Chemical analyses of buried soils from experimental earthworks and their application to archaeological case studies
The aim of this research was to develop a better understanding of buried soils using experimental sites as analogues of prehistoric and early historic buried soil s. Three experimental earthworks were investigated; a 16 year old buried soil beneath Butser Ancient Farm Octagonal Earthwork, Hampshire built on Middle Chalk and previously cultivated, a 22 year old buried soil beneath Fishbourne Octagonal Earthwork, Sussex built on Aeolian drift over Pleistocene gravels and the 17 year old buried soil beneath the enclosure bank surrounding the 'Celtic Village' at the National Museum of Wales at St Fagans, near Cardiff. Three archaeological case studies were investigated; two henge monuments in Scotland, Broomend of Crichie, Aberdeenshire and Pullyhour, Caithness; and one site on chalk; Mound VII of the Bartlow Barrow Complex, Cambridgeshire. The buried soils were investigated using pH, organic matter content, calcium carbonate content and particle size. This was complemented by multi-clement analysis by ICP-OES and thin section micromorphology. Analytical data was compared and combines with evidence from excavation and historical maps to create retrogressive landscape histories. Key questions related to evidence
Poole, Amy
Chemical analyses of buried soils from experimental earthworks and their application to archaeological case studies. The aim of this research was to develop a better understanding of buried soils using experimental sites as analogues of prehistoric and early historic buried soil s. Three experimental earthworks were investigated; a 16 year old buried soil beneath Butser Ancient Farm Octagonal Earthwork, Hampshire built on Middle Chalk and previously cultivated, a 22 year old buried soil beneath Fishbourne Octagonal Earthwork, Sussex built on Aeolian drift over Pleistocene gravels and the 17 year old buried soil beneath the enclosure bank surrounding the 'Celtic Village' at the National Museum of Wales at St Fagans, near Cardiff. Three archaeological case studies were investigated; two henge monuments in Scotland, Broomend of Crichie, Aberdeenshire and Pullyhour, Caithness; and one site on chalk; Mound VII of the Bartlow Barrow Complex, Cambridgeshire. The buried soils were investigated using pH, organic matter content, calcium carbonate content and particle size. This was complemented by multi-clement analysis by ICP-OES and thin section micromorphology. Analytical data was compared and combines with evidence from excavation and historical maps to create retrogressive landscape histories. Key questions related to evidence
chemical_analysis bury soils experimental earthwork application archaeological case_study aim_develop good bury soil use experimental site analogue prehistoric early historic bury soil experimental earthwork investigate bury soil beneath ancient farm earthwork hampshire build middle chalk previously cultivate bury soil beneath earthwork sussex build aeolian drift pleistocene bury soil beneath enclosure bank surround celtic village national museum wales near archaeological case_study investigate henge monument scotland caithness site chalk mound vii barrow complex cambridgeshire bury soil investigate use organic_matter content calcium carbonate content particle size complement multi clement analysis icp thin_section micromorphology analytical data_compare combine evidence excavation historical map create landscape_history key_question relate evidence