the settlement dynamics, apart from invasive excavation techniques. The case study is based on data from magnetic field maps and distribution maps of the daub and pottery find categories. This information is used to infer magnetic models for each find category to numerically calculate their magnetic fields for comparison with the archeological data. The comparison quantifies the sensitivity of the magnetic measurements with respect to the distribution of the different find categories. Next, via inversion computation, the characteristic depth functions of soil magnetization are used to generate maps of magnetization from the measured magnetic field maps. To validate the inverted soil magnetization maps, the magnetic excavation models are used, providing an interpretational frame for the application to magnetic anomalies outside excavated areas. This joint magnetic and archeological methodology allows estimating the find density and testing hypotheses about the burning processes of the houses. In this paper, we show internal patterns of burned houses, comparable to archeological house models, and their calculated masses as examples of the methodology. An application of the new approach to complete megasites has the potential to enable a better understanding of the settlement structure and its evolution, improve the quality of population estimations, and thus calculate the human impact on the forest steppe environment and address questions of resilience and carrying capacity.

This paper aims at reconstructing the population dynamics during the Neolithic and Bronze Age, c. 4500–500 cal. BC, in north-western Central Europe. The approach is based on the assumption that increased population density is positively linked with human activity and human impact on the environment, respectively. Therefore, we use archaeological 14 C dates and palaeoenvironmental data from northern Germany and south-western Denmark to construct and compare independent proxies of human activity. The latter involves relative quantification of human impact based on pollen analysis and soil erosion history inferred from summarizing of dated colluvial layers. Concurring patterns of changes in human activity are frequently recorded on a multi-centennial scale. Whereas such multi-proxy patterns are interpreted to indicate relative population changes, divergent patterns are discussed in the context of proxy-related uncertainties and potential biases. Patterns of temporal distribution of increasing and decreasing human activity are understood as ‘boom and bust’ phases in population density/size. Based on the comparison of the three proxies, we identify five phases of growing (boom) and four phases of decreasing (bust) population. The boom phases date to ca. 4000–3500, 3000–2900, 2200–2100, 1450–1300 and 1000–750 cal. BC. The bust phases to ca. 3200–3000, 2400–2300, 1650–1500 and 1200–1100 cal. BC.

In the regions of southern Scandinavia and northern Germany, within the Neolithic ( c. 4100–1700 BCE), two episodes of intensified monumental burial construction are known: Funnel Beaker megaliths mainly from c. 3400–3100 BCE and Single Grave burial mounds from c. 2800–2500 BCE. So far, it remains unclear whether these boom phases of monumental construction were linked with phases of economic expansion, to phases of economic changes or to periods of economic crisis: do they precede and stimulate periods of economic growth? Or are they a social practice that results from social changes within the societies? To approach these research questions, we will use mainly information on the intensity of monumental construction phases, artefact depositions, environmental changes and changes in subsistence strategies as proxies for comparative studies. Our database comes from the southern Cimbrian Peninsula and adjacent areas. Being one of the most intensively archaeologically researched regions of Neolithic Europe, this region provides robust data sets. As a result, the study demonstrates that during the Funnel Beaker period, economy and ritual were closely interlinked, while disconnected in the Single Grave period.

Like any other living being, humans constantly influence their environment, be it intentionally or unintentionally. By extracting natural resources, they shape their environment and also that of plants and other animals. A great difference setting people apart from all other living beings is the ability to construct and develop their own niche intentionally, and the unique tool for this is cultural behaviour. Here, we discuss anthropogenic environmental changes of hunter-gatherers and present new palaeoecological and palynological data. The studies are framed with ethnoarchaeological data from Western Siberia to gain a better understanding of how different triggers lead to coping mechanisms. For archaeological implication, we use two Mesolithic case studies from Germany: One of them focuses on hazelnut economy around ancient Lake Duvensee, and the other broaches the issue of selective roe deer hunt and its consequences at the site of Friesack. We address the archaeological evidence from the perspective of active alteration and its consequences, starting our argumentation from a perspective of niche construction theory. This approach has rarely been applied to early Holocene hunter-gatherers in Northern Europe even though the available data render possible to discuss human–environment interaction from such a perspective. It is demonstrated that archaeological research has tools at hand that enables to detect anthropogenic niche construction. However, the ethnoarchaeological example shows limitations and archaeologically invisible triggers and consequent results of human adaptations. The critical revision of such perspectives based on empirical data provides a better understanding of social and environmental transformations in the early- and mid-Holocene.

In archaeology, change in material culture is viewed as indicating social or cultural transformation and is the basis of our typo-chronological classification of phases and periods. The material culture from northern Germany reveals both quantitative and qualitative changes during the Bronze Age. At the same time, there is also evidence for ‘boom and bust’ cycles in population density/size, as indicated by changing human impact on the environment in several Bronze Age palaeoenvironmental records. These demographic fluctuations may relate to the observed changes in social phenomena in aspects of ideology, technology, food production and habitation. For example, innovations in food production, such as the adoption of new crops and agricultural techniques, could have led to population growth. While usually viewed by archaeologists as a ‘negative’ development, population stress or collapse may have favoured the emergence of new cultural phenomena. In order to test the cause-and-effect relationship between population dynamics and sociocultural change, we synthesise the archaeological evidence – qualitative and quantitative information from settlements, deposition finds (hoards), burials, material culture and architectural remains – for the Bronze Age in northern Germany, mainly Schleswig-Holstein, and compare it with the boom and bust pattern seen in the palaeoenvironmental record. The synchronicity of changes at ca. 1500 BC and ca. 1100 BC reflects the relationship between phases of major sociocultural transformation in the archaeological datasets and booms and busts in the palaeoenvironmental record of the region seen as a proxies for palaeo-demography. This sets the stage for a better understanding of the transformation of practices and relationships in the Bronze Age communities of the region.

