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Land
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Land Use in Archaeology
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Land Use in Archaeology

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2024) | Viewed by 19469

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mark Altaweel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Interests: complex systems; human-environment interactions; spatial modelling; machine learning; landscape archaeology
Dr. Yijie Zhuang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Archaeology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Interests: ecology of early agriculture; long-term land use and landscape changes; irrigation and Water management; diverse trajectories to social complexity
Dr. Jaafar Jotheri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Archaeology, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Diwaniyah 58001, Iraq
Interests: landscape archaeology; geoarchaeology; remote sensing; mesopotamian archaeology; ancient irrigation system; palaeoclimate

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are creating a Special Issue on land use in archeology. We would like to invite you to submit a contribution, as we feel that you are a capable author whose voice we should like to include. Increasingly, we see anthropogenic change transforming our global landscapes. However, in the past, drastic change in ecosystems and landforms have fundamentally shaped the course of social evolution. This Special Issue focuses on archaeological results and methods that have focused on determining land use in the past, covering prehistoric and historic periods in the Old and New Worlds. Archaeologists have used a variety of field-based, laboratory, experimental, and desk-based approaches to understand past land use. Authors are invited to present their results and developed methods on this topic, highlighting how their work can contribute to understanding past land use. We also feel that past land use has much to contribute to modern understanding of anthropogenic change. Researchers are encouraged to link their work on past systems with modern land use concerns. Examples can derive from any region and period to the beginning of the 20th century.

Prof. Dr. Mark Altaweel
Dr. Yijie Zhuang
Dr. Jaafar Jotheri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • land use
  • anthropogenic
  • climate
  • quantitative methods
  • qualitative methods

