Sediment formation during the holocene in the Aiviekste oxbow in the area of the Abora I settlement

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Anna Batraga

Aija Cerina 0000-0003-2176-3309

Laimdota Kalnina 0000-0002-2802-7139

University of Latvia

Email: anna.batraga@lu.lv

DOI: 10.22364/fg.21.8

Keywords: LOI, macro-remains, oxbow, sediment formation

Abstract

Changes in sediment formation can tell us a lot about the palaeogeographical conditions in a given place. In order to contribute information about the conditions of sediment accumulation in the area of Lake Lubāns, studies have been carried out in different places. This study was done in the Aiviekste oxbow, located in the Stone Age settlement area of Abora I. A core U17 was taken and analyses such as Loss on Ignition (LOI), plant macro-remain analysis and sediment dating using AMS 14C technique were carried out. The results show the process by which this part of the River Aiviekste became an oxbow, quickly becoming overgrown with vegetation. The dates obtained indicate that the process of sediment accumulation was for a time quite rapid, before slowing down. As far as the settlement is concerned, the only evidence of human activity are some fragments of amber in the oxbow. This suggests that the settlement didn't extend to this part of the oxbow.