Highlights: • A single Saksunarvatn Ash layer was detected in two varved lake cores from N-Germany. • The ash layers in the two cores are dated to 10,282 ± 45 and 10,264 ± 24 cal. BP. • Palynological and geochemical analysis were conducted in proximity of the ash layers. • Environmental disturbance, possibly linked to volcanism, predates the ash fallout. • Evidence for a ca. 15-year-long cooling is recognizable after tephra deposition. Abstract Estimating the environmental and societal impact of recent volcanic eruptions is a task aided by direct measurements and historical sources. Beyond the reach of first-hand accounts, our understanding of pre-historic volcanism is often hindered by dating uncertainties inherent to geological archives. Here, we minimize dating errors by analyzing the annually laminated sequences of two Central European lakes, Poggensee and Woseriner See. We focus on environmental transformations that occurred in the decades preceding and following the deposition of the Icelandic Saksunarvatn tephra, dated between ca. 10,300 and 10,200 cal. BP. As a first result, we provide two new independent age determinations for the ash layer detected in both sequences. Our estimates (10,264 ± 24 cal. BP at Poggensee and 10,282 ± 45 cal. BP at Woseriner See) place the age of this tephra deposit closer to Greenland estimates than to continental ones, possibly reducing the chronological gap between the multiple fallout events that characterize the Saksunarvatn Ash. A high resolution palaeoenvironmental characterization was carried out via pollen, thin sections and geochemical analysis. Both sequences show traces of a contemporaneous disturbance event dated to ca. 18 years before tephra deposition. In addition, environmental impact compatible with a cooling event is discernible for ca. 15 years following tephra deposition. While independent climate mechanisms can be responsible for the observed trends, we explicitly focus on exploring volcanic eruptions as a possible leading driver. A consistent agreement across all proxies is lacking in the pre-tephra record, yet sulfur enrichment and acidification processes allow us to suggest volcanism as a plausible trigger. Combined with the post-tephra cooling, the two sedimentary records depict a possible scenario of multi-decadal, continuous volcanic impact.

Chernozems are among the most fertile agricultural soils on Earth and are important terrestrial carbon reservoirs. Since the Miocene-advent of grassland-ecosystems, they develop on fine-grained calcareous parent materials, generally in continental climates. So far, no theory explains all Chernozem occurrences. This limits modeling of their long-term soil carbon dynamics. Insights gained on Chernozems that buried prehistoric archaeological features in central Ukraine provide a key. Prehistoric agriculture favored anecic earthworm abundance and anecic earthworm surface casting delivers the best explanation for coeval Chernozem genesis, its properties, and distribution, an idea originally put forward by Darwin. Anecic earthworms transfer soil material upwards due to the necessity to clear their vertical burrow permanently from material fallen in. While Chernozems in the climatic steppe form under climate conditions that limit epigeic and endogeic earthworms naturally, the patchy and time-transgressive Chernozem occurrences in temperate humid Europe would reflect sites where the proliferation of anecic earthworms at the expense of the former ecological groups resulted from early Anthropocene landscape transformations. We will have to add anecic earthworms to the Neolithic Package that identifies the socio-economical transformations related to sedentarism and evolving agrarian production modes of cereal cultivation and animal husbandry.

Phytolith analysis has been applied in one of the extraordinary Trypillia “mega-site” in central Ukraine. The site Maidanetske, dated to ca. 3900–3650 BCE, is composed of ca. 3000 houses, which were built of earth-based architecture. As these mega-sites were extremely large, their relatively short duration and their population dynamics are under debate. In this study, the focus is set on the detection of daily household activities, including cereal processing. Archaeological contexts have been sampled for phytoliths inside and outside houses, including daub fragments, grinding stones, vessels, floor surfaces and a pit filling. Phytolith records from layers above and below the archaeological contexts were also analysed. The results indicate that cereal by-products such as chaff from pooid cereals, were in use for specific purposes like daub tempering for house building. Thus cereals were a relevant part of the site subsistence economy despite the scarce preservation of archaeobotanical macro-remains. While chaff and straw suggest on-site processing of cereals, the location of processing is unclear. Since house floors and cultural layers are poorer in chaff phytoliths than expected, the future analysis of other special buildings for instance might help to detect specialised areas of processing apart from houses. Besides cereals the phytolith record attests also the presence of wild grasses with probable indication of steppe grassland components. Further investigation of soil sequences outside the site and comparison with modern reference material in future will help to assess the development of the grassland vegetation through time.

International audience; Old-growth forests are of high interest for biodiversity conservation, especially in the disturbance-prone Mediterranean landscapes. However, it remains unclear whether the survival of patches of old-growth forest in the degraded Mediterranean landscapes results from local anomalies or from past, larger forests. Therefore, in this study, we assessed (1) the origin, (2) the long-term ecological trajectory, and (3) the mechanism(s) that explain the survival of a Mediterranean old-growth forest, the Sainte-Baume forest. To achieve this, we used soil charcoal analysis. We opened fifteen soil profiles in the forest and five in its surrounding areas for soil description and sampling. The soil descriptions enabled us to highlight in situ soil horizon and colluvial layers. A total of 1656 charcoal pieces from different soil samples were taxonomically identified to characterize the composition of past forests. Selected charcoal pieces (n = 34) were dated to obtain chronological data. Our investigations indicate that the survival of the Mediterranean old-growth forest, in the context of the semi-open/open Mediterranean landscapes, is the result of a combination of biotic and abiotic factors, which reduced the influence of past forest disturbances. Thus, the resistance and resilience of the forest areas are preserved over a long-term ecological trajectory. Therefore, the potential of Mediterranean old-growth forests as baseline reference points for the conservation of biodiversity is related to the identification and maintenance of the local biotic and abiotic factors which allowed the survival of the old-growth forest.