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 5827 KiB  
Article
Spatial–Temporal Evolution Analysis of the Development of Jingdang and Famen Townships in the Vicinity of the Capital City Site of the Western Zhou Dynasty in China
by Jian Chen, Kai Wang, Yingqiang Yuan, Peiyao Li, Lixin Niu, Jiangning Song and Yanlong Zhang
Land 2024, 13(2), 263; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land13020263 - 19 Feb 2024
Viewed by 750
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the evolution of Jingdang and Famen towns near the Zhouyuan site, the capital city site of the Western Zhou Dynasty in China, to elucidate the relationship between township development and the essential ancient relics conservation areas. Based on [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore the evolution of Jingdang and Famen towns near the Zhouyuan site, the capital city site of the Western Zhou Dynasty in China, to elucidate the relationship between township development and the essential ancient relics conservation areas. Based on the remote sensing satellite images from 1982 to 2022, combining with historical demographic data, this study used four methods, including land use classification, land use transfer matrix, landscape pattern center of gravity changes, and population count statistics, to study the spatial–temporal evolution of land, population, and ecology in the region over the past 40 years. The results showed that under the strict relic conservation regimen, these two towns are in a declining stage. To improve their decaying status, some potential strategies valuable for township development are proposed to balance the relationship between relic conservation and township development for their mutual benefit and coexistence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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34 pages, 12593 KiB  
Article
Classic Maya Settlement Systems Reveal Differential Land Use Patterns in the Upper Belize River Valley
by John P. Walden, Julie A. Hoggarth, Claire E. Ebert, Scott L. Fedick, Michael Biggie, Brett Meyer, Kyle Shaw-Müller, Yijia Qiu, Weiyu Ran, Olivia P. Ellis, Tia B. Watkins, J. Britt Davis, Rafael A. Guerra, Christophe Helmke and Jaime J. Awe
Land 2023, 12(2), 483; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land12020483 - 15 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2150
Abstract
Land use practices have had important implications for structuring household inequalities and broader political systems in the past. Our contribution examines settlement patterns in relation to political structure, household wealth, ecological productivity and agricultural techniques. Combining settlement pattern data with high–precision soils data, [...] Read more.
Land use practices have had important implications for structuring household inequalities and broader political systems in the past. Our contribution examines settlement patterns in relation to political structure, household wealth, ecological productivity and agricultural techniques. Combining settlement pattern data with high–precision soils data, we examine the extent to which different trajectories of polity formation impact the settlement location and land use practices of intermediate elites and commoners. The Classic Maya (CE 250/300–900) polities of Baking Pot and Lower Dover in the Upper Belize River Valley serve as enlightening case studies because despite being situated near one another, the two centers emerged along very different trajectories. Whereas the polity of Baking Pot arose slowly, in tandem with surrounding demography, the neighboring polity of Lower Dover arose rapidly in the Late Classic period (CE 600–900) in an area which was already home to established local populations. Our analysis shows that while Baking Pot had substantial settlement clustering around its epicenter, populations at Lower Dover aggregated around secondary and tertiary centers farther away from the polity core. Analyses also demonstrate that most commoner and intermediate elite residences were situated on the most productive agricultural lands in the region, though some intermediate elite households were situated on hilltops or in border zones with marginal soil productivity for political and tactical reasons. Commoner households were situated on a range of productivity zones reflecting diverse land–use practices which had implications for household wealth. Our case study illustrates the importance of integrating land use practices into our reconstructions of ancient political hierarchies, especially in terms of understanding political strategies and household wealth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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20 pages, 3361 KiB  
Article
Urbanscape, Land Use Change and Centralization in the Region of Uruk, Southern Mesopotamia from the 2nd to 1st Millennium BCE
by Shmuel Clark, Mark Altaweel and Shai Gordin
Land 2022, 11(11), 1955; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11111955 - 02 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2089
Abstract
We produce results that bridge the gap between physical and textual study of the ancient Mesopotamian landscape in the region south and west of the city of Uruk (Biblical Erech, Modern Warka). A brief survey of gazetteers of Mesopotamia, volumes listing place-names drawn [...] Read more.
We produce results that bridge the gap between physical and textual study of the ancient Mesopotamian landscape in the region south and west of the city of Uruk (Biblical Erech, Modern Warka). A brief survey of gazetteers of Mesopotamia, volumes listing place-names drawn from translated and published cuneiform texts from the 2nd and 1st Millennium BCE, are presented. The various gazetteers were reviewed for relevant place-names, and the results were recorded and analyzed. These are described in detail below, as are their implications. The resulting data are then compared to the results of a recently completed archaeological survey of the same region. The synthesis of textual and archaeological surveys indicates a more exacting methodology to add geographic objectivity to textual results, while connecting physical results to the qualitative detail available within the Uruk textual record. More broadly, we demonstrate how long-term historical records align with archaeological data, delineating state-level and local land use efforts around a major Mesopotamian city. In the 2nd millennium BCE, settlements were generally small but more numerous, but in the 1st Millennium BCE there was a shift towards fewer and larger settlements connected to the city of Uruk. These shifts reflect deliberate central, government policy and local responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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27 pages, 9074 KiB  
Article
Land Use and Social Dynamics in Early 19th Century Bova, Calabria
by Paula Kay Lazrus
Land 2022, 11(10), 1832; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11101832 - 18 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1233
Abstract
While interest in land use in the prehistoric periods in Italy has received attention, that cannot be said of the Post-Medieval period. The general view is that all activities and objects from the last 300–500 years or so are so indecipherable from their [...] Read more.
