Buried soils of the middle part Miklashevsky II settlement (Middle Volga region)

Abstract

Maklasheevsky II settlement is a complex archaeological site, which includes settlements of the early Iron Age and the early Middle Ages, separated by more than six hundred years of natural development and transformation of anthropogenic structures. Maklasheevsky II ancient settlement is a remnant of a terrace 10 m high above the reservoir level and the defensive structures (3.0 m high) of the Early Iron Age and the early Middle Ages preserved on it. By origin, this object is a natural and anthropogenic geosystem. During the period of natural development of the middle part of the Maklasheevsky II settlement, soil formation prevailed on relatively flat surfaces and the formation of underdeveloped soils – sod-carbonate, subsequently buried by deluvium. In buried soils, an improvement in structure and water resistance is noticeable, up to a good estimate, in comparison with overlapping deluvium. In addition, there was an increase in the carbon content of humus by almost 1.5 times, the actual acidity decreased to neutral, the hydrolytic acidity increased, compared with overlapping deluvium.