Dataset on the soil properties of Early Iron Age and Medieval archaeological sites in the forest-steppe zone of the East European Plain.

Paleosols are frequently used to recreate past climates. In the forest-steppe zone of the Russian Plain (Lipetsk region, Russia), Early Iron and Middle Ages defensive ramparts' buried soils were discovered. The parent material and similar topographic situations served as the foundation for the comparison of buried and surface soils. Following the dynamics of the landscape from 2500 years ago to the present is possible according to detailed chrono-sequences of soils positioned in similar relief positions and in the same parent material. In this article, an analysis of 8 soils buried at various times is described. The data add to the original research and include detailed morphological descriptions that conform to international standards. Physico-chemical analysis includes determination of pH, organic and carbonate carbon, exchange cations, macro- and microelements. Numerous analytical techniques can be used to investigate issues including the genesis and deterioration of the mollic horizon, the influence of human activity on the production and preservation of Chernozems, and the degree and rate of changes in soil features driven on by climatic changes.

Dataset on spatial variability of soil properties: Tokhmeyevo archaeological site of the Bronze Age, Chuvashia (southern fringe of the forest zone, the Russian Plain).

Geoarchaeological and palaeopedological studies focusing on the reconstruction of the Holocene paleoenvironments require a detailed knowledge of the spatial variability of soil properties both for the surface soils and paleosols buried under archaeological constructions. However, such studies are often carried out at unique sites where it is difficult to ensure the representativeness of the data obtained. In this paper, we report original data on 15 soil profiles which shows the range of spatial variability of soil properties (рН H2O, рН KCl, particle size distribution, depth of genetic horizons, colour codes) for both surface and buried soils at the Tokhmeyevo kurgan cemetery, located in the Middle Volga region, Chuvash Republic, Russia. The data supplement the original research [1] and also give additional detailed information on pollen and spore analysis by plant species for the humus horizons in four buried and one surface soils. All soils developed from the same lithology (mantle loam), at the same elevation, in a similar topographic position (levelled upland slope) and in proximity to each other. Both buried and surface soils, classified as Retisols [1], show slight variability in morphology and particle size distribution that varies in a similar range. However, the two soil groups (buried and surface) differ in two striking features: buried soils exhibit dark humus horizon and black humic cutans in the middle part of the soil profile; these features are absent in the surface soils. The values of рН in water and 1 M KCl suspension in the buried soils and soils of the kurgan mounds are lower than in the surface soils. The data on the spatial variation of the properties of the surface and buried soils increase the reliability of the results, making it possible to assess the extent to which the differences in soils are associated with the environmental evolution. The presented data can provide one the context for further work in paleoenvironmental studies and also be compared with other already published datasets increasing the reliability of conclusions about the trends of environmental evolution in the second half of the Holocene.

Dataset on the soils of medieval archaeological monuments in the forest-steppe zone of the East European plain.

One of the natural archives that can save information about the environmental conditions of the past is soils buried under embankments of burial complexes. Due to isolation from external environmental factors soils retain information about the features of the natural environment at the time of its burial. In this work we present a dataset on soils buried under four mounds in the Middle Ages. The soils were buried under mounds in a short time interval - 25-50 years. For comparison, the data on the surface soil located near the barrows are also presented. Obtained dataset includes detailed morphological field description of the soils and their physico-chemical analysis, such as granulometry, elemental analysis, fractions of iron and selected chemical data. Obtained data can be used to identify the dynamics of forest-steppe landscapes in the XIth century. The Medieval Warm Period and the subsequent humidisation of the climate over a short time interval had a significant impact on natural conditions and the migration of the population of the steppes of Eurasia. A comparative analysis of the properties of soils buried under archaeological sites of different ages allows examining in details the changes in the natural environment and its components over time. Moreover, soils are capable of storing a whole range of additional features of non-pedogenic origin that can be used for a more detailed reconstruction of the natural environment. The data on spores, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs of the soil profiles are also presented in this article.