While interest in land use in the prehistoric periods in Italy has received attention, that cannot be said of the Post-Medieval period. The general view is that all activities and objects from the last 300–500 years or so are so indecipherable from their contemporary counterparts and that there is no need to study them. There is, in fact, very little Post-Medieval archaeological work done in the south of Italy, which is the focus of this paper. The landscape of southern Calabria has changed radically over the centuries. The distribution of dense macchia forests was diminished in the late 18th and 19th centuries for building railroads and ships, and more recently, arson has been used as social or political revenge. The removal of the macchia led to erosional landscapes and the loss of archaeological footprints. This paper explores agricultural practices and forest exploitation in the early 19th and 20th centuries by the citizens of Bova to better understand the social and economic dynamics that continue to influence the lives of people living in the community. It utilizes cadastral records, archival documents from the early 1800–1900s, and spatial analysis to better understand the potential economic and social dynamics in this community. Consideration is also given to how social status and power, represented by Church-owned vs. lay citizen-owned properties, was reflected in local land use. The overall paucity of archaeological materials from this period across the landscape supports and complicates the overall picture while also supporting an interpretation of a very local and insular community poorly integrated into the greater Italian economy of the day. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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13 pages, 1713 KiB  
Article
Application of Infrared Spectroscopy Techniques for Identification of Ancient Vegetation and Soil Change on Loess Areas
by Michał Dudek, Cezary Kabała, Beata Łabaz and Mateusz Krupski
Land 2022, 11(8), 1294; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11081294 - 11 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1206
Abstract
The discussion on the formation of Chernozems still has no consensus, and one of the outstanding questions is the type of the vegetation that supported the persistence of these soils in Central Europe over the Holocene period. The transformation of Chernozems and related [...] Read more.
The discussion on the formation of Chernozems still has no consensus, and one of the outstanding questions is the type of the vegetation that supported the persistence of these soils in Central Europe over the Holocene period. The transformation of Chernozems and related soil types may be clarified by paleoenvironmental studies, which integrate different investigation techniques and proxy data. We propose a procedure based on infrared reflectance spectroscopy of soil organic matter, that presumably contains specific fingerprints from land use and plant cover. A database of spectra for 337 samples representing vegetation classes (grassland, woodland and arable) and loess soil types (Chernozem, Phaeozem, Luvisol) was created to build a mathematical model, which allows to identify the origin of buried soils with unknown history. The comparison confirmed the applicability of both near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy, with higher statistical affinity of MIR. A clear disjunction of land use/vegetation classes was proven and allowed reliable association of the samples from buried soils with grassland/woodland and episodes of arable land use, followed by prevailing forest vegetation after burial. The findings are consistent with proposed models in Poland and Czechia, and confirm the potential of spectroscopy techniques in identification of soil types and their evolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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17 pages, 6357 KiB  
Article
The Khandaq Shapur: Defense, Irrigation, Boundary, Frontier
by Michelle de Gruchy, Jaafar Jotheri, Hayder Alqaragholi, Jassim Al-Janabi, Raheem Alabdan, Haneen Al-Talaqani, Ghadeer Almamouri and Hajir Al-Rubaye
Land 2021, 10(10), 1017; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land10101017 - 28 Sep 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 6420
Abstract
Khandaq Shapur has been named one of the great barriers of the ancient world, but very little is known about the monumental-scale linear feature. This interdisciplinary paper brings together archaeologists and historians to present (1) an updated history of the Khandaq Shapur drawing [...] Read more.
Khandaq Shapur has been named one of the great barriers of the ancient world, but very little is known about the monumental-scale linear feature. This interdisciplinary paper brings together archaeologists and historians to present (1) an updated history of the Khandaq Shapur drawing upon a wider range of sources, including Arabic scholarly sources, and (2) a modern map of the Khandaq Shapur produced from a ground truthed remote sensing using historic Corona satellite imagery from the 1960s and imagery available in Google Earth. This new map of the Khandaq Shapur’s ground truthed location is compared to the known locations of Sasanian sites from previous archaeological surveys to contextualise the Khandaq Shapur within the wider archaeological landscape. Together, the landscape archaeology and historical evidence provide a comprehensive picture of this unique feature: shedding light not only on its precise location, but also its nature (what was it?) and how it was used over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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25 pages, 5501 KiB  
Article
Different(ial) Human Use of Coastal Landscapes: Archaeological Contexts, Chronology, and Assemblages of El Teniente Bay (31° S, Chile, South America)
by César Méndez, Amalia Nuevo-Delaunay, Sebastián Grasset, Antonio Maldonado, Roxana Seguel, Andrés Troncoso, Claudia Talep and Daniela Villalón
Land 2021, 10(6), 577; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land10060577 - 30 May 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2788
Abstract
Coastal landscapes of the Pacific coast of South America are regarded as bountiful biomes, as they are zones on the fringes of Eastern Boundary Upwelling Ecosystems. Cumulative research shows an almost uninterrupted presence of mobile hunter-fisher-gatherer communities throughout the Holocene in North-Central Chile [...] Read more.
Coastal landscapes of the Pacific coast of South America are regarded as bountiful biomes, as they are zones on the fringes of Eastern Boundary Upwelling Ecosystems. Cumulative research shows an almost uninterrupted presence of mobile hunter-fisher-gatherer communities throughout the Holocene in North-Central Chile (29°–32° S). However, local-scale differences reveal the variability that is concealed by this broad characterization. Recent research in El Teniente Bay (31° S) shows few sites and occupations suggestive of low occupational redundancy as well as reduced archaeological assemblages, indicating limited activities in this landscape. However, several occupations date to the middle Holocene, a period when discontinuities in human occupations in response to adverse environmental conditions have been suggested on regional and supraregional scales. The main occupations detected at El Teniente are interpreted as a response to such conditions and in the context of changes in land use. Despite the spottiness of the archaeological record of El Teniente Bay, it is important in terms of its chronology and the differing trends in the use of space in comparison to other areas that have been the focuses of research. This paper addresses the archaeological record of El Teniente Bay and discusses its implications for human land use in the wider area of the coast of North-Central Chile. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use in Archaeology)
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