Opencast mines in South Brandenburg (Germany)—archives of Late Quaternary landscape development and human-induced land use changes

• Published in: Archaeological and anthropological sciences Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 453 - 466
• Main Authors: Raab, T., Raab, A., Nicolay, A., Takla, M., Hirsch, F., Rösler, H., Bauriegel, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.09.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anthropology; Archaeology; Charcoal; Chemistry/Food Science; Cultivated lands; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Environmental changes; Farming; Geoarchaeology; Geographic information systems; Geography; Geomorphology; Land use; Landscape; Life Sciences; Lignite; Middle Ages; Mines; Original Paper; Regional variations; Soil erosion; Woodland; Woodlands; Germany; North European Lowland; Charcoal burning; Geoarchaeology; Landscape history; Past land use; Soil geomorphology
• ISSN: 1866-9557; 1866-9565
• DOI: 10.1007/s12520-015-0227-6

This study outlines the opportunities for geoarchaeological research in active opencast lignite mines in southern Brandenburg (Germany). Studies on extensive outcrops that address both archaeology and soil geomorphology, combined with a geographical information system (GIS) approach, provide unique insights into human-induced environmental changes in Lower Lusatia and generally improve our understanding of landscape dynamics. We present the most recent results from three case studies and review important findings from the last several years. Studies conducted in opencast mines of Cottbus-Nord and Jänschwalde focus on (i) Late Quaternary geomorphodynamics and soil development and (ii) past land use and the legacy of agriculture and woodland use. Our results are similar to those in other regions in Central Europe, but we also observe regional differences caused by the local setting, e.g. intensification of soil erosion coinciding with the expansion of farming of cultivated lands in the Slavic Middle Ages. Our research reveals the largest archaeologically investigated area of historical charcoal production in the Northern European Lowland (NEL). We are clearly only beginning to understand the massive dimensions of charcoal production in the region.