Yershova Ye.G., Krenke N.A.

Investigation of natural and cultural landscapes of the Iron Age in the valley of the Moskva-river using methods of palynology and archaeology

The paper presents results of archaeological and paleobotanical investigations in the valley of the Moskva-river, aimed at studying features of economic activity and spatial organization of land use in the Iron Age (VIII–VI cc. B.C. — V c. A.D.). Subject to detailed consideration being the specificity of formation of pollen spectra in the cultural layer of Dyakovo settlement, preventing from using those for general reconstruction of the regional vegetation. It was established that, using spores and pollen method, the signs of presence of developed agriculture, together with long-term anthropogenic changes in the landscapes, could be fixed only in the areas of intensive economic development immediately around the settlements, practically unnoticeable beyond their bounds. It is suggested that despite dense population in the valley of the Moskva-river in the Iron Age, the cultivated parts of the landscapes were of a «focused» character with stable boundaries. This considerably distinguished them from the medieval ones, when it was a much bigger territory, compared with the Iron Age, involved into agricultural circulation.

 Iron Age, the Dyakovo culture, valley of the Moskva-river, cultural landscapes, buried soils, system of land use, spores and pollen analysis.