Metals in Lake Sediments as Indicators of Human Activities in Prehistory: Case Study of the Southeastern Baltic, Kamyshovoe Lake

Abstract

This paper presents the results of geochemical research on the Kamyshovoe Lake sediments (Kaliningrad oblast, Russian Federation). The study of Pb, Ni, Zn, As, Co and Cu concentration and enrichment factors (EF) combined with the results of the lithological, geochronological, magnetic susceptibility and microcharcoal studies revealed possible anthropogenic sources of metals in southeastern Baltic lake sediments from the Neolithic to the Medieval period. Increasing Co EF value and peaks of the Pb EF in Kamyshovoe Lake sediments, starting from ~6000 cal yr BP in the Neolithic, probably show the growing role and usage of metals as dyes and fixatives. Since ~3100 cal yr BP, in the end of the Bronze Age, a simultaneous increase in the content of indicators of metallurgical production Pb, Ni, Zn and As, coinciding with growth of the microcharcoal curve, can show a growing demand for metal objects in the southeastern Baltic region and the input of the local or regional ancient metallurgy into the metal pollution of the lake sediments.