Medieval Farming Practices in Deserted Villages Can be Determined Based on the Nitrogen Isotopic Signature in Recent Forest Soils

Using δ 15 N analysis of soil organic matter in two deserted medieval villages and their agricultural land in different environmental conditions in the Czech Republic, the aim of this study was to study the application of organic fertilizers on medieval agricultural land. The study was performed in the villages of Roudnicka (430-455 m a.s.l.) and Spindelbach (800-880 m a.s.l.), both established in the 13 th century and deserted in the 15 th century and covered by Norway spruce (Picea abies) forest at present. Soil samples of humus horizon (Ah) were collected in close vicinity to the former buildings and in the deserted medieval fields in autumn 2011. No significant differences were recorded in δ 15 N among the soil samples collected in close vicinity to the ruins of the buildings or in the former field in Roudnicka. Despite there being no significant effect in terms of the position, there were clear trends with the lowest values of δ 15 N recorded in close vicinity to the buildings, and the highest values recorded in the former field. The δ 15

Agricultural land · Agriculture · Agroforestry · Archaeology · Czech · Geography · Horizon · Humus · Soil water · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Environmental Science · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Isotope Analysis in Ecology · Mathematics · Forestry · Soil Science

• Livestock as an indicator of socioeconomic changes in Medieval Prague (Czech Republic)

  Open Access•Lenka Kovačiková, Olga Trojánková et al.•Archaeological and Anthropological…•2020

  Incluir item

• Pedogenesis, Pedochemistry and the Functional Structure of the Waldhufendorf Field System of the Deserted Medieval Village Spindelbach, the Czech Republic

  Open Access•Jan Horák, Tomáš Klír•Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica…•2017

  Incluir item

• Human-induced prehistoric soil buried in the flood plain of Svratka River, Czech Republic

  Open Access•Lenka Vejrostová, Lenka Lisá et al.•The Holocene•2019

  Incluir item

• Soil Chemistry to Support Old Map Analysis of the Built-up Area of an Abandoned Settlement. Case Study from the Romanian Banat

  Open Access•Markéta Šantrůčková, Jan Horák et al.•Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica…•2020

  Incluir item

• Environmental Archaeology at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague – An Application of New Methods for Interdisciplinary Research

  Open Access•Michal Hejcman, P Hejcmanová et al.•Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica…•2013

  Incluir item

• Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes and quality traits of fossil cereal grains provide clues on sustainability at the beginnings of Mediterranean agriculture

  Open Access•Mònica Aguilera, J L Araus et al.•Rapid Communications in Mass…•2008

  Incluir item

• The Czech Lands in Medieval Transformation

  Jan Klápště•Czech Lands in Medieval…•2012

  Incluir item

• Compound-specific δ15N amino acid signals in palaeosols as indicators of early land use

  Open Access•I A Simpson, Roland Bol et al.•Archaeological Prospection•1997

  Incluir item

• Patterns of plant δ15N values on a Greenland Norse farm

  Open Access•R G Commisso, D E Nelson•Journal of Archaeological Science•2006

  Incluir item

• The impact of manuring on nitrogen isotope ratios in cereals

  Open Access•Amy Bogaard, T H E Heaton et al.•Journal of Archaeological Science•2006

  Incluir item

• The beginnings of manuring in western Europe

  C C Bakels•Antiquity•1997

  Incluir item

• Isotopic Evidence for Early Maize Cultivation in New York State

  Open Access•J C Vogel, Nikolaas J Van Der Merwe•American Antiquity•1977

  Incluir item