Geochemistry of the medieval manor
We trace elements associated with settlement, waste, construction materials and economic activity.
WhereJarov, western Bohemia
ContextPlasy Cistercian estate
Chronology13th–15th century
Archiveforest soils and relict landscape
MethodsLiDAR, pXRF, PCA, δ13C, δ15N
What we study here
Třebokov allows us to trace how medieval farming remains recorded in soil after centuries of reforestation.
Relict agrarian landscape
LiDAR and soil data show former fields, plot boundaries and land-use traces hidden below woodland.
Cereals, manuring and land use
Carbon and nitrogen isotopes help distinguish cultivation, manuring and grazing signals.
Catena 2023
Geochemistry of a deserted medieval manor
Multivariate analysis reveals spatial variability of soil geochemical signals in the area of a medieval manorial farm
The study combines LiDAR, historical maps, soil sampling, pXRF geochemistry and multivariate analysis to identify activity zones in and around the manor.
LiDARpXRFPCAPCAILRgeochemistry
Scientific Reports 2024
Soil isotopes as evidence of historical land use
Stable isotope analysis in soil prospection reveals the type of historic land-use under contemporary temperate forests in Europe
The study tests whether carbon and nitrogen isotopes in soil can distinguish former land-use regimes.
δ13Cδ15NC:NN:PPC3/C4
Figures and analytical layers
Landscape model, LiDAR, geochemistry and stable isotopes.
