The medieval croft .i.plužina./i. field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia

0584548 - ÚJF 2025 RIV US eng J - Článek v odborném periodiku
Poledník Mohammadi, S. - Šitnerová, I. - Lisá, Lenka - Bumerl, J. - Komárková, V. - Fanta, V. - Majerovičová, T. - Marko, J. - Moska, P. - Beneš, J.
The medieval croft plužina field system in a mountain region of central Europe: The interdisciplinary record of the earthen field boundaries in Debrné, Czechia.
Geoarchaeology: an international journal. Roč. 39, č. 4 (2024), s. 428-449. ISSN 0883-6353. E-ISSN 1520-6548
Grant CEP: GA MŠMT EF16_019/0000728
Institucionální podpora: RVO:61389005
Klíčová slova: archaeobotany * buried soil * dating * geochemistry * landscape transformation * micromorphology
Obor OECD: Atomic, molecular and chemical physics (physics of atoms and molecules including collision, interaction with radiation, magnetic resonances, Mössbauer effect)
Impakt faktor: 1.7, rok: 2022
Způsob publikování: Open access
https://doi.org/10.1002/gea.21998

The integration of archaeological, historical and geoarchaeological records represents a significant contribution to research into the medieval landscape. This study focuses on the medieval field system in the deserted village of Debrne, located in northeastern Bohemia, Czechia. The village features a well-preserved croft pluzina field system, a typical historical landscape of central Europe. The main and most visible elements of the field system are the earthen field boundaries, which were the focus of the geoarchaeological investigations. Archaeological excavations in trench S1 revealed a collection of larger stones at a depth of 1 m, potentially serving a drainage function akin to the observed pluzina. Additionally, a boulder paving, identified as a remnant of a path between fields, provided insights into the historical use of the area. In trench S2, positioned closer to the village's core, layers with increasing stone content were recorded at a depth of 130 cm. However, the drainage structure observed in trench S1 was not replicated. The dating of earthen field boundaries indicated the creation of the terrace in the second half of the 16th century in trench S1. In trench S2, radiocarbon dating at a depth of 70 to 80 cm ranged from 1025 to 1175 A.D., predating the first written source about Debrne. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating in trench S2 suggested exposure to sunlight during the third century A.D. Archaeobotanical analysis of charred macroremains from trench S1 revealed 236 plant macroremains belonging to approximately 20 taxa, showcasing wild-growing, collected useful species such as raspberry, blackberry and elderberry. Trench S2 yielded 23 plant macroremains belonging to 11 taxa, with similar species as trench S1. Pedological and micromorphological examinations displayed distinct layering in both trenches, showing up to six layers. Micromorphological analysis unveiled vuggy microstructures, varying grain sizes and elemental patterns, shedding light on different periods of occupation. Multidisciplinary investigations of the buried soils forming the earthen field boundaries discovered that the original soil cover comprised automorphic lixisols and cambisols, which also form under present conditions. These results underscore the importance of integrating pedological, geoarchaeological, archaeobotanical and physical data to comprehend the intricate nature of anthropogenic landscape changes.
Trvalý link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0352479