Tripolye is the label of a very long-lasting andgeographically widespread cultural complex ofthe Eneolithic of South-East and Eastern Europe. Ajoint Ukrainian-German research project has coveredmany aspects of Tripolye settlement systemsand environmental conditions since 2011 (fundedby the German Research Foundation and the UkrainianAcademy of Science; project directors: JohannesMüller, Kiel University and Mihailo Videiko, currentlyBorys Grinchenko Kyiv University). The aim of the article is to identify the main tasks, strategies and some results of an ongoing Ukrainian-European Project that is dealing with the Tripolye culture phenomenon. In order to investigate emergenceand decline of giant-settlements with thousands of houses and very specific spatial layouts, the challengeneed to be mastered to perform representative archaeological and scientific sampling with reasonable efforts.This is only possible through the combination of non-destructive survey techniques, targeted archaeologicalexcavations and the application of modern scientific methods. In order to gain a deeper understanding of thesocial, ecological, demographic and economic dimensions of such settlements and underlying transformationsof human societies also in their regional variability, the consideration of different spatial investigationlevels is required. In the first phases of the project, high-resolution magnetic surveys were applied to differentlarge Tripolye settlements and exemplary investigations were carried out at the local scale of the Maidanetskesettlement. At the current stage of the project, the studies focus more on the meso-and macro-regional level. Currently, increased effort is made to understandthe societal dynamics behind the emergenceand the decline of singular Eneolithic mega-sites ofthe late 5th and the 4th millennium BCE which weresituated in the Ukrainian forest steppe zone.

Estimating the environmental and societal impact of recent volcanic eruptions is a task aided by direct measurements and historical sources. Beyond the reach of first-hand accounts, our understanding of pre-historic volcanism is often hindered by the dating uncertainties inherent to stratigraphic archives. Here, we minimise this source of error by analysing the annually laminated sequences of two European lakes. We focus on environmental transformations that occurred in the decades preceding and following the deposition of the Icelandic Saksunarvatn tephra, dated between ca. 10,300 and 10,200 cal. BP. Evidence for continuous eruptive activity pre-dates the tephra deposition by nearly two decades, revealing a period of sustained volcanism and its effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These results provide a new insight into the spatial and temporal effects of clustered volcanic eruptions. As such, they might prove useful to refine the simulation of volcanic forcing on continental ecosystems and to evaluate the resilience of prehistoric societies against sudden environmental downturns.

International audience; Wood was a crucial resource for prehistoric societies, for instance, as timber for house construction and as fuel. In the case of the exceptionally large Chalcolithic Tripolye ‘mega-sites’ in central Ukraine, thousands of burnt buildings, indicating huge population agglomerations, hint at such a massive use of wood that it raises questions about the carrying capacity of the sensitive forest-steppe environment. In this contribution, we investigate the wood demand for the mega-site of Maidanetske (3990–3640 BCE), as reconstructed based on wood charcoal data, wood imprints on daub and the archaeo-magnetometry-based settlement plan. We developed a regional-scale model with a fuzzy approach and applied it in order to simulate the potential distribution and extent of woodlands before and after Chalcolithic occupation. The model is based upon the reconstructed ancient land surface, soil information derived from cores and the potential natural woodland cover reconstructed based on the requirements of the prevailing ancient tree species. Landscape scenarios derived from the model are contrasted and cross-checked with the archaeological empirical data. We aim to understand whether the demand for wood triggered the site development. Did deforestation and consequent soil degradation and lack of resources initiate the site’s abandonment? Or, alternatively, did the inhabitants develop sustainable woodland management strategies? Starting from the case study of Maidanetske, this study provides estimates of the extent of human impact on both carrying capacity and landscape transformations in the sensitive transitional forest-steppe environment. Overall, the results indicate that the inhabitants of the Chalcolithic site did not suffer from a significant shortage in the wood resource at any time of inhabitation in the contexts of the different scenarios provided by the model. An exception is given by the phase of maximum house construction and population within a scenario of dry climatic conditions.

In this paper we compare six different multi-element sediment analyses for archaeological purposes. Two different sets of samples from archaeological excavations in Germany and Turkey representing feature, mixed-debris and offsite samples are extracted with HNO3, HCl, Aqua Regia (AR), DTPA and NH4NO3, and measured using ICP-OES techniques. The results are compared to each other and the total elemental content obtained by a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (pXRF). DTPA and NH4NO3 extraction were found not to be suitable for multi-element analysis in the archaeological context, as they displayed poor correlations with all other methods. NH4NO3 showed values not reflecting the known settlement activities. AR, HNO3, HCL and pXRF results do reflect the settlement history and are highly correlated. A separation into different sample categories (feature, mixed-debris and offsite) was achieved for all those methods by using multivariate statistics (PCA). pXRF is a cheap and quick procedure which can be easily performed at an excavation site and can thus eliminate cumbersome sample transport. We provide evidence that pXRF is highly suitable for multi-element analysis in the archaeological context.

