SEDIMENTARY AND SOIL ANALYSIS AT A GREEK AND ROMAN SANCTUARY IN THE MALLOURA VALLEY, CYPRUS

A comprehensive understanding of soil geomorphology at an archaeological site helps researchers understand how periods of stability and instability impacted ancient people. Geologically-significant events reveal themselves in soil profiles through patterns in physical and chemical weathering, which shape a landscape and indicate surface processes through time. The Malloura Valley of Cyprus has been the subject of significant archaeological study by the Athienou Archaeological Project, or AAP, for the last thirty years. The AAP’s work is concentrated around a rural religious sanctuary whose estimations of abandonment vary between the first century A.D. and the fourth or fifth century A.D. We worked alongside the AAP to dig a series of 6 soil profiles throughout the valley and, in the sanctuary, examine horizonation, color, structure, consistence, pores, roots, and texture. We also completed XRF elemental analysis, loss on ignition organic material analysis, and radiocarbon dating on charcoal samples located in the sanctuary. Across the valley, we see thick weather profiles but very little development of soils. Local bedrock in the area is predominantly composed of CaCO3, and, as such, soils in the field area all have generally high (> 35%) levels of CaCO3 and, in many cases, display Bk horizons. With the exception of one soil on a retaining wall, all soils in the field area are thick but weakly developed. We interpret this to indicate that the soils in the valley are cumulic and were subject to consistent sedimentation since the site was abandoned nearly 2000 years ago. Additionally, we posit that the surface soil has likely been plowed consistently, which homogenizes the soil from 0-25 cm, preventing the development of a true A horizon. Our radiocarbon dates suggest that the sanctuary was still in use as late as 294, slightly clarifying the age of abandonment.