Soils and Archaeology

John E. Foss, Yul Roh, and Debra Phillips University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Some of the major pedologic contributions to the interpretation of archaeological sites include the following (modified from Foss et al., 1993):

1. Determining site delimitation
   Soil and landscape analysis provides stratigraphic data and the size and extent of archaeological sites
   Pedological stratigraphy

2. Soil morphology is the key to understanding the stratigraphy of a site
   Soil horizons are related to site history, especially periods of stability and rapid deposition and this relates to habitation of a site

3. Soil-landscape relationships
   Soils are three-dimensional features on the landscape and, thus, soils provide information on drainage, erosion, deposition, and overall age of site deposits

4. Identification of geologic parent materials
   The geology of a site has many implications to archaeological sites including parent materials for soils, natural source for building stone, clay and overall structure of the site

5. Correlating soil morphology and archaeological levels
   The identification of certain soil horizons as artifact-bearing can aid archaeologists in providing physical evidence for further testing of other similar horizons.

6. Identifying lithologic (changes in parent material) and pedologic (soil weathering) discontinuities
   The breaks in sedimentation or soil formation are key locations to observe for artifacts. These breaks in sediment history or soil formation intervals, of of sufficient length, may have provided time for habitation.

7. Approximating soil age
   By combining field morphology with laboratory characterization, soils provide a general time estimate that a surface has been exposed to weathering. These observations are especially useful in developing an excavation plan early in the study.

8. Identifying paleosols (fossil soils)
   Buried paleosols are useful for evaluating the environmental history of a site. The paleosol itself indicates the length of the weathering period for the its development but also gives information on the climate, vegetation, and landscapes during this period.

9. Contributing to the overall interpretation of the archaeological sites
   Pedology is just one of the numerous disciplines that provide the comprehensive environmental data that are needed to develop complete site history.

The soil-archaeology project the past three field seasons on the Karak Plateau has essentially been involved in all of the interpretations above. The on-going laboratory analysis of the major soils will also provide additional interpretation of the relationship of soil and landscape to archaeological levels.

• Introduction continued
• Field Studies
  • Geologic materials
  • Soil morphology
• Laboratory Studies
  • Particle size analysis
  • Organic matter
  • Soil pH
  • Elemental analysis
• Mineralogical Characterization
• Summary