Lucia Benediková, Archeologický ústav SAV, v. v. i., Akademická 2, 949 21 Nitra (SK)
Eva Jamrichová, Oddělení paleoekologie, Botanický ústav AVČR, v. v. i., Lidická 25/27, 602 00 Brno (CZ); Ústav botaniky a zoologie, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno (CZ)
Libor Petr, Ústav botaniky a zoologie, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno (CZ)
Peter Barta, Katedra archeológie, Filozofická fakulta, Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre, Hodžova 1, 949 01 Nitra (SK)
Mária Hajnalová, Katedra archeológie, Filozofická fakulta, Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre, Hodžova 1, 949 01 Nitra (SK)
SITE, PROFILE SAMPLING, ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA
Nature reserve Demänovská slatina (DS) spring fen is located at foothills of Nízke Tatry Mts. along the Demänovka stream (district Liptovský Mikuláš, North Slovakia). The pollen profile in DS site was sampled by an open gaugen corer (diameter 9 cm, 100 cm length). The profile was 180 cm deep. The core was sub-sampled by 2,5 cm (180–165 cm; 120–150 cm; 105–80 cm); by 1 cm (165–150 cm and 120–105 cm) and by 5 cm (80–5cm) for pollen analysis and by 2,5 cm (180–75 cm) and by 5 cm (75–0 cm) for XRF analysis. Archaeological data were collected for a 2.5 and 5 km radius around DS (star in the map) as we believe that such an area reflects the source area of the pollen catchment area. Results are presented for individual chronological periods of the human habitation in the region, i.e. Bronze Age (BA), Hallstatt period (HP), La Tène period (LT), Roman and Migration period (RP and MP), Middle Ages (MA), Modern era (ME). In the cases when finer dating was impossible for the sites, the periods were merged (e.g. HP–ELT, LRP/MP, MA–ME).
a – DS pollen archive
b – diameter 5 km from DS
c – diameter 2.5 km from DS
e – archaeological sites
RESULTS
DSp1 LATE/FINAL BA, 1150–860 calBC
Increased but discontinuous levels of micro-charcoal, low amount of trees (60% of TS) and pastoral indicators. The low amount of trees and presence of coprophilous fungi together with SAI indicate forest clearing, possibly due to obtaining open habitats for agri-culture. Self-pollinated Triticum and Hordeum common in LBA are scarce in pollen records. Our small sedimentation basin and forested landscape make the source of pollen of cerealia very restricted. The nearest open settlement Rohačka hillfort (map: 38) is less than 2 km from the DS, behind a ridge so far for pollen dispersal ability. We hypothesise that the arable plots were closer to the settlement or further east, resulting in the absence of cereal pollen, whereas the pastoral plots are documented in the pollen spectra. Increasing number of human settlements in the region led to higher pressure on the landscape resulting in low AP (only 60%) and spread of open habitats
DSp2 HP–EARLY LT, 860–320 calBC
The first pollen of cultivated plants (Triticum t., Secale) was recorded in 850 calBC with Polygonum aviculare and Plantago media/major pollen start. The pollen of herbaceous types rapidly increased (60% of TS), whereas trees (mainly Picea) declined. Light-demanding shrubs pollen (Corylus, Juniperus, Sambu-cus) increased as well as amount of coprophilous fungi, probably due to grazing. The whole pollen diagram reveals intensive human activity in the site surroundings. AP decreased to a minimum, different types of sites built in different elevations associated with timber harvesting, forest grazing and coppicing occurred on a seasonal basis around hillforts. Archaeobotany records from DS region revealed higher numbers of macro-remains of charred plants, reflecting a more productive/wasteful economy(?). The occurrence of cereal pollen suggests that arable land expanded and/or fields moved closer to DS. The archaeozoological records from Rohačka site (Map: 38) documents domination of Bos taurus and caprovids indicating importance of animal husbandry and pastoralism in the DS region. Microcharcoal particles increased as well.
