Mineral dust and lead deposition from land use and metallurgy in a 4800-year-old peat record from the Central Alps (Tyrol, Austria)

Clemens von Scheffer; François De Vleeschouwer; Gaël Le Roux; Ingmar Unkel

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.018

Mineral dust and lead deposition from land use and metallurgy in a 4800-year-old peat record from the Central Alps (Tyrol, Austria)

Clemens von Scheffer^* (Corresponding Author), François De Vleeschouwer, Gaël Le Roux, Ingmar Unkel

^*Corresponding author for this work

Geography & Environment

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Humans have occupied the Alps over most of the Holocene. Yet, continuous records on the impact of using montane resources and landscapes are scarce or confined to segregated areas or periods. We present a high-resolution geochemical record of the last 4800 years from the ombrotrophic peatland Piller Moor in the Central Alps (Tyrolean Oberland, western Austria), using inductively coupled mass plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS) and highly efficient inter-calibrated portable X-ray fluorescence analysis (pXRF). Fluctuations of metal enrichment factors (EF) for lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and antimony (Sb), accumulation rates of anthropogenic lead (Pbanth AR) and mineral matter (MAR), based on titanium (Ti), are in line with archaeological and pollen evidence for human presence and environmental change. Periods of intensified, erosive land use are indicated by MAR around 4400 cal BP, 3400 cal BP and, very prominently, at 2400 cal BP. After low MAR in the early Middle Ages, soil disturbances reappear around 1200 cal BP (750 AD), after 200 cal BP (1750 AD) and during the 20th century AD. We found evidence that metallurgy was practised in the area as early as 4450 cal BP, again from 3500 to 2900 cal BP and episodically between 2400 and 1400 cal BP. The Central Alps were presumably a source of increased Pb-emissions in the post-Roman period from 1500 to 1400 cal BP (450–550 AD). Generally, our findings suggest that mining predates archaeological and historical evidence. Following a continuous increase since the Middle Ages, atmospheric Pb EF and Pbanth AR peak around 1980 AD. The record of mineral atmospheric input illustrates the notable impact of human activities on soil erosion and dust entrainment in the Central Alps. Furthermore, links between Little Ice Age cold phases and reduced human impact and mining are established. Our high-resolution peat-geochemistry data quantifies atmospheric deposition of mineral matter and Pb, which act as proxies for landscape evolution and metallurgy on a local and regional scale. It provides new insights and a deeper understanding of the interaction of climate, environment and humans in mountainous landscapes like the Central Alps.

Original language	English
Number of pages	12
Journal	Quaternary International
Early online date	15 Apr 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.018
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 15 Apr 2023

Bibliographical note

Open Access via the Elsevier Agreement
The main funding body was the German Research Foundation (DFG, project no. 39071778) within the GSC 208: "Graduate School for Integrated Studies of Human Development in Landscapes", funding the PhD-position of CvS. Funding for research visits of CvS between the partnering institutions was provided by Université Franco-Allemande (UFA/DFH; code CT-38-17) and by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – “PPP: Frankreich” and by Campus France (PHC procope) 2017, for IU, FDV and CvS (project no. 57316724).

Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Marie-Jo Tavella (LEFE) for her assistance in the clean room laboratory, the Service ICP-MS of Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées Toulouse for ICP-MS analyses and Natalia Piotrowska (Gliwice University, POL) for pre-processing the GdA 14C-samples. Our thanks also go to Chuxian Li for her help in the field, Mathias Bahns for solving technical issues, our friendly local contacts Ernst Partl and staff at the Naturpark Kaunergrat and the Bezirkshauptmannschaft Landeck for permissions. We also thank Klaus Oeggl for providing us with detailed pollen information from the Piller Moor study by Hubmann (1994).

Data Availability Statement

Data is provided in the supplementary material and will be made available in the PANGEAE online database.

Keywords

Alps
Prehistoric metallurgy
Land use
Peat geochemistry
Atmospheric dust
Portable XRF

