Colluvial sediments originating from past land-use activities in the Erzgebirge Mountains, Central Europe: occurrence, properties, and historic environmental implications

Abstract Colluvial sediments originating from soil erosion on slopes have proven to constitute significant evidence for tracing past human impact mountain landscapes. In the Central European Erzgebirge (Ore) Mountains, colluvial are associated with specific landforms (footslopes, slope flattenings, dells) and cover a share of 11% (11,905 ha) regional landscape. Thirteen pedosedimentary sections layers were investigated at five forested sites (520–730 m a.s.l.) within context mining archaeology, integrating data pedology, palaeobotany, geochronology. The thickness gravel-bearing loamy, silty, sandy is up 70 cm, which mostly located top sections. geochronological ages archaeological reveal high late medieval post-medieval age sediments. Pollen show drastic decline forests in twelfth fifteenth centuries AD accompanied by an increase pioneer trees spruce expense fir beech. primary cause subsequent deposition other early industrial activities. A compilation 395 radiocarbon OSL ages, obtained 197 upland Europe, shows that anthropogenically initiated dynamics go as far back Bronze Age Iron Age. Most derive period, corresponding general intensification settlement land-use activities including deforestation widespread ore mining.