Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic
Abstract Historical field systems are an essential part of the traditional cultural landscape of societies with primarily agricultural subsistence. They embody many functions and values, as they affect the productional, ecological and hydrological functioning of the landscape, its cultural values, t...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12612-8 |
| _version_ | 1828348177753833472 |
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| author | Václav Fanta Jaromír Beneš Jan Zouhar Volha Rakava Ivana Šitnerová Kristina Janečková Molnárová Ladislav Šmejda Petr Sklenicka |
| author_facet | Václav Fanta Jaromír Beneš Jan Zouhar Volha Rakava Ivana Šitnerová Kristina Janečková Molnárová Ladislav Šmejda Petr Sklenicka |
| author_sort | Václav Fanta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Historical field systems are an essential part of the traditional cultural landscape of societies with primarily agricultural subsistence. They embody many functions and values, as they affect the productional, ecological and hydrological functioning of the landscape, its cultural values, the way people perceive the landscape, and their impact on present-day farming. As an aspect of the historical landscape, field systems are a topic investigated in landscape archaeology, environmental studies, historical geography, landscape ecology, and related disciplines. Historical field systems can form many complex spatial structures, shapes and patterns. This paper focuses on identifying environmental and historical/cultural driving forces during the formation and the historical development of various field pattern types. We worked with 523 settlements established in the medieval to the early modern period (approx. 900–1600 AD) in the present-day Czech Republic. We have determined the proportions of different field pattern types in the examined cadastres and have statistically compared them with a variety of environmental and geographical predictors. Our results indicate a strong influence of environmental predictors (terrain undulation, cadastre size), the impact of specific historical events and associated social changes (e.g. land confiscations by the state in the seventeenth century), and a significant relationship between field pattern types and settlement layout types. Furthermore, we have observed the different adaptations of field pattern types to similar environmental conditions, as well as the impact of social and political factors on the processes of landscape formation. Our paper provides the first detailed analysis of the geographical distribution of traditional field systems on the scale of an entire modern state, and emphasizes the importance of transdisciplinary research on cultural landscapes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:50:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f2878647768465a88a44d3fb0163517 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T00:50:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f2878647768465a88a44d3fb01635172022-12-22T02:21:49ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-05-0112112010.1038/s41598-022-12612-8Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech RepublicVáclav Fanta0Jaromír Beneš1Jan Zouhar2Volha Rakava3Ivana Šitnerová4Kristina Janečková Molnárová5Ladislav Šmejda6Petr Sklenicka7Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences PragueInstitute of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of South BohemiaFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences PragueFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences PragueInstitute of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of South BohemiaFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences PragueFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences PragueFaculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences PragueAbstract Historical field systems are an essential part of the traditional cultural landscape of societies with primarily agricultural subsistence. They embody many functions and values, as they affect the productional, ecological and hydrological functioning of the landscape, its cultural values, the way people perceive the landscape, and their impact on present-day farming. As an aspect of the historical landscape, field systems are a topic investigated in landscape archaeology, environmental studies, historical geography, landscape ecology, and related disciplines. Historical field systems can form many complex spatial structures, shapes and patterns. This paper focuses on identifying environmental and historical/cultural driving forces during the formation and the historical development of various field pattern types. We worked with 523 settlements established in the medieval to the early modern period (approx. 900–1600 AD) in the present-day Czech Republic. We have determined the proportions of different field pattern types in the examined cadastres and have statistically compared them with a variety of environmental and geographical predictors. Our results indicate a strong influence of environmental predictors (terrain undulation, cadastre size), the impact of specific historical events and associated social changes (e.g. land confiscations by the state in the seventeenth century), and a significant relationship between field pattern types and settlement layout types. Furthermore, we have observed the different adaptations of field pattern types to similar environmental conditions, as well as the impact of social and political factors on the processes of landscape formation. Our paper provides the first detailed analysis of the geographical distribution of traditional field systems on the scale of an entire modern state, and emphasizes the importance of transdisciplinary research on cultural landscapes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12612-8 |
| spellingShingle | Václav Fanta Jaromír Beneš Jan Zouhar Volha Rakava Ivana Šitnerová Kristina Janečková Molnárová Ladislav Šmejda Petr Sklenicka Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic Scientific Reports |
| title | Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic |
| title_full | Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic |
| title_fullStr | Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic |
| title_short | Ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the Czech Republic |
| title_sort | ecological and historical factors behind the spatial structure of the historical field patterns in the czech republic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12612-8 |
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