FEATURES OF APPLICATION OF SPORE-POLLEN ANALYSIS IN THE STUDY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL OBJECTS OF VARIOUS TYPES IN THE EXAMPLE OF THE GOLDEN HORDE CITIES

Abstract

Palynological analysis is one of the main methods for the reconstruction of the past vegetation. The application of this method to study of archaeological sites is often related with a diff erent problems. Samples were studied from two types of archaeological objects: the earthen rampart of Bolgar settlement (Tatarstan, Spasskiy district) from the excavation site № CCV and the road of the Madzhar city, excavation site № XII (Stavropol region, Budennovsky district). Only bottom samples from the excavation site № CCV are suitable for the reconstruction of past vegetation. They refl ect the pre–Bulgar vegetation.Buried soil under the earthen rampart was mixed as a result of plowing. According to the spore–pollen spectra, fi ll of earthen rampart is a pre–Mongol mixed soil. The results of palynological analysis of samples from the excavation site № XII are the fi rst attempt to paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the study area. The spore-pollen spectra of samples from the medieval road are distorted and can`t be suitable for the reconstruction of vegetation dynamics. The data of the pollen analysis from the profi le 2 refl ect the existence of the goosefoot and grass steppe ecosystems before the Madzhar settlement foundation. The domination of grasses in the steppe vegetation in the
XIV century may related with more abundant precipitation during the Little Ice Age. The grazing load increasing of the large city vicinity was refl ected in the decreasing of the role of Poaceae family in the vegetation. Spore-pollen spectra of samples from the earthen rampart and the road can be formed in diff erent ways. So the important point in the study of such archaeological objects is the need to simultaneously taken and analyze samples from layers of the same age in the settlement or from the natural section.