Research project
Tilling and manuring prehistoric and early historic fields in western Europe
Since the adoption of agriculture people have cultivated fields. The project concerns all kinds of aspects related to raising crops.
- Duration
- 2014 - 2017
- Contact
- Corrie Bakels
- Partners
Hortus Botanicus, Leiden
One of main topics tackled is the question whether fields were manured or not. An answer is sought by determining the delta 15N values of carbonized crops retrieved during excavations in addition to the study of proxies. Baseline values are provided by growing the same kinds of crops on appropriate, not manured, soils. Other topics concern the size of fields, use of the ard and the introduction of the sod-turning plough.