Indirect dating of historical land use through mining: Linking heavy metal analyses of fluvial deposits to archaeobotanical data and written accounts.

Abstract

Man-made heavy metal contamination of floodplains has existed for centuries—even dating back to the Middle Ages. Up to now, these contaminants have been analyzed with very time-consuming and costly techniques. Thus, to determine historical heavy metal contamination, the aim of this study is to link the following approaches to generate better comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of historical land use of the Inde River, Germany (1) to analyze anthropogenic heavy metal contamination of fluvial deposits from before ca. 2800 B.C. onward (2) to investigate the historical land use by applying archaeobotanical data and (3) to weave information from written accounts, in order to indirectly date fluvial deposits. In this study, heavy metal concentrations were measured in situ using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Subsequently, pollen and macroremains dating from the Early Modern Period were archaeobotanically analyzed. Finally, historical accounts were studied. We found that fluvial deposits of varying age show distinctly different concentrations of lead, zinc, and copper. Moreover, the archaeobotanical analyses indicated intensive land use through farming, husbandry, and forestry. Finally, the written accounts described mining activities since the Roman Period or even before. In conclusion, linking these three interdisciplinary approaches is ideal for gaining insight into the historical anthropogenic impact on the environment. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Resources

• http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/gea.20334/abstract

Bibliography

C., S., S., S., J., M., F., L., R., G. (2012): Indirect dating of historical land use through mining: Linking heavy metal analyses of fluvial deposits to archaeobotanical data and written accounts..