During an aerial archeological survey performed in spring 2009, we detected positive cropmarks (increased biomass production) indicating waste pits in the subsoil in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) stand. Based on pottery samples, the waste pits were dated to the end of the twelfth century or to the first half of the thirteenth century. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there were any differences in the soil chemical properties in arable and subsoil layers between cropmarks and the surrounding stands (controls) with normal crop growth. We also investigated how plant performance and biomass chemical properties differed between the cropmarks and controls. There were no differences in pH between cropmarks and controls in the 0-20 cm arable layer, but a substantially higher pH was recorded in the subsoil layer (30-40 cm) in cropmarks compared to controls, indicating deposited wood ash. Similar results were recorded for plant available (Mehlich III) P, Ca, Mg, As and Zn concentrations. Plant height, spike length, flag leaf length, tiller density, spike density and standing dry matter biomass were substantially higher in cropmarks than in controls on both sampling dates (

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