Prehistoric natural and anthropogenic transformation of „tepe landscape“ in southern Kyrgyzstan

Abstract

Prehistory mounds (tepe) in southern Kyrgyzstan, that are located on one of the Silk road branches at the eastern edge of Fergana Basin are landscape dominant and became studied from the point of formation processes, climatic changes, settlement and subsistence strategies. Approximately 1 km long linear structure, composed of seven-eleven settlement mounds, located at the eastern edge of village Ak-Dzhar, was in the first stage of archaeological research studied mainly non-destructively, and landscape was studied on the basis of surface research observations and aerial documentation. The edges of three eroded tepe were dated using C14 and OSL. Soil micromorphology together with the pedological proxies helped to identify the properties of buried soil. The C14 dates show that the occupation linked to the tepe construction lasted minimally between 250 BCE to 400 CE. The morphology of the recent landscape is complex and reflects natural processes driven by wind, colluviation, but also by anthropogenic processes. The well-developed buried Calcisols (pro parte Sierozems) with significantly bioturbated horizon are buried under the tepe’s structures and were probably formed before human arrival. The human impact to the landscape can be linked mainly with the soil degradation, and with the construction of anthropogenic mounds. The construction of narrow deep gullies was a former part of the irrigation system and the formation of agricultural terraces. This study represents the first non-destructive complex geoarchaeological and pedological study in southern Kyrgyzstan.