Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction in the Mining Town of Freiberg (Lkr. Mittelsachsen) in Saxony, from the 12th Century Onwards

Abstract

The city of Freiberg is a key site for understanding the dynamics of the settlement history during the mining boom in Saxony during the 12^th century. Combining the extensive data sets from dendrochronological assemblages with macrobotanical spectra and including the palynological, geochemical and sedimentological results from two sediment cores in the Münzbach valley within the town, we reconstruct trends in land-use intensity and economy from the mid-12^th century onwards. Our results indicate strong human impact by deforestation and subsequent soil erosion in this area during the establishment of the town in the mid-12^th century. This was accompanied by rising pollution with heavy metals and waste in the overbank deposits. Despite the general trend of intensification, fluctuations in the share of deforested land become apparent and may be linked to economic crisis during the late 14^th/15^th century. Layers of landfill in the Münzbach valley could indicate efforts to reclaim this floodplain area within the town and may reveal attempts to improve the settlement’s sewage.