Improvement of soil fertility in historical ridge and furrow cultivation
Theresa Langewitz|Katja Wiedner|Dagmar Fritzsch|Eileen Eckmeier
Abstract Ridge and furrow cultivation is the most widely used agricultural technique in medieval postmedieval Europe, but fertilization of soils during their use not yet fully understood. Pedological analyses this provided information, which led to assumption that some investigated sites Northern Central Germany were manured with livestock excrements cultivation. The objective study determine whether how have been fertilized materials applied for purpose. We at five using phosphate steroid (stanols bile acids), black carbon analyses, a micromorphology study. results showed waste was likely as fertilizer four studied low intensities, pigs herbivores being probable sources excrement. But also application human feces soil might be possible least one site. Often methods such plaggen an intentional charcoal input enhance fertility could clearly verified our sites.
Geoarchaeology-An International Journal