Paleosol and natural conditions of medieval settlement Bozok functioning in VIII-XIV cc.

In the paper the basic results of paleopedology researches on the territory of Bozok archeologicalmonument (VIII-XIV centuries) are reflected. The paper aim is the reconstructionof types and conditions of soil formation for the period of the settlement functioning.A series of buried soils was dated by archeological and radiocarbon methods - of theVIII-IX centuries, the X-XII centuries and the XIII-XIV centuries. Except for the characteristicsof a complex of attributes paleosol humus (the contents of the general organiccarbon, structure humic acids and their ratio with other humus components) also some ofmorphological, physical and chemical paleosols properties (operating pH, the contentsand distribution of carbonates on a floor profile, a magnetic susceptibility of soils) havebeen studied. The humus structure was investigated according to the method ofV.V. Ponomareva and T.A. Plotnikova in modification of the year 1968. Humus profilegrammshave been executed in Origin program with a special application.Pedohumus method of M.I. Dergacheva was used for the diagnostics of ancient soilformation type and the reconstruction of the environment. It is founded on formation capacityhumic substances allowing to reconstruct natural conditions of the past on the basisof studying connections of contents, structure and humic substances properties withclimate parameters.The analysis of paleosol properties has allowed to prove that buried soils formationoccurred in steppe conditions which corresponds to humic acids structure characteristicsand their ratio with other humus components. Small fluctuations of the contents of separatehumic substances groups and their ratio as well as forms of calcium carbonates reflectweak changes of warmth and moisture. The paleosol of the VIII-IX centuries hasbeen generated in conditions with lower summer temperatures and with moderate humidifying.During the XII-XIV centuries the climate became more arid because of the increasein summer temperatures and redistribution of precipitation within a year. Thus,the total quantity of precipitation remained at a former level.

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