Lake sediments as archives of early anthropogenic impact on the landscapes of the Vishtynets Upland (Kaliningrad region RF, SE Baltic)

Abstract

The study of lake sediments contributes to the understanding of the types and intensity of anthropogenic impact on the landscapes of the Vishtynets Upland (Southeastern Baltic) in prehistoric times and the Middle Ages by combining available paleoecological and archaeological information. The results of lithological, paleobotanical and geochemical studies, together with archaeological data, have allowed a deeper understanding of the dynamics of anthropogenic impact in the area, including the emergence of agriculture and ancient metallurgy. Archaeological data testify to the presence of human activity on the Vishtynets Upland from the Late Paleolithic, and applied paleolimnological analysis revealed the first signs of anthropogenic impact, starting from the Late Mesolithic and Neolithic, and intensifying it from the Bronze Age.