The Younger Quaternary erosion history was reconstructed in a catchment close to the Chalcolithic giant settlement Maidanetske, central Ukraine based on dated sediment sequences. Four trenches and a long percussion drill-core were analyzed in a valley grading from a Loess covered plateau towards the Talianky River. The sediments were dated by a combination of radiocarbon dating, optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) and embedded artifacts. Although there is some weakness of numerical dating so far, a non-coincidence between phases of soil erosion and the local and regional settlement history over long periods of the Holocene is indicated. This, viewed in the light of the geographical setting of the site in the climate sensitive forest-steppe borderland, suggests climatically driven erosion processes. The detected phases of erosion coincide with global (cal 27.6 ± 1.3 kyrs BP, 12.0 ± 0.4 kyrs BP), northern hemispheric (cal 8.5 ± 0.3 kyrs BP), Mediterranean (cal 3.93 ± 0.1 kyrs BP) as well as western to central European (2700 to 2000 cal BP) climate anomalies. Increased occurrences of heavy precipitation events, probably during phases of a weakened vegetation cover, could explain the observed record. Investigations at additional sites in Eastern Europe are needed to verify the representativeness of the presented record from central Ukraine at a regional level. The composition of the sediments indicates changes of the slope-channel connectivity during the deposition history. Whereas the glacial to early Holocene and modern times sediments were derived from the whole catchment area, during the mid- to late-Holocene a tendency to lower slope storage of colluvial material and valley incision is indicated.

In the context of geoarchaeological investigations on Easter Island several hundred human-made pits filled with reddish silty material were discovered in fluvial terraces of two valleys on the southern slope of Maunga Terevaka, the highest volcano of the island. Micromorphological analysis of one representative pit filling and comparison of its geochemical and physical properties with sediments in the surrounding terrace was performed in order to reconstruct the probable formation and use of the material in the pits. A hypothesis of pigment production by heating of minerogenic iron-rich substrate with grass fuel resulting in formation of hematite is suggested. It is assumed that the pits represented the places for production and storage of the pigments, which were used by Rapa Nui for cultural and ritual purposes. The ongoing interdisciplinary research will enhance the interpretation of the pits and their fillings and contribute to a better understanding of cultural development on Easter Island.

Annually laminated sediments of Lake Woserin in north-eastern Germany are investigated using sedimentological and palynological methods. They facilitate high-resolution reconstruction of environmental and land-use change during ca. 7000–4000 cal. BP. Between 6100 and 5800 cal. BP, changes in woodland composition and structure are evident which coincide with a change in subsistence strategy, that is, the adoption of animal husbandry. For the remaining period, eight phases of enhanced human impact (5750–5390, 5270–5150, 4890–4750, 4670–4600, 4520–4450, 4390–4350, 4250–4170 and 4070–3930 cal. BP) are identified. Hereby, the first phase relates to an opening of the landscape in connection with the adoption of large-scale, extensive cereal cultivation. Phases of decreased human impact are generally characterised by woodland regeneration. Over-regional comparison of the results reveals similar and synchronous fluctuation of human impact in the young moraine area of the south-western Baltic region and hints at a large-scale driver. In order to evaluate the role of environmental change for human activity, evidence for coinciding shifts in palaeoclimate records and their potential implication for human–environment interactions are discussed and generally support the idea that environmental changes played an important role for the cultural development during the Neolithic in Northern Germany. Hereby, climate change probably favoured the adoption of new subsistence strategies during the early Neolithic (6100–5350 cal. BP). Furthermore, the fluctuating human impact during Middle and Younger Neolithic (5350–4100 cal. BP) could indicate a socio-economic system susceptible for short-termed climatic fluctuation.

Over the past decades multi-element analyses have become increasingly important for archaeological and geoarchaeological research. In particular the recent expansion in availability of portable ed-XRF (p-ed-XRF) devices has allowed for the fast acquisition of large data sets. In the presented paper, we evaluate the quantitative measurement capability of a p-ed-XRF device through comparison with wd-XRF. Sampling, drying, and homogenization (sieving In a case study, we measured the elemental contents of the archaeo-sediment-sequence fill of a trench of a ca. 7300 year old Linear Pottery house at the site of Vráble-Ve'lke Lehemby, in southeastern -Slovakia. Based on a model applied at the nearby Bronze Age settlement mound of Fidvár, the P content of the archaeo-sediment was considered as a proxy of palaeo-demography. However, the measured P contents were much too small to reflect the metabolism of a reasonable number of inhabitants. Therefore, in addition to the possibilities of shorter than expected duration of house occupation and incomplete garbage deposition within the ditches, the post-depositional settlement history is considered in detail. Furthermore, bio-cycling by plants during different subsequent phases of Holocene landscape development (forested, agricultural field use) has not been considered extensively in interpretations of the archaeological record so far, but might have had a considerable influence on the shallow buried archaeological record. A reconsideration of the interpretation of the geochemical record from a nearby Bronze Age site (Fidvár) is thus suggested.

This article focuses on features of spatial distribution of colluvial (slope) deposits on a micro scale. These features were detected by the non-parametric rank correlation of Spearman (rS) between thickness of colluvial layers and morphometric variables (MVs) of the modern land surface. The strongest correlation was found between total thickness of colluvial layers and maximal catchment area (rS = 0.85). A negative correlation was observed between thicknesses of younger and older colluvial layers. Additionally, if young colluvial layers have a negative correlation with slope steepness (GA), relatively old buried colluvial layers have a positive correlation with GA. These facts indicate an inversion of the zones of actual matter accumulation due to transformation of the land surface in profile during long-term sedimentation. Vertical curvature (kv) characterises acceleration and deceleration of surface flow caused by the shape of the slope profile along flow lines. Based on this, it was expected that kv would have a direct impact on the accumulation of colluvium. However, in this study, the correlations between the thickness of colluvial deposits and kv were low. Functional relationships between colluvial accumulation and the shape of profiles along flow lines were reflected by correlations with GA. Based on these observations, it is assumed that the regional nature of surface flow velocity affects the shift between existing accumulation zones reflected by colluvial deposits and potential accumulation zones reflected by MVs. Signs of correlation coefficients between the thickness of colluvial deposits and curvatures reflect the tendency of increased colluvial depositions at three out of 12 local landforms of Shary's classification. These landforms are located in the valley bottom. The mean thickness of colluvial deposits at these three landforms was 167 ± 18.7 cm (error range = standard deviation); the other nine landforms show a mean thickness of 130.1 ± 34.1 cm.

