extended abstracts - Geomorphic Processes and Geoarchaeology

Geomorphic processes and geoarchaeology
Figure 1. Geomorphological scheme of the Seim river valley between Malutino and
Avdeevo. Legend: 1 – channel; alluvial complexes: 2 – Late Holocene (floodplain h = 2-
3 m), 3 - Early-Mid Holocene (floodplain h=3-5 m), 4 – Late Valdai (“intermediate
terrace”, h = 5-6 m) , 5 – Early-Mid Valday (terraces h = 8-16 m), 6 – valley slope; 7 –
boundaries; 8 – exposures of terraces , 9 – Avdeevo upper Paleolithic site;10 –
settlements; 11 – the line of topographic profile across the Seim river valley
Section ML-2 represents terrace T0b (h=6-7 m) and demonstrates two phases of
alluvial accumulation. The older alluvial unit is represented by alternating sands and
loams OSL dated to the Mid-Valdai (Mid-Weichselian) epoch ca 30-35 ka BP. At that
time the river water level was 2 or 3 m lower than at present. After the first phase of
alluvial accumulation there was a long break in sediment deposition during which surface
sands of this terrace were probably reworked by aeolian processes. The second phase of
alluvial accumulation took place in the beginning of Holocene. The sediments of this
phase are represented by massive loams dated at 8700 ± 25 14 C ka (9.5-9.7 ka cal). Two
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