Early to Middle Bronze Age agricultural terraces in north-east England: morphology, dating and cultural implications

Brown, Antony G.; Fallu, Daniel J.; Cucchiaro, Sara; Alonso, Mònica; Albert, Rosa Maria; Walsh, Kevin; Pears, Ben; Scaife, Rob; Langdon, Catherine; Tarolli, Paolo; Cockroft, David; Snape, Lisa; Lang, Andreas; Ascough, Philippa; Zhao, Pengzhi; Oost, Kristof Van; Waddington, Clive

doi:10.15184/aqy.2023.1

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Research on historical field systems is developing rapidly (Brown et al, 2020(Brown et al, , 2021(Brown et al, , 2023Kinnaird et al, 2021;Turner et al, 2021;Vervust et al, 2020). The genesis of different types of landscapes in Europe (Lebeau, 1996;Poschlod, 2015), as well as the historical and ecological factors of parcel boundaries (Kinnaird et al, 2021;Turner et al, 2021) as the main features of field systems in mountainous and foothill landscapes are at the forefront of interest (Fanta et al, 2022;Keller et al, 2023;Silva-Pérez & González-Romero, 2022;Vervust et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

Poledník Mohammadi,

Šitnerová,

Lisá

et al. 2024

Geoarchaeology

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The integration of archaeological, historical and geoarchaeological records represents a significant contribution to research into the medieval landscape. This study focuses on the medieval field system in the deserted village of Debrné, located in northeastern Bohemia, Czechia. The village features a well‐preserved croft plužina field system, a typical historical landscape of central Europe. The main and most visible elements of the field system are the earthen field boundaries, which were the focus of the geoarchaeological investigations. Archaeological excavations in trench S1 revealed a collection of larger stones at a depth of 1 m, potentially serving a drainage function akin to the observed plužina. Additionally, a boulder paving, identified as a remnant of a path between fields, provided insights into the historical use of the area. In trench S2, positioned closer to the village's core, layers with increasing stone content were recorded at a depth of 130 cm. However, the drainage structure observed in trench S1 was not replicated. The dating of earthen field boundaries indicated the creation of the terrace in the second half of the 16th century in trench S1. In trench S2, radiocarbon dating at a depth of 70 to 80 cm ranged from 1025 to 1175 A.D., predating the first written source about Debrné. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating in trench S2 suggested exposure to sunlight during the third century A.D. Archaeobotanical analysis of charred macroremains from trench S1 revealed 236 plant macroremains belonging to approximately 20 taxa, showcasing wild‐growing, collected useful species such as raspberry, blackberry and elderberry. Trench S2 yielded 23 plant macroremains belonging to 11 taxa, with similar species as trench S1. Pedological and micromorphological examinations displayed distinct layering in both trenches, showing up to six layers. Micromorphological analysis unveiled vuggy microstructures, varying grain sizes and elemental patterns, shedding light on different periods of occupation. Multidisciplinary investigations of the buried soils forming the earthen field boundaries discovered that the original soil cover comprised automorphic lixisols and cambisols, which also form under present conditions. These results underscore the importance of integrating pedological, geoarchaeological, archaeobotanical and physical data to comprehend the intricate nature of anthropogenic landscape changes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

Poledník Mohammadi,

Šitnerová,

Lisá

et al. 2024

Geoarchaeology

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“…Unlike steep-land agricultural terraces, which have recently received considerable archaeological attention (Harfouche & Poupet, 2021;Turner et al, 2021;Brown et al, 2023), lowland lynchets on soft rocks (e.g. chalklands) have seen relatively little modern scientific analysis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lynchet-Type Terraces, Loess, and Agricultural Resilience on Chalk Landscapes in the UK and Belgium

Pears,

Lang,

Fallu

et al. 2024

Eur. j. archaeol

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Lynchets, often the defining component of historic agricultural landscapes in northern Europe, are generally associated with soft-limestone geologies and are particularly well developed on loess-mantled landscapes. To understand their formation and chronology, the authors present their geoarchaeological analyses of lynchet soils and loess deposits at Blick Mead and Charlton Forest in southern England, and Sint Martens-Voeren in Belgium. The lynchets date from the late prehistoric to the medieval periods and were constructed by plough action at the English sites, and by both cut-and-fill and ploughing in Belgium. This has resulted in the preservation of highly fertile loessic soils across chalk slopes, lost elsewhere. Although each example is associated with local/regional agricultural histories, the lynchets’ effective soil-retention capacities allowed them to survive as important heritage features with environmental benefits over millennia.

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The geoarchaeology of a terraced landscape: From Aztec Matlatinco to modern Calixtlahuaca By AleksanderBorejsza, Isabel RodríguezLópez, Charles D.Frederick, and Michael E.Smith, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. 2021. pp. 370. $85 (hardback)

Brown

2024

Geoarchaeology

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This book is an in-depth investigation into the landscapes, geoarchaeology, and textual evidence of a 'forgotten' Aztec capital in Central Mexico. It is based on survey and excavations that took place 2006-2007 directed by Michael Smith. However, the volume is much more than an account of the excavation or excavation report, covering both landscape/geoarchaeological questions (e.g., what is a terrace) and more theoretical questions (e.g., landesque capital).

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Early to Middle Bronze Age agricultural terraces in north-east England: morphology, dating and cultural implications

Cited by 4 publications

References 43 publications

The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

Lynchet-Type Terraces, Loess, and Agricultural Resilience on Chalk Landscapes in the UK and Belgium

The geoarchaeology of a terraced landscape: From Aztec Matlatinco to modern Calixtlahuaca By AleksanderBorejsza, Isabel RodríguezLópez, Charles D.Frederick, and Michael E.Smith, Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press. 2021. pp. 370. $85 (hardback)

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