DSp3a, b LT–RP, 320 calBC–310 calAD
Site was overgrown by spruce (wood, pollen and stomata of Picea), AP ratio increased (80% of TS). However, pollen of secondary and primary anthropogenic indicators, and archaeological record imply intensive exploitation of the landscape. There is also increase in wet meadows pollen types (Valeriana officinalis t., Potentilla, Caltha). The occurrence of green algae Botryoccocus suggest increase in moisture in DS3a (350–40 BC). In DS3b (40 BC–310 AD), pollen of ruderals, wet and mesophillous grasslands declined, whereas crops slightly increased. Peak of erosion and inorganic influx is in depth 91–94 cm, where is visible clay layer and high Rb content as well low organic (LOI) content as the last event of prehistory human impact. The increase in microcharcoal implying fire event(s) on the site. In DS region, at the start of La Tène period, a shift in the function of some sites above 1000 m a.s.l. can be observed, and it can also be hypothesised that less intensive human activities took place at higher altitudes. In the pollen record, around 300 BC the amount of AP increases.
Albeit there is consequent decrease in the number of plant pollen taxa, cereal and pasture indicators including spores of coprophilous fungi persist. Wetter climate could have triggered the spread of forest element as well. The cessation of the use of elevated sites could have led to the reforestation of the hills. For the DS micro-region, West-Carpathian general trend in increased use of mountainous landscapes is not well observable from the number of sites, as more sites were occupied during the earlier Hallstatt and Early La Tène periods. This could be explained by a different settlement strategy here resulting in the concentration of more intensive settlement and economic activities in fewer settlement units, such as Pod Rohačkou site (Map: 36), which indicate a higher intensity of settlement occupation in the Late La Tène and Early Roman periods. The peak of Triticum pollen indicates intensive farming activities in the vicinity of the site in the first half of the 1st cent. BC. At around 30 AD (DS3b; 50 cal BC–310 AD), another change in the settlement pattern is attested by archaeology. It was the time of transition from the La Tène to the Roman period.
These changes meant, among other things, the destruction of the hilltop sites, which were no longer used in the early Roman period. The pollen record reflects these changes, with a decrease in indicators of human activity and an increase in AP (mostly Picea), which spread across the site (record of Picea stomata). However, the area surrounding the site was still used by humans, although at a lower intensity.
DSp4a, b Late RA–MP–MA, 310–1220 calAD
In ca 310 AD pollen of crops and pasture indicators as well as light-demanding shrubs interrupted their curves, and the AP ratio increased to almost 90% of TS. From trees, Picea (pollen and stomata) dominated and Abies (pollen, stomata) increased, microcharcoal declined as well as the curve of coprophilous fungi. It is possible that the site was overgrown by spruce due to cessation of grazing on the site (DSp4a, 310–990 AD). Settlement structure changed in the 2nd half of the 2nd cent. AD, and the Liptov region was depopulated by the end of the 4th century AD. The decline in human pressure is visible.
The unstable period marked by population movements on both (Slovak and Polish) sides of the Carpathians at the end of the 4th and beginning of the 5th century AD is manifested archaeologically by short-term settlements, many of which show traces of violent decline. The weak signal of human presence, such as the absence of crops and only sporadic occurrence of pasture indicators in the pollen record during DS4a, is most likely caused by the described settlement pattern, the location of settlements at lower elevations and further west, behind a terrain wave.
The pollen of Secale and Triticum started to reoccur in ca 900 AD (DS4b, 990–1250AD).
DSp5 and DSp6 MA–ME 1220–1680–2019 calAD
Secale and Triticum curves became uninterrupted only in ca 1220 AD Since then amount of pollen of cultivated plants as well as pasture indicators gradually increased, the AP ratio declined (70%) and the site became more open. The human impact on site surroundings gradually increased from ca 1680 AD (DS6, AD 1680–2019) until today.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia under the project No. 09I03-03-V04-00672, project Paleoenvironmental and Chronometric Research of Important Archaeological Artefact-Ecofact Complexes in Slovakia. This work was supported by the Development Agency project APVV-20-0044 Vplyv využívania prírodných zdrojov na spôsob života v dobe bronzovej a v dobe železnej, by project VEGA 2/0035/22 Relikty kultúrnej krajiny – identifikácia a interpretácia, by project OP JAK CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004593, by ESIF and Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic under contract No.: CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_019/ 0000728 „Ramses Ultra-trace isotope research in social and environmental studies using accelerator mass spectrometry“. EJ was further supported by the long-term developmental project of the Czech Academy of Science (RVO 67985939).