ИСТИНА

Geoarchaeological objects include those that allow applying pedogenetic approach for paleolandscape reconstructions: - burial mounds, cultural layers of ancient settlements, etc. Pedogenetic features of such objects are important archive allowing detailed landscape evolution. Holocene geoarchaeological objects are widely spread in various bioclimatic zone of the Russian plain and are well documented by archaeologists. So their systematic study will allow getting not only temporal but also spatial dynamics for various time slices of the Holocene. Paleosols of geoarhaeological objects, especially of burial mounds are extensively studied in the Russian plain. Nevertheless generalized pattern of temporal and spatial dynamics based on the study of paleosols is still absent. The results of paleopedologic studies are also not systematically presented in the form of database of geoarheological objects. Buried soils, isolated from modern environmental impact by burial mounds keep unique characteristics of former pedogenesis and are the witnesses of former pre-industrial environments. The relevance of the scientific approach in the current project is also based on the fact that existing paleolandscape reconstructions for various Holocene time slices are often contradictory. So the necessity to refine temporal dynamics is quite important. The project includes field studies of geoahchaeological objects of Bronze, Iron and Medieval age in the forest, forest-steppe, steppe, dry-steppe and desert-steppezones of the Russian plain that will allow to build landscape maps for various time slices. It is also planned to documents research results and published data for each geoarhaeological object in the form of Internet database. The study includes a combination of widely used conventional methods and specific paleopedology and laboratory methods, including isotopic, biomorph (pollen, phytoliths), hierarchical morphogenetic studies of pedogenetic and sedimentological features (macromorphology, mesomorphology, micromorphology, electron microscope), antropogeochemistry and the study of soil microbiome. Time control will be based on radiocarbon dating of various substances (coal, carbonates, humus, wood, bones, and ceramics) and a set of existing archaeological data. A combination of methods will provide data for short-term reconstruction for the second half of the Holocene. For instance, micromorphological studies allow to distinguish initial pedogenetic features and diagenetic impact. The application of mass spectral analyses will allow to compare modern and buried soils and to use buried soils as a standard for pre-industrial features and to deduct landscape parameters before burial. The relevance of the project is based on multi-disciplinary approach. This study is supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project no. 16-17-10280. References 1. Evolution of soils and soil cover. Theory, diversity of natural evolution and anthropogenic transformations of soils, Editors V.N. Kudeyarov, I.V. Ivanov. Moscow, GEOS, 2015, 925 p. (In Russian) 2. Ivanov I.V., Evolution of soils of the steppe zone during the Holocene, Moscow, 1992, 143 p. (In Russian)