Fullåkerslandskapet (pdf)

Summary
SUMMARY 151
“The Fully Tilled Landscape” is one of nine divisions of the Öresund Fixed
Link Project. This part of the project first found its orientation in 1994 and has
since been developed in the project programmes that were drawn up, one for
the excavation of the Svedab part, the other for the Vägverket part.
The overall aim of this part of the project was to discuss the research potential
of topsoil in the fully tilled landscape that dominates the area covered by the
Öresund Fixed Link Project. It is geared to methodology, with the aim of developing
ways in which to use the information found in topsoil. The focus is on
two phenomena: the distribution of finds in topsoil and traces of fossil fields in
the form of microtopographical anomalies in the topsoil cover.
Topsoil finds are often not ascribed much value as evidence because they
have been disturbed from their original location and are therefore not considered
suitable for use in interpretation. The source value of topsoil finds, however,
depends on what we want to find out. Many archaeologists who have discussed
topsoil archaeology assume that the finds in the topsoil must be linked to
underlying structures. This is a simplification of the problem. Surveys of surface
finds in connection with preliminary archaeological inquiries are usually
based on this assumption.
The post-deposition processes with the greatest effect on the distribution of
topsoil finds are cultivation and erosion. The finds in the topsoil are
continuously being moved, above all through ploughing and harrowing. The
finds are moved both individually and together with eroding soil. There has
been extensive discussion as to how far finds may be moved, and experiments
show that they can cover long distances. The experiments that have been performed
all suffer from the fact that they have lasted a limited time with only a
few cultivation processes. The settlement sites that are excavated in a fully tilled
landscape may have been farmed for thousands of years. The finds are mostly
moved in the direction of ploughing, which may seem surprising in view of the
way the soil is shifted to the side by ploughing. Harrowing is also a significant
factor that affects the distribution of finds.
“The Fully Tilled Landscape” project is largely based on material and results
from the Öresund Fixed Link Project. In 12 of a total 48 areas the occurrence of
finds in topsoil was investigated, and the results from nine areas have been used
in this study. Topsoil sections were established at five sites, four of which have
been analysed as part of this project. I have also included some results from
Fosie IV, the City Tunnel Project, and Bunkeflostrand 15:1.
Settlement sites and activity areas
The investigations of the topsoil on settlement sites examined soil from square
test pits measuring 1 × 1 m or 0.5 × 0.5 m. The topsoil was water-sieved in all
the areas.