Land Use Reconstruction in the Medieval Bolgar Based on the Study of Buried Soils

Abstract

The study results of the buried soils revealed in the excavations CCV and CCVI at the Bolgar fortified settlement are presented in the paper. Buried soils content the information about past environmental conditions including anthropogenic impact. The aim of the study was to identify and show the different types of land used activity during the development of the city of Bolgar. This was done by the example of comparison of soils buried under the different parts of rampart. The investigations aimed to identification the characteristic features of soils, determination of profile horizons, pHH2O, and calculation the phosphorus content of organic carbon as well as total phosphorus and phytoliths content. Radiocarbon dating of humus horizons of buried soils was carried out. The results show that soils buried under the different parts of the ramparts have not the same characteristics and properties. This is due to the long and different anthropogenic impacts. One place (excavation CCV) was the arable land for a long time and strong agrogenic erosion. Another (excavation CCVI) have no plough horizon, it was used as a road place but we can say about eroding processes too.

Keywords

• archaeology
• buried soils
• Bulgar
• rampart
• arable horizon
• erosion
• land used reconstruction