Alluvial and colluvial sequences were studied around the prehistoric tell Arslantepe in 11 exposures and additional auger cores. The chronology is based on 11 optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages, four radiocarbon ages, and the embedded artifacts. Sediments contained wood charcoals, providing information on former vegetation. Fluvial activity is documented during Late Glacial times (15.4 ± 2.5, 12.8 ± 3.1 kyr) and frequently after Roman times. Slope and soil erosion occurred in the early (10.6 ± 1.4, 8.2 ± 0.7 kyr) and mid–late Holocene (6.7 ± 0.9, 5.4 ± 0.7–4.7 ± 0.7, 2.6 ± 0.2–2.5 ± 0.2, 1.9 ± 0.2–1.8 ± 0.2 kyr, and during the last 1000 years). The early Holocene erosion phases pre-date the so far established onset of settlement at the tell. This either indicates an earlier onset of agricultural land use than assumed or climatic influence on erosion, such as the 10.3 and 8.2 kyr climate events known from Western Europe. The erosion phases at around 5.0 and 2.6 kyr could reflect geomorphic responses to societal collapse (Late Chalcolithic state, Neo-Hittite kingdom) at Arslantepe. Most intensive Holocene soil erosion and landscape degradation occurred after occupation of the region by the Roman Empire. This is paralleled by the onset of river activity. A part of the lower neo-Hittite town as well as an early Holocene Terra Rossa–like soil that had formed rapidly were found buried. So far, no indication for mid–late Holocene fluvial activity of the adjacent creeks until Roman times has been found. Our results illustrate the large potential of slope deposits for long term reconstructions of human induced landscape transformation in Anatolia.

In this paper a novel approach for quantifying matter fluxes into archaeological sites is presented. Using the case studies of two multilayered sites with occupations before, during, and after the Bronze Age (Arslantepe and Niederroblingen), one Bronze Age multilayered site (Fidvar by Vrable), and a trash deposit from a fourth (Bresto), the potential of this method for investigating behavior and settlement activity of prehistoric inhabitants is illustrated. The results are generally in line with archaeological expectations considering the type of compared sites (different sized villages and towns/regional centers). Three examples of using this method for understanding site formation (sedimentation rates), changes in settlement activity, and paleodemography are provided for a discussion of the interpretive possibilities of matter fluxes. Although no cross-regional cultural changes specifically related to the Bronze Age can yet be identified, this quantification allows a better understanding of individual site development, i.e. in the increasing substitution of wood by loam in architecture at Niederroblingen from the Middle Bronze Age onwards. The pattern of calculated population sizes again fits archaeological expectations and is of the same order of magnitude as previously published population estimations based on other methods. At Arslantepe, the unique character of the Chalcolithic “palace period” is underlined by the very low number of inhabitants, suggesting that occupation of the tell during this period may have been restricted and a focus placed on administrative and ritual activities. Besides the illustrated potentials, limitations of the outlined approach are also considered.

Phases of formation and erosion of Holocene soils were reconstructed based on a sequence of buried soil horizons and colluvial layers at a lower slope section beneath the Neolithic earthwork of Salzmunde, Germany. The chronology is based on eight radiocarbon ages of charcoal, soil organic matter as well as on archaeological age estimations of embedded artefacts. Until ca. 2200 BC, a chernozemic A–C-soil developed in fluvially redeposited loess. The occurrence of charcoal, the darker colour, and a shift of soil matrix radiocarbon age indicate an alteration of the upper part of the humus horizon probably related to anthropogenic activities at ca. 2200 BC. This soil was probably buried rapidly by a colluvial layer (at ca. 2200 BC). Until ca. 900 AD, a phase of less intensive land use with slope stability followed. During this phase a pedogenetic alteration — probably under forest cover in the watershed and the deposition area — of the upper part of the loess, the buried soil, and the prehistoric sediment occurred (formation of chernozem cambisol). The upper part of a dated humic crotowina fill was involved in pedogenesis as well. Soil formation is indicated by changes in soil colour (brown), pedogenic iron, clay content, the mineral assemblage of the clay fraction, and magnetic susceptibility. During medieval times (ca. 900–1500 AD), two colluvial layers with a cumulative thickness of about 1 m buried this soil. The partial destruction of the archaeological remains at the plateau started at this time. During modern times (since 1500 AD), the deposition of two colluvial layers of a cumulative thickness of about 1 m completed the sequence of Holocene slope deposits. The results imply that the chernozem at the site might have been altered by prehistoric land use and altered further into a chernozem cambisol during a phase of slope stability of about 3000 years between the Bronze Age and medieval times. The detected brunification processes took place at unexpected high rates.

Alluvial and colluvial deposits were investigated at prehistoric tells close to the Bosna River. The chronology is based on ten radiocarbon ages, five optically stimulated luminescence ages, and on the archaeological record. Fluvial activity of the Bosna River is indicated by overbank fines (ca. 5000 (� 1000) BC, 500 BC until today) and a phase of lateral displacement of the river bed with subsequent channel fills ca. 2000-500 BC. Early Holocene fluvial activity was probably triggered by climatic variability but might have promoted the expansion of Neolithic societies into the Visoko Basin. Mid- to late Holocene river activity occurred under increased climatic aridity but coincided with the expansion of prehistoric settlements to a wider area of the river basin on hard rocks in the adjacent mountainous areas. The destruction of the thin soil cover in the mountains is discussed as a probable trigger for enduring subsequent river activity. This is also indicated by a change in the geochemical signature of the alluvial sediments. The proposed mechanism might explain the mid to late Holocene river history in other regions. The potential of geochemical analyses and diachronous high-resolution archaeological records to make inferences regarding sediment sources and geomorphological processes is demonstrated. Copyright # 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Some morphometric variables store information about past land surfaces longer than others. This property of morphometric variables is recognised as land surface memory. Slope deposits, soils, and vegetation also have this memory. In this study, a memory effect was quantitatively detected by Spearman correlations between thickness of colluvium and morphometric variables of the modern land surface. During long-term sedimentation, the sign of horizontal curvature (kh) may be inverted from minus to plus, suggesting that locations with positive kh values are not accumulation zones. However, the thickness of colluvial deposits at such locations in our study area indicates sediment accumulation. The sign of minimal curvature (kmin) tends to be more stable and remains negative. This difference provides the stronger correlation of colluvial layer thickness with kmin than with kh. The strongest correlation was found for total thickness of the colluvial deposits of the Neolithic and Iron Age with kmin (− 0.84); the correlation with kh was weaker (− 0.71).

