Papers by Aušra Selskienė
The aim of the research summarized in this paper was to describe soil properties from different c... more The aim of the research summarized in this paper was to describe soil properties from different contexts at an excavated hilltop settlement (subsurface features with artefacts, subsurface features holding no artefacts, and several sets of samples from substratum), to determine possible anthropogenic indicators at this locality, and to assess what, if any, are the differences of soil properties taken from the features with artefacts and those holding no artefacts. For this aim, 43 bulk soil samples were collected and analyzed for 16 chemical elements, magnetic susceptibility, soil organic matter and inorganic carbon, and pH values. The results revealed several sets of anthropogenic markers, among which the most distinguished were P, Mn, Zn and MS anomalies. A correlation between the presence/absence of artefacts and soil properties has not been detected. Anthropogenic sets were confirmed for almost all features with artefacts and for the major part of features holding no artefacts; thus the altered soil geochemical properties for these features can be assumed as an important additional cultural marker beyond that given by the archaeological remains. A handful of features with artefacts in one of them failed to be recognized as bearing any human-related signal; taking into account the circumstances, with reasonable care, they were categorized as disturbances having no archaeological value. No unambiguous interpretation is suggested for the analyzed subsurface features; rather they were considered in assessing various scenarios of archaeological context formation.
9 pav. Dubeninių koklių fragmentai iš Baraučiznos gyvenvietės. A. Simniškytės nuotr. 8 pav. Lipdy... more 9 pav. Dubeninių koklių fragmentai iš Baraučiznos gyvenvietės. A. Simniškytės nuotr. 8 pav. Lipdytos keramikos šukės iš Jakšiškio senovės gyvenvietės. A. Simniškytės nuotr.
Interdisciplinaria Archaeologica. Natural Sciences in Archaeology, 2017
The aim of the research summarized in this paper was to describe soil properties from different c... more The aim of the research summarized in this paper was to describe soil properties from different contexts
at an excavated hilltop settlement (subsurface features with artefacts, subsurface features holding no
artefacts, and several sets of samples from substratum), to determine possible anthropogenic indicators
at this locality, and to assess what, if any, are the differences of soil properties taken from the features
with artefacts and those holding no artefacts. For this aim, 43 bulk soil samples were collected and
analyzed for 16 chemical elements, magnetic susceptibility, soil organic matter and inorganic carbon,
and pH values. The results revealed several sets of anthropogenic markers, among which the most
distinguished were P, Mn, Zn and MS anomalies. A correlation between the presence/absence of
artefacts and soil properties has not been detected. Anthropogenic sets were confirmed for almost
all features with artefacts and for the major part of features holding no artefacts; thus the altered soil
geochemical properties for these features can be assumed as an important additional cultural marker
beyond that given by the archaeological remains. A handful of features with artefacts in one of them
failed to be recognized as bearing any human-related signal; taking into account the circumstances,
with reasonable care, they were categorized as disturbances having no archaeological value. No
unambiguous interpretation is suggested for the analyzed subsurface features; rather they were
considered in assessing various scenarios of archaeological context formation.
Chemija, 2017
Phosphorus is one of the most widely studied chemical elements to identify paleo-anthropogenic ac... more Phosphorus is one of the most widely studied chemical elements to identify paleo-anthropogenic activity. Various methods have been used to analyse phosphorus in archaeological soil, however, general recomendations for the adequate choice of the research method are yet to be formulated. The search for a reliable and efficient method to estimate phosphorus of anthropogenic origin in soil is important from the applied point of view, especially in the case of a large series of samples. The aim of these studies was to test different P extraction methods with samples of the known archaelogical context. The sample texture, elemental composition (XRF), pH, loss on ignition at temperatures of 550 and 1000 °C have been determined. The P extraction methods using aqua regia, 1 and 5M HCl, citric acid, Mehlich 2 and Mehlich 3 extractants, as well as sample ignition at 550 ir 800 °C have been tested. It has been determined that the proportion of total P (XRF) extracted by nearly all the methods was higher and in a better agreement with the total P in sand soil samples than that in loamy sand samples. The extraction of sieved/unmilled and ignited at 550 °C soil with 1M HCl appeared to be a reliable and sustainable method and therefore was best suited for the samples of the series studied.
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Papers by Aušra Selskienė
at an excavated hilltop settlement (subsurface features with artefacts, subsurface features holding no
artefacts, and several sets of samples from substratum), to determine possible anthropogenic indicators
at this locality, and to assess what, if any, are the differences of soil properties taken from the features
with artefacts and those holding no artefacts. For this aim, 43 bulk soil samples were collected and
analyzed for 16 chemical elements, magnetic susceptibility, soil organic matter and inorganic carbon,
and pH values. The results revealed several sets of anthropogenic markers, among which the most
distinguished were P, Mn, Zn and MS anomalies. A correlation between the presence/absence of
artefacts and soil properties has not been detected. Anthropogenic sets were confirmed for almost
all features with artefacts and for the major part of features holding no artefacts; thus the altered soil
geochemical properties for these features can be assumed as an important additional cultural marker
beyond that given by the archaeological remains. A handful of features with artefacts in one of them
failed to be recognized as bearing any human-related signal; taking into account the circumstances,
with reasonable care, they were categorized as disturbances having no archaeological value. No
unambiguous interpretation is suggested for the analyzed subsurface features; rather they were
considered in assessing various scenarios of archaeological context formation.
at an excavated hilltop settlement (subsurface features with artefacts, subsurface features holding no
artefacts, and several sets of samples from substratum), to determine possible anthropogenic indicators
at this locality, and to assess what, if any, are the differences of soil properties taken from the features
with artefacts and those holding no artefacts. For this aim, 43 bulk soil samples were collected and
analyzed for 16 chemical elements, magnetic susceptibility, soil organic matter and inorganic carbon,
and pH values. The results revealed several sets of anthropogenic markers, among which the most
distinguished were P, Mn, Zn and MS anomalies. A correlation between the presence/absence of
artefacts and soil properties has not been detected. Anthropogenic sets were confirmed for almost
all features with artefacts and for the major part of features holding no artefacts; thus the altered soil
geochemical properties for these features can be assumed as an important additional cultural marker
beyond that given by the archaeological remains. A handful of features with artefacts in one of them
failed to be recognized as bearing any human-related signal; taking into account the circumstances,
with reasonable care, they were categorized as disturbances having no archaeological value. No
unambiguous interpretation is suggested for the analyzed subsurface features; rather they were
considered in assessing various scenarios of archaeological context formation.