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.018Licence: CC BY

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040618223001027Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{301e0f3b27be473fbfa84cf1d68f7c8b,

title = "Mineral dust and lead deposition from land use and metallurgy in a 4800-year-old peat record from the Central Alps (Tyrol, Austria)",

abstract = "Humans have occupied the Alps over most of the Holocene. Yet, continuous records on the impact of using montane resources and landscapes are scarce or confined to segregated areas or periods. We present a high-resolution geochemical record of the last 4800 years from the ombrotrophic peatland Piller Moor in the Central Alps (Tyrolean Oberland, western Austria), using inductively coupled mass plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS) and highly efficient inter-calibrated portable X-ray fluorescence analysis (pXRF). Fluctuations of metal enrichment factors (EF) for lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and antimony (Sb), accumulation rates of anthropogenic lead (Pbanth AR) and mineral matter (MAR), based on titanium (Ti), are in line with archaeological and pollen evidence for human presence and environmental change. Periods of intensified, erosive land use are indicated by MAR around 4400 cal BP, 3400 cal BP and, very prominently, at 2400 cal BP. After low MAR in the early Middle Ages, soil disturbances reappear around 1200 cal BP (750 AD), after 200 cal BP (1750 AD) and during the 20th century AD. We found evidence that metallurgy was practised in the area as early as 4450 cal BP, again from 3500 to 2900 cal BP and episodically between 2400 and 1400 cal BP. The Central Alps were presumably a source of increased Pb-emissions in the post-Roman period from 1500 to 1400 cal BP (450–550 AD). Generally, our findings suggest that mining predates archaeological and historical evidence. Following a continuous increase since the Middle Ages, atmospheric Pb EF and Pbanth AR peak around 1980 AD. The record of mineral atmospheric input illustrates the notable impact of human activities on soil erosion and dust entrainment in the Central Alps. Furthermore, links between Little Ice Age cold phases and reduced human impact and mining are established. Our high-resolution peat-geochemistry data quantifies atmospheric deposition of mineral matter and Pb, which act as proxies for landscape evolution and metallurgy on a local and regional scale. It provides new insights and a deeper understanding of the interaction of climate, environment and humans in mountainous landscapes like the Central Alps.",

keywords = "Alps, Prehistoric metallurgy, Land use, Peat geochemistry, Atmospheric dust, Portable XRF",

author = "{von Scheffer}, Clemens and {De Vleeschouwer}, Fran{\c c}ois and {Le Roux}, Ga{\"e}l and Ingmar Unkel",

note = "Open Access via the Elsevier Agreement The main funding body was the German Research Foundation (DFG, project no. 39071778) within the GSC 208: {"}Graduate School for Integrated Studies of Human Development in Landscapes{"}, funding the PhD-position of CvS. Funding for research visits of CvS between the partnering institutions was provided by Universit{\'e} Franco-Allemande (UFA/DFH; code CT-38-17) and by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – “PPP: Frankreich” and by Campus France (PHC procope) 2017, for IU, FDV and CvS (project no. 57316724). Acknowledgements We would like to thank Marie-Jo Tavella (LEFE) for her assistance in the clean room laboratory, the Service ICP-MS of Observatoire Midi-Pyr{\'e}n{\'e}es Toulouse for ICP-MS analyses and Natalia Piotrowska (Gliwice University, POL) for pre-processing the GdA 14C-samples. Our thanks also go to Chuxian Li for her help in the field, Mathias Bahns for solving technical issues, our friendly local contacts Ernst Partl and staff at the Naturpark Kaunergrat and the Bezirkshauptmannschaft Landeck for permissions. We also thank Klaus Oeggl for providing us with detailed pollen information from the Piller Moor study by Hubmann (1994). ",

year = "2023",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.018",

language = "English",

journal = "Quaternary International",

issn = "1040-6182",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Mineral dust and lead deposition from land use and metallurgy in a 4800-year-old peat record from the Central Alps (Tyrol, Austria)

AU - von Scheffer, Clemens

AU - De Vleeschouwer, François

AU - Le Roux, Gaël

AU - Unkel, Ingmar

N1 - Open Access via the Elsevier Agreement The main funding body was the German Research Foundation (DFG, project no. 39071778) within the GSC 208: "Graduate School for Integrated Studies of Human Development in Landscapes", funding the PhD-position of CvS. Funding for research visits of CvS between the partnering institutions was provided by Université Franco-Allemande (UFA/DFH; code CT-38-17) and by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – “PPP: Frankreich” and by Campus France (PHC procope) 2017, for IU, FDV and CvS (project no. 57316724). Acknowledgements We would like to thank Marie-Jo Tavella (LEFE) for her assistance in the clean room laboratory, the Service ICP-MS of Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées Toulouse for ICP-MS analyses and Natalia Piotrowska (Gliwice University, POL) for pre-processing the GdA 14C-samples. Our thanks also go to Chuxian Li for her help in the field, Mathias Bahns for solving technical issues, our friendly local contacts Ernst Partl and staff at the Naturpark Kaunergrat and the Bezirkshauptmannschaft Landeck for permissions. We also thank Klaus Oeggl for providing us with detailed pollen information from the Piller Moor study by Hubmann (1994).

