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Sampling for soil micromorphology analysis

    The geoarchaeological and soil micromorphological studies carried out in 2015 on the archaeological sedimentary sequences of the Aradetis Orgora site continue the work started in 2013 by Giovanni Boschian (University of Pisa), and continued by Valentina Villa (PhD student, University of Paris 1) in 2014. Archaeological soil micromorphology deals with the study of soils and sediments at microscopic scale, aiming at understanding their origin, retracing their history and identifying the environmental and anthropogenic signatures that characterise them. Micromorphological analyses are carried out on undisturbed and oriented sediment monoliths that preserve the original organisation and features of soils and archaeological sediments. Monoliths are collected with special care in the field, and processed in laboratory by impregnating them with resin, and finally cut into slides 30 micron thick, which can be observed under a petrographic microscope. Micromorphological studies of the collected samples will be carried out in Italy, and will be focused on the sedimentary record of human activities in the site, in order to better understand the stratigraphic sequence, and the site-formation and site-modifying processes. The aim is to recognise specific site-settlement activities to understand the use of the site and of its areas.
    Nineteen undisturbed monoliths of sediment were collected in the field, in the period from July the 10th to July the 18th, from all excavation areas (Fig. 24).
    Sampling was oriented at solving two main issues:
- construction techniques and use of the combustion features. The characteristics of these installations look rather homogeneous throughout the site, but local functional differences may be put into light by the identification of microstructural characteristics and differences in the fuel. Moreover, micromorphological studies will show the differences between superimposed installations, possibly explaining the reasons for their rebuilding, as well as some differences in their localisation.
- fine-scale characteristics of prepared floors and plastered walls. Monoliths from floors and occupation surfaces were collected by including the prepared floors, which include high amounts of vegetal material, as well as the overlying layers, which contain traces of past human activities (processing of cereals, stabling, etc.) and help to infer the use of different areas and the organisation of the settlement.
    Other samples were collected from the stratigraphic profiles and from installations, in order to solve specific questions about their origin.