In connection to an archaeological project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, charcoal fragments from several geomorphological profiles were analysed, due to the lack of other archives for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. The major aim of the presented study was to systematically test the suitability of the documented colluvial and alluvial layers for charcoal analysis. The profiles uncover main phases of sedimentation of Drina Valley Holocene alluvial sedimentation and for the first time provide anthracological data from the area, giving initial insight into the vegetation of the catchment areas and into dynamics of the Drina. For the late Holocene, the presence of several genera in the catchment areas of the investigated profiles was documented. The most important genera are Quercus and Ostrya/Carpinus type, Fagus, Acer and Pinus are also present. Light-demanding genera such as Corylus and the Maloideae group indicate human activities. Alluvial elements such as Ulmus, Fraxinus and Alnus are present. A major advantage of this investigation is the distinction of catchment areas for alluvial and colluvial layers by the means of charcoal analysis. This interdisciplinary cooperation of botanists, geoscientists and archaeologists yields new information about a rarely investigated region of southeastern Europe, and thus improves understanding of natural processes and human impact.

At least 15 settlement layers, deposited above each other from the early Neolithic (ca. 5300?cal BC) until Roman Imperial Times (ca. 400?cal AD), have been discovered at Niederr?blingen, Germany. Constituting the longest duration of prehistoric settlement in central Europe so far known (ca. 4000?yrs), the site is thought to represent the first multi-layered settlement mound (tell?) north of the Alps. This implicates that the occurrence of settlement mound is not limited to the circum-Mediterranean area. The detailed chronology, based on archaeological, radiocarbon and OSL dating and supporting a Bayesian model, shows one clear occupational gap (early Neolithic) and a possible hiatus (Roman Times). Erosion phases of the settlement mound and the deposition of alluvial sediments (since Roman Imperial Times) in the surroundings resulted in an almost complete disappearance of the mound from the recent scenery. Being difficult to detect, similar sites might be present, undetected, in central Europe. Their discovery and study would enable the precise reconstruction of the settlement history as well as of the prehistoric man-environmental interactions at a high resolution.

On a straight slope within the lake catchment of Kleiner Tornowsee (Brandenburg, Germany) a sequence of slope sediments has been deposited during the Late Glacial, the Early Holocene and around cal 4.2 ka before today, 800, 500 and 300 years ago. The chronology is based on 21 radiocarbon dates and 11 OSL dates and a deposition model including the numerical data as well as stratigraphic information has been calculated with OxCal 4.1. A comparison of the woody taxa of charcoal particles (n = 566) embedded within the sediments with the known regional vegetation history confirmed the reliability of the dates. According to the age, volume and distribution the deposition of the Early Holocene sediments at ca. 10.3 kyrs, ca. 9.5 kyrs and ca. 8.2 to 7.7 kyrs before today strongly suggests an influence of known climatic deteriorations phases on geomorphologic processes. Cold and dry climatic conditions probably promoted wildfires in Pinus dominated forests and therefore triggered the observed repeated slope instability. In consequence, mid-latitude slope deposits provide a potential to reconstruct the geomorphological response to climatic events at a high spatial resolution. In contrast, the recorded Mid to Late Holocene soil erosion phases on the slope have been triggered by land-use activities. Apart from traditional environmental archives slope deposits provide valuable information about the vegetation and climate history.

Pollen analysis reveals vegetation change on a local and regional level over (ideally) continuous time spans but with complications when it comes to the reconstruction of spatially precise species occurrence and composition. Wood charcoal analysis provides site-related information on species occurrence and woodland composition, especially when sediments containing pollen are lacking, but is normally discontinuously available and has the danger of human bias due to potential selection of certain species for e.g. fire making, house construction or charcoal making. Combining the two methods – assuming that suitable palaeoarchives are neighbouring – might compensate for their disadvantages and strengthen the interpretations on vegetation composition and dynamics on a local, extra-local and regional scale. Three examples are given where pollen analysis from “classical” archives – mires and lake sediments – was carried out, and where additionally species identification of wood charcoals was done on samples extracted from close-by archives. The first example (Kugelstattmoos, Bavarian Forest, Germany) combines a Holocene pollen diagram derived from a small mire with late medieval/early modern times charcoal spectra from charcoal production sites which are situated on the margin of the mire. Results show the local occurrence of the main woodland species Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba, and raises new questions on the montane species composition of the formerly natural forests in the Bavarian Forest. The second example (Bargstedter Moor, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) combines Holocene pollen diagrams from a peat bog with late medieval/early modern times charcoal spectra from charcoal production sites in a woodland close to the bog. It shows the role of Quercus, Fagus, Alnus and Carpinus in medieval and early modern times woodlands and its use by man. The third example (Kleiner Tornowsee, Brandenburg, Germany) combines pollen data from sediments of a small lake with charcoal data derived from Holocene colluvisols and soils. The examples show that anthracological and palynological data complement one another to create a more detailed picture of woodland history and landscape change than one method alone would provide.

