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Human traces in Arctic soils: geoarchaeological evidence from 19th-century herders and farmers
Umeå University, Faculty of Arts, Department of historical, philosophical and religious studies, Environmental Archaeology Lab.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3049-8271
Umeå University, Faculty of Arts, Department of historical, philosophical and religious studies, Environmental Archaeology Lab.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2430-0839
Umeå University, Faculty of Arts, Department of historical, philosophical and religious studies, Environmental Archaeology Lab.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-7471-8195
2025 (English)In: Polar Record, ISSN 0032-2474, E-ISSN 1475-3057, Vol. 61, article id e17Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study examines how human activities influenced soil development at two contrasting Arctic sites: Maiva, a 19th-century farmstead, and Snuvrejohka, a seasonal Sámi reindeer herding settlement in the Lake Torneträsk region, northern Sweden. Using geochemical and geophysical soil analyses, we explore the spatial distribution and vertical development of anthropogenic signals in the soil. At Maiva, prolonged agricultural use and earthworm bioturbation have led to extensive soil mixing and altered soil horizons, resulting in elevated phosphate, lead, and organic matter concentrations in Ap and Ah horizons. In contrast, Snuvrejohka displays more stratified profiles with localized chemical enrichment around hearths, primarily within E horizons. These results highlight how different land-use practices leave distinct geochemical fingerprints in Arctic soils and emphasize the need for sampling strategies adapted to site-specific soil formation processes. Our findings demonstrate that even short-term or seasonal human activities can leave distinct and detectable signatures in Arctic soils. Through an integrated approach combining soil science, geoarchaeological methods, and historical data, this study provides new insights into the reconstruction of past land-use practices and highlights the vulnerability of archaeological soil records in Arctic environments facing rapid climate-driven change.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Cambridge University Press, 2025. Vol. 61, article id e17
Keywords [en]
geoarkeologi, jordmånsbildning, provtagning, historisk arkeologi, Arktisk markanvändning
National Category
Archaeology
Research subject
environmental archaeology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-242171DOI: 10.1017/s003224742510003xISI: 001523506000001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105010350367OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-242171DiVA, id: diva2:1983803
Available from: 2025-07-13 Created: 2025-07-13 Last updated: 2025-07-22Bibliographically approved

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Jerand, PhilipBuckland, Philip I.Linderholm, Johan

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