Late Holocene landscape evolution at the southern frontier of the forest belt of European Russia is studied based on detailed morphological, analytical and microbiomorphic research of a soil chronosequence that included a surface soil and a soil buried under the Bronze Age kurgan. Both soils (Folic Eutric Cambisols) are formed on similar geomorphic surfaces in the same parent material and in close proximity to each other. The soil morphology and the key analytical features are controlled by low-reactive parent material and imply close similarity of the present landscapes and those of the Bronze age. At the same time the morphological features show that the buried soil was influenced by the phase of weak aridization, which led to the formation of a dark mull humus horizon. Microbiomorphic assemblages (phytoliths, pollen) support the earlier conclusion that the soils of the study area had being developed mostly under forest vegetation.

One of the natural archives that can save information about the environmental conditions of the past is soils buried under embankments of burial complexes. Due to isolation from external environmental factors soils retain information about the features of the natural environment at the time of its burial. In this work we present a dataset on soils buried under four mounds in the Middle Ages. The soils were buried under mounds in a short time interval - 25-50 years. For comparison, the data on the surface soil located near the barrows are also presented. Obtained dataset includes detailed morphological field description of the soils and their physico-chemical analysis, such as granulometry, elemental analysis, fractions of iron and selected chemical data. Obtained data can be used to identify the dynamics of forest-steppe landscapes in the XIth century. The Medieval Warm Period and the subsequent humidisation of the climate over a short time interval had a significant impact on natural conditions and the migration of the population of the steppes of Eurasia. A comparative analysis of the properties of soils buried under archaeological sites of different ages allows examining in details the changes in the natural environment and its components over time. Moreover, soils are capable of storing a whole range of additional features of non-pