Geophysical–Geochemical Reconstruction of Ancient Population Size – the Early Bronze Age Settlement of Fidvár (Slovakia)

Abstract

Population estimates are a vital backdrop to our understanding of ancient societies' socio‐economic structures and development. In order to facilitate such an informational mise en scène in terms of the early Bronze Age settlement of Fidvár in southwestern Slovakia, a new geophysical–geochemical approach is presented here, the first results of which are very promising. The crux of the new methodology utilizes the population's chemical fingerprint in relation to total anthropogenic phosphorus input as a proxy for different population models. These methods suggest an early Bronze Age population of 300–600 individuals, in accordance with the comparative analysis of a magnetic survey, and also matches initial archaeological estimates. Further methodological adjustments suggest an even higher population of up to 1000 inhabitants. In light of these figures, it is likely that Fidvár was one of the centres of the early Bronze Age socio‐economic system of the northern Pannonian Basin. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A Multidimensional Research Strategy for the Evaluation of Settlement Pits: 3D Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Magnetic Prospection and Soil Chemistry

“…Cores measuring 2 or 3 m in total length were taken (liner tubes of 1 m length and 5 cm in diameter), depending on the depth of the pit being tested. Before they were opened, the magnetic susceptibilities of all cores were determined by a ring coil with an attached conveyor belt (resolution 1 cm, frequency 470 Hz; Nowaczinski et al ., ). Once complete, the cores were opened and analysed for colour (Munsell Soil Colour Chart), sediment composition (archaeological sediment – ash, re‐deposited loess, heated/burnt sediment; natural sediment) and archaeological finds (pottery sherds, bones, etc.).…”

“…The site under investigation here is that of the EBA settlement at Fidvár which has been subject to intensive geoarchaeological examination (reconstruction of EBA ditches – Nowaczinski et al ., ; population estimates based on phosphorus quantification – Nowaczinski et al ., ). Fidvár is situated in south‐western Slovakia at the north‐eastern part of the Danubian Lowlands.…”

“…GPR (ground penetrating radar), ERT (electrical resistivity tomography) and seismic methods can reveal subsurface structures like pits (Leckebusch, ; Hecht, ; Gaffney, ; Berge and Drahor, , ; Nowaczinski et al ., ). Moreover, geochemical analyses of typical human tracer elements like phosphorus, calcium and organic carbon as well as both alkali and heavy metals provide valuable archaeological data (Oonk et al ., ) with regards to, for example, the identification of past domestic functional areas and settlement patterns (Vyncke et al ., ; Gauss et al ., ), the discrimination of ceramics (Forster et al ., ) or even a reconstruction of population size (Nowaczinski et al ., ).…”

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Medieval and Early Modern Land Use: a Case Study from Southeastern Austria

“…Not only does a wide range of past human activities produce elevated phosphate levels, but phosphate ions are among the most stable and immobile compounds in soils, being particularly resistant to leaching, oxidation/reduction and plant uptake that limits the effectiveness of other chemical compounds (Bethell and Máté, ). Although soil phosphorus analysis has been used most frequently to identify particular activity areas within known sites (Nowaczinski et al ., ; Salisbury, ), this project employed it primarily as a prospection tool (cf. Taylor, ; Rypkema et al ., ; Thurston, ; Nolan, ).…”

Dating Archaeological Cultures by Their Moats? A Case Study from the Early Bronze Age Settlement Fidvár near Vráble, SW Slovakia

“…The youngest moat, located between the previous two, was built during the following Mad'arovce period Figure 1 Archaeological structures at Fidvár reconstructed from geomagnetic surveys; EBA: Early Bronze age settlement, pits and cemetery; LBK, Neolithic ditch and houses; R, Roman march camp. WSG 1984 UTM 34 N, grid 200 m wide (Gauss et al 2013;Nowaczinski et al 2013). and was filled after the abandonment of the settlement by 7 m of sediments Nowaczinski et al 2012). Some centuries before the rise of the fortified Early Bronze Age settlement, people of the Eneolithic Košihy Čaka culture inhabited the site (Točík 1986Gauss et al 2013).…”