Archaeological and geoarchaeological properties of functional areas at the Upper Paleolithic site of Zaraysk, East European plain

Abstract

This study investigates the archaeological and geoarchaeological properties of a cultural layer at the Upper Paleolithic site of Zaraysk. We examine the human impact on soil properties within several functional areas using a multiproxy approach including physical, geochemical, and biogeochemical methods. The percentage of organic carbon most likely added by various human activities was estimated by applying a new approach using n-alkane contents and ratios. The results show that human activities led to distinct geoarchaeological signals and that most of the organic carbon in all functional areas is of anthropogenic origin. The flintknapping waste disposal pit contained animal and plant remains, accounting for 54% of the total organic carbon. In the bone-fueled hearth the highest proportion of “anthropogenically”-derived organic carbon (87%) was found. It was associated with fragmented bones, a small amount of wood for ignition, and organic residues from cooking. The floor of the “earth-dwelling” contained a high proportion of “anthropogenically”-derived organic carbon (78%), despite a low content in total organic carbon, and might have been covered by a layer out of animal skins and grass bedding. The surface of the cultural layer was largely a human-made deposit, which included geogenic material excavated from pits and charred material cleaned out from hearths. These findings advocate for the further use of biogeochemical methods at archaeological sites, including Paleolithic contexts, and demonstrate that soil memory – reflected also in soil organic matter – preserves a valuable record of human-environment interaction.