The published record of historical soil erosion by water in Germany as deduced from dated slope deposits (n = 306), alluvial sediments (n = 120) and lake sediments is summarized in this paper. The number of sediments investigated reflects the state of knowledge chronology of historical soil erosion and to a certain degree the intensity of the human impact on German landscapes during the Holocene. Even though few data of calculated historical soil erosion intensities exist, an estimation of historical soil erosion in Germany combining the available data has been calculated. Soil erosion in Germany occurred first locally during the Early Holocene, probably triggered by climatic variability. From the Neolithic onward, the record reflects the human impact according to agricultural land use. The observed variability indicates phases of weaker and regained intensity of agricultural land use in Germany. Few records characterise the early and middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000–1600 BC), and the migration period and the early Medieval Times (ca. 400–1000 AD). Surprisingly, for the Roman Emperor Times (ca. 1–400 AD) a decreasing number of soil sediments is recorded even when the data from southern Germany is examined separately. Phases characterised by an increase in soil erosion were the late Bronze Age and pre-roman Iron Age (ca. 1600 BC–1 AD), the high and late Medieval Times (ca. 1000–1350 AD) and the Modern Times (ca. 1500 AD until today). Some extraordinary heavy precipitation events (late 18th–early 19th, first half of 14th century, pre-roman Iron Age) topped the even high soil erosion intensities. Research gaps as well as potential for future research as derived from the available data are outlined.

The idea of open landscapes around prehistoric burial mounds is founded on their topographical position and findings of plaggen clots within the hills at some sites. We have investigated the surroundings of four Bronze Age burial mounds at Bornhöved (northern Germany) to test whether this assumed landscape openness enabled soil erosion and colluviation or not. The soils and colluvia within a watershed below the burial mounds were investigated in six large exposures and additional auger cores. The chronology is based on 21 AMS-radiocarbon dates, complemented by charcoal analysis and the content of selected heavy metals in the sediments. Colluvia were deposited in the Late Neolithic (~2500—2200 cal. BC), Roman Emperor Times (~ 250—400 cal. AD), Mediaeval Times (~ AD 600—1400) and Modern Times (~ AD 1800—2000). Our findings indicate that the soil surfaces were protected against soil erosion during the phase of Bronze Age funeral use (~ cal. 1800—600 BC). Either the prehistoric gravediggers practised a well suited form of pasturing to keep the scenery open or the surroundings of the burial mounds were forested at the time of funeral use. The results of charcoal analysis reflect the known succession of woody taxa in the region and underline the great potential of anthracology on colluvial layers for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions apart from traditional archives such as lakes or mires. Bulk radiocarbon dating of organic matter overestimated the time of burial of a buried soil as well as the time of deposition of colluvial layers considerably.

The Holocene landscape history and historical soil erosion were reconstructed at Albersdorf (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) from soils and colluvial layers. In contrast to many landscapes in central Europe, agricultural land use and soil erosion were more frequent during pre-historical times, whereas it has almost ceased after the advent of history. Pre-historical soil erosion rates from about 0.1 to 6.9 t ha− 1 a− 1 were reconstructed with no significant differences between the prehistoric cultural phases. The study of buried soils within the soil/soil-sediment-sequences provided evidence for an acceleration of soil formation processes probably as a consequence of excessive prehistoric woodland pasture on poor sandy soils.

Time-series of varve properties and geochemistry were established from varved sediments of Lake Woserin (north-eastern Germany) covering the recent period AD 2010–1923 and the mid-Holocene time-window 6400–4950 varve years before present (vyr BP) using microfacies analyses, x-ray fluorescence (µ-XRF) scanning, microscopic varve chronology, and 14C dating. The microscopic varve chronology was compared with a macroscopic varve chronology for the same sediment interval. Calcite layer thickness during the recent period is significantly correlated to increases in local annual precipitation ( r = 0.46, p = 0.03) and reduced air-pressure ( r = −0.72, p 1 standard deviation calcite layer thickness depicts a negative wave train air-pressure anomaly centered over southern Europe, with north-eastern Germany at its northern frontal zone. Three centennial-scale intervals of thicker calcite layers around the mid-Holocene periods 6200–5900, 5750–5400, and 5300–4950 vyr BP might reflect humid conditions favoring calcite precipitation through the transport of Ca2+ ions into Lake Woserin, synchronous to wetter conditions in Europe. Calcite layer thickness oscillations of about 88 and 208 years resemble the solar Gleissberg and Suess cycles suggesting that the recorded hydroclimate changes in north-eastern Germany are modified by solar influences on synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation. However, parts of the periods of thicker calcite layers around 5750–5400 and 5200 vyr BP also coincide with enhanced human catchment activity at Lake Woserin. Therefore, calcite precipitation during these time-windows might have further been favored by anthropogenic deforestation mobilizing Ca2+ ions and/or lake eutrophication.