PY - 2023/4/15

Y1 - 2023/4/15

N2 - Humans have occupied the Alps over most of the Holocene. Yet, continuous records on the impact of using montane resources and landscapes are scarce or confined to segregated areas or periods. We present a high-resolution geochemical record of the last 4800 years from the ombrotrophic peatland Piller Moor in the Central Alps (Tyrolean Oberland, western Austria), using inductively coupled mass plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS) and highly efficient inter-calibrated portable X-ray fluorescence analysis (pXRF). Fluctuations of metal enrichment factors (EF) for lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and antimony (Sb), accumulation rates of anthropogenic lead (Pbanth AR) and mineral matter (MAR), based on titanium (Ti), are in line with archaeological and pollen evidence for human presence and environmental change. Periods of intensified, erosive land use are indicated by MAR around 4400 cal BP, 3400 cal BP and, very prominently, at 2400 cal BP. After low MAR in the early Middle Ages, soil disturbances reappear around 1200 cal BP (750 AD), after 200 cal BP (1750 AD) and during the 20th century AD. We found evidence that metallurgy was practised in the area as early as 4450 cal BP, again from 3500 to 2900 cal BP and episodically between 2400 and 1400 cal BP. The Central Alps were presumably a source of increased Pb-emissions in the post-Roman period from 1500 to 1400 cal BP (450–550 AD). Generally, our findings suggest that mining predates archaeological and historical evidence. Following a continuous increase since the Middle Ages, atmospheric Pb EF and Pbanth AR peak around 1980 AD. The record of mineral atmospheric input illustrates the notable impact of human activities on soil erosion and dust entrainment in the Central Alps. Furthermore, links between Little Ice Age cold phases and reduced human impact and mining are established. Our high-resolution peat-geochemistry data quantifies atmospheric deposition of mineral matter and Pb, which act as proxies for landscape evolution and metallurgy on a local and regional scale. It provides new insights and a deeper understanding of the interaction of climate, environment and humans in mountainous landscapes like the Central Alps.

AB - Humans have occupied the Alps over most of the Holocene. Yet, continuous records on the impact of using montane resources and landscapes are scarce or confined to segregated areas or periods. We present a high-resolution geochemical record of the last 4800 years from the ombrotrophic peatland Piller Moor in the Central Alps (Tyrolean Oberland, western Austria), using inductively coupled mass plasma spectrometry (ICP-MS) and highly efficient inter-calibrated portable X-ray fluorescence analysis (pXRF). Fluctuations of metal enrichment factors (EF) for lead (Pb), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and antimony (Sb), accumulation rates of anthropogenic lead (Pbanth AR) and mineral matter (MAR), based on titanium (Ti), are in line with archaeological and pollen evidence for human presence and environmental change. Periods of intensified, erosive land use are indicated by MAR around 4400 cal BP, 3400 cal BP and, very prominently, at 2400 cal BP. After low MAR in the early Middle Ages, soil disturbances reappear around 1200 cal BP (750 AD), after 200 cal BP (1750 AD) and during the 20th century AD. We found evidence that metallurgy was practised in the area as early as 4450 cal BP, again from 3500 to 2900 cal BP and episodically between 2400 and 1400 cal BP. The Central Alps were presumably a source of increased Pb-emissions in the post-Roman period from 1500 to 1400 cal BP (450–550 AD). Generally, our findings suggest that mining predates archaeological and historical evidence. Following a continuous increase since the Middle Ages, atmospheric Pb EF and Pbanth AR peak around 1980 AD. The record of mineral atmospheric input illustrates the notable impact of human activities on soil erosion and dust entrainment in the Central Alps. Furthermore, links between Little Ice Age cold phases and reduced human impact and mining are established. Our high-resolution peat-geochemistry data quantifies atmospheric deposition of mineral matter and Pb, which act as proxies for landscape evolution and metallurgy on a local and regional scale. It provides new insights and a deeper understanding of the interaction of climate, environment and humans in mountainous landscapes like the Central Alps.

KW - Alps

KW - Prehistoric metallurgy

KW - Land use

KW - Peat geochemistry

KW - Atmospheric dust

KW - Portable XRF

U2 - 10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.018

DO - 10.1016/j.quaint.2023.03.018

M3 - Article

SN - 1040-6182

JO - Quaternary International

JF - Quaternary International

ER -

Mineral dust and lead deposition from land use and metallurgy in a 4800-year-old peat record from the Central Alps (Tyrol, Austria)

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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Cite this