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Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology pp 24–27Cite as

Anthrosols

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Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Definition

Soils or sediments exhibiting significant chemical inputs as well as obvious physical changes resulting from human activity are called anthrosols.

Introduction

In the FAO (2006) soil classification system, anthrosol is one of the major soil groupings for a broad array of soils “in which human activities have resulted in profound modification or burial of the original soil horizons” (p. 61). Anthrosols vary widely in their physical and chemical characteristics, and few traits are universal. There are several characteristics that are common or that serve as clues to the presence of significant modification due to human activity. The most obvious is the presence of archaeological debris within the soil, in particular organic detritus such as bone and charcoal in a surface horizon, i.e., they tend to be associated with middens. Other physical features, typically applying to surface horizons, include: abrupt, smooth boundaries between horizons or layers; abrupt, laterally...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anthropology and Departments Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Vance T. Holliday

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  1. Vance T. Holliday
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Correspondence to Vance T. Holliday .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fordham University, Bronx, NY, USA

    Allan S. Gilbert

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© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Holliday, V.T. (2017). Anthrosols. In: Gilbert, A.S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geoarchaeology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4409-0_130

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