Extraordinarily heavy precipitation events had a significant impact on landscapes in Central Europe during the Holocene. Regionally, the reconstruction of their occurrence and extent helps to better understand the development of landscapes in the past and, perhaps, the future. Soils, gully fillings, and colluvia of two sub- catchments of Belauer See were analysed and compared to the records of allochthonous input to the lake. The incision of gullies and the enrichment of stones in colluvia occurred simultaneously with events of increased al- lochthonous input to the lake. This indicates extraordinarily heavy precipitation events at around AD 1 and the first half of the 14 th century. Heavy precipitation events are also documented in the region historically at 1315 and 1342. Phases of moderate soil erosion are distinguished by layers of colluvia and moderate or low allochtho- nous input to the lake. During these phases the amount of allochthonous input to the lake during the Holocene correlates to the size of agricultural fields within the catchment, the intensity of precipitation, spatio-temporal changes in land use patterns and perhaps to changes in the water level of the lake. The results of the study imply that it may be possible to establish event chronologies by studying more lake catchments in Central Europe. Kurzfassung: Extreme Starkregenereignisse haben die Entwicklung von Landschaften Mitteleuropas im Holo- zan nachhaltig beeinflusst. Die Rekonstruktion des zeitlichen und raumlichen Auftretens und der Wirkung sol- cher Ereignisse birgt das Potential, das Verstandnis der Entwicklung von Landschaften wahrend der Vergangen- heit und moglicherweise auch der Zukunft zu verbessern. Boden, Kerbenfullungen und Kolluvien in zwei Teil- einzugsgebieten des Belauer Sees wurden untersucht und mit den allochthonen Eintragen in den See vergli- chen. Das Einreisen von Kerben und Steinanreicherungen in Kolluvien erfolgten zeitgleich mit kurzfristig erhohten allochthonen Eintragen in den See. Diese Befunde lassen sich am besten mit Ereignissen erhohter Niederschlagsintensitat erklaren. Um die Zeitenwende und wahrend der ersten Halfte des 14. Jh. wurden solche Ereignisse nachgewiesen. Extremniederschlage in den Jahren 1315 und 1342 sind fur die Region historisch do- kumentiert. Phasen mit durchschnittlichen Erosionsintensitaten sind durch Kolluvien und zeitgleich auftretende mittlere bis geringe allochthone Eintrage in den See belegt. Der Transfer von erodiertem Material in den See wurde wahrend des Holozans durch den Anteil der ackerbaulich genutzten Flache, durch die Niederschlags- intensitat, durch zeitlich-raumlich variable Landnutzungsmuster und moglicherweise durch Seespiegelschwan- kungen gesteuert. Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass die Untersuchung weiterer Seeeinzugsgebiete die Etablie- rung einer Ereignis-Chronologie von Starkniederschlagsereignissen in Mitteleuropa ermoglichen konnte.

The environmental history since the onset of agriculture was reconstructed from sediments and soils in the catchment area of Lake Belau (Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany). The established chronologies are based on varve counts, radiocarbon data, embedded Icelandic tephra (lake sediments), radiocarbon dates, and embedded artifacts (slope deposits). Neolithic land use triggered small-scale erosion. Lake trophic indicators and pollen data clearly reflect the onset of agriculture and the middle Neolithic expansion of agricultural activity. Despite numerous archaeological findings, less intensive field use and no soil erosion occurred during the older and younger Bronze Age. Perhaps, animal husbandry was more important than cereal cultivation. Between 2000 and 500 cal. bc, Aeolian input from a distant source can be observed. During the late Bronze Age and Pre-Roman Iron Age, intensified field use enabled severe soil erosion (gullies c. 200 cal. bc). The degradation of soils started in this period, influenced by excessive land use, climatic variability, and/or the reduction in Aeolian deposition. The Roman Iron Age and Migration Period were phases of reduced human impact and soil formation. During medieval times, the intensity of field use increased again and another phase of soil erosion (gully in the 14th century, probably reflecting the ‘Magdalenenflut’ 1342) and soil degradation started. After the late medieval crisis caused by the ‘black death’ and several armed conflicts, another increase in soil erosion may reflect the rearrangement of estates (18th−19th century) and introduction of industrial agriculture (20th century). A recurrence of high-intensity erosion events is indicated at c. 1540, 1710, and probably 1939 ad. Whereas the lake trophic status is influenced by human impact on the lake catchment, wetter and warmer climatic phases are reflected in increased carbonate precipitation modulated by solar activity, human impact, and the long-term evolution of vegetation and soils in the lake catchment.

Der Statische Dauerdungungsversuch Bad Lauchstadt ist einer der wenigen Schlusselstandorte von internationalem Ruf innerhalb der Erforschung des Umsatzverhaltens organischer Bodensubstanz. Im Rahmen des Schwerpunktprogramms 1090 der DFG "Boden als Quelle und Senke fur CO 2 --Mechanismen und Regulation der Stabilisierung organischer Substanz in Boden" wurde die Versuchsflache als ein Referenzstandort ausgewahlt. Die Interaktion von Bodenmineralen mit organischer Bodensubstanz konnte einer dieser Stabilisierungsprozesse sein, aber die bisher vorliegenden Informationen uber den Mineralbestand der Versuchsflache sind unvollstandig und widerspruchlich. Um diese Mangel auszuraumen, haben wir den Mineralbestand einer 98 Jahre ungedungten Variante ("18") und einer kontinuierlich gedungten Variante ("1") bestimmt. Je Variante wurden 4 Unterproben aus Teilparzellen entnommen, um die flachige Heterogenitat des Mineralkorpers zu prufen. Neben Grunduntersuchungen (Texturanalyse, Bestimmung des pH-Wertes und der potent...

The recent sediment record of Lake Belau (Schleswig–Holstein, Germany), deposited in the period 1945–2002, was compared with instrumental meteorological and limnological data. The sediments deposited during this period are annually laminated. A varve chronology was established and supported by 137Cs measurements. Micro-facies and diatom assemblage composition analyses were confirmed in thin sections and compared statistically with limnological and meteorological data. Comparison of phytoplankton data with diatom assemblage data from the sediment for the time interval from 1988 to 1999 proved that the sediments reflect limnological processes in the lake and record seasonal changes in the primary producer communities. Among the climatological data, the number of contiguous ice days (days with maximal temperatures ≤0 °C) and the state of the winter NAO are strong predictors for micro-facies development and diatom assemblage composition. Furthermore, solar and local (nutrient input) influences are visible in the diatom assemblage compositions. Our study illustrates the high potential for using analyses of micro-facies and diatom assemblages to reconstruct past weather conditions in varved sediments of Lake Belau.