Can micromorphology in archaeological contexts answer the question of the use of sunken spaces in medieval villages? : a Brno – Královo Pole case study

Vol.45,No.2(2020)

Abstract
The issue of sunken cellars is mainly discussed in specialist literature from the perspective of their function. The presented feature dated to the period between the second half of the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century is interpreted as a small cellar storing foods and liquids of daily use. The original disposition of the overground sections of a wood and earth house presumably involved a kitchen, or rather, a space designed for cooking. In terms of micromorphological study, the floor layer of the cellar took shape over generations, by multiple treading and probably also deliberate sweeping. In the context with an archaeological interpretation it represents the floor of a cellar which was kept relatively clean and its floor was repeatedly covered in hardpacked household waste. The article is thus the first micromorphological study in the context of a suburban village homestead in the Czech territory.

Keywords:
geoarchaeology; wood and earth construction; sunken features; formation processes; floor horizons

Pages:
925–940
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