Zhanna Matviishina

Doctor of Geographical Sciences (Dr. habil), Professor, Head of the Paleogeography Sector, Institute of Geography NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1412-7232

Anatolii Kushnir

Candidate of Geographic Sciences (PhD), Senior Researcher, Institute of Geography NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8995-1467

E-mail: kushnir.paleogeo@gmail.com

Nadiya Gavrylyuk

Doctor of Historical Sciences (Dr. habil), Deputy Director for Scientific Work, Research Institute of Ukrainian Studies of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2369-5701

E-mail: gavrylyuk_na@ukr.net

Marcin Matera, Doctor of Archeology, Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4913-0749

E-mail: marcinmatera@uw.edu.pl

Keywords:

ancient period, geoarchaeological research, geomorphology, macromorphological and micromorphological analyses.

Abstract

It is about the continuation of the geoarchaeological research at Konsulivska hillfort (Republicanets village, Beryslav district, Kherson region). Its began in the 2021 season by the Ukrainian-Polish archaeological expedition. A comprehensive landscape study of the environment of the fortified settlement of the 1st century BC – 2nd century AD was launched. The remains of stone fortifications were discovered at the Konsulivska hillfort. In 2021, excavation VI revealed the remains of the tower, a two-row wall, the earthen ditch, and an entrance to the settlement from the north. Five palaeopedological sections were created in and outside the excavation, from which 158 samples were taken for further laboratory analysis. The first results were published by the authors earlier. The purpose of this article is to present new results of the study of soil samples from the Konsulivske settlement (1stcentury BC – 2st century AD), carried out by means of macromorphological and micromorphological analyses, and to show their significance for the archaeological characterisation of this settlement.

It is proved that the soil of the embankment under the fortification was formed under the influence of climate change from the 1stcentury BC to the 2st century AD. The layer of limestone on the outer surface of the rampart was formed after the destruction of the fortifications in the 2st century AD, and was overlaid with material of Aeolian origin. In other words, the rampart's fill material turned into a soil that corresponded to the climatic conditions of the modern steppe zone. The modern soil in the interval of 0.0–0.8 m corresponds to the characteristics of low-humus southern chernozems formed on a light loamy substrate. The soil below is genetically different, older. It has a lower humus content, was formed in a shorter time and is more evenly humified. The soil has a well-defined Pk (already in the lower loess). It is characterised by the presence of a dense brownish-pale horizon cemented by carbonates at the base. It is possible that this soil was originally formed as a forest soil, and then, due to new conditions, it turned into a dry steppe soil. The ancient soil is similar to modern chestnut soils and differs from the background soil by having a shorter profile, which corresponds to drier soil formation conditions.

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