Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands
The application of geochemical analysis in archaeology provides a better understanding of ancient human activities. This paper presents the results of geochemical multi-element, LOI, MS, and geochronological analyses of a cultural layer at the Voorthuizen (The Netherlands) archaeological site. The s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Minerals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/3/373 |
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| author | Olga Druzhinina Laura Gedminienė Kasper van den Berghe |
| author_facet | Olga Druzhinina Laura Gedminienė Kasper van den Berghe |
| author_sort | Olga Druzhinina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The application of geochemical analysis in archaeology provides a better understanding of ancient human activities. This paper presents the results of geochemical multi-element, LOI, MS, and geochronological analyses of a cultural layer at the Voorthuizen (The Netherlands) archaeological site. The study has revealed a difference in the geochemical composition of an occupational surface in the Iron Age settlement and an early Roman Time agricultural horizon. The former is enriched in Ba, Sr, Rb, Th, Cl, and Mg, while the latter displays elevated P, Pb, Ni, Mn, and V values. The study has provided a deeper insight into the agricultural techniques applied at the Voorthuizen site and on the so-called Celtic Fields, known as ancient field systems dating from the same period and widespread throughout north-west Europe. It seems that household waste was not used as a fertilizer at Voorthuizen, while the application of manure is characteristic of Celtic Fields. However, phosphorous values in the Voorthuizen agricultural horizon are comparable to those in the Celtic Fields, suggesting similar sources of P in both cases. Elevated Si and “mobile” Fe, Mn, V, Pb, As, and Sn, along with higher MS measurements, are indicative of the use of extra mineral matter for the fertilization of the Voorthuizen ancient arable field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:12:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-29c9309809b04c6784ba3562d56509d1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-163X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:12:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Minerals |
| spelling | doaj.art-29c9309809b04c6784ba3562d56509d12023-11-30T21:40:07ZengMDPI AGMinerals2075-163X2022-03-0112337310.3390/min12030373Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The NetherlandsOlga Druzhinina0Laura Gedminienė1Kasper van den Berghe2Faculty of Geography, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, 191186 Saint-Petersburg, RussiaNature Research Centre, Institute of Geology and Geography, 08412 Vilnius, LithuaniaFindX Research Center, 8031 VK Zwolle, The NetherlandsThe application of geochemical analysis in archaeology provides a better understanding of ancient human activities. This paper presents the results of geochemical multi-element, LOI, MS, and geochronological analyses of a cultural layer at the Voorthuizen (The Netherlands) archaeological site. The study has revealed a difference in the geochemical composition of an occupational surface in the Iron Age settlement and an early Roman Time agricultural horizon. The former is enriched in Ba, Sr, Rb, Th, Cl, and Mg, while the latter displays elevated P, Pb, Ni, Mn, and V values. The study has provided a deeper insight into the agricultural techniques applied at the Voorthuizen site and on the so-called Celtic Fields, known as ancient field systems dating from the same period and widespread throughout north-west Europe. It seems that household waste was not used as a fertilizer at Voorthuizen, while the application of manure is characteristic of Celtic Fields. However, phosphorous values in the Voorthuizen agricultural horizon are comparable to those in the Celtic Fields, suggesting similar sources of P in both cases. Elevated Si and “mobile” Fe, Mn, V, Pb, As, and Sn, along with higher MS measurements, are indicative of the use of extra mineral matter for the fertilization of the Voorthuizen ancient arable field.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/3/373geochemistryarchaeologyancient human activitiespre- and protohistoric agriculturesettlement occupational layerCeltic Fields |
| spellingShingle | Olga Druzhinina Laura Gedminienė Kasper van den Berghe Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands Minerals geochemistry archaeology ancient human activities pre- and protohistoric agriculture settlement occupational layer Celtic Fields |
| title | Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands |
| title_full | Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands |
| title_fullStr | Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands |
| title_short | Geochemical Study of the Iron Age Settlement Occupational Layer and the Early Roman Time Agricultural Layer at Voorthuizen, The Netherlands |
| title_sort | geochemical study of the iron age settlement occupational layer and the early roman time agricultural layer at voorthuizen the netherlands |
| topic | geochemistry archaeology ancient human activities pre- and protohistoric agriculture settlement occupational layer Celtic Fields |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-163X/12/3/373 |
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