Site-Catchment Study of Kislovodsk Depression

Abstract

The publication focuses on 2018 findings of a comprehensive soil-archaeological survey of the multi-temporal settlements catchment within Kislovodsk Depression. The most in-depth study was conducted in the vicinity of Podkumskoye 3 fortification (5th — 8th centuries AD), where 100 soil sections were laid along a regular network with 50 m step at different distances from the habitat zone. In the soil sections, archaeological material was recorded layer by layer, the description of soil profiles and sampling for chemical and microbiological tests were carried out. The samples were tested for active microbial biomass, urease activity, saprotrophs, magnetic susceptibility and phosphates. This paper deals only with the findings of ceramics as a marker of farming practiced by ancient and medieval people living in this site. In total, about 2,380 fragments of pottery with a total weight of about 9 kg were discovered. A preliminary analysis of the spatial distribution of ceramics was carried out using the geostatistical module of ArcGIS software. It clearly showed different areas of farming in the Koban and Early Alanian areas. Now, the team is working on the analysis of the obtained material and soil samples for the detailed reconstruction of the site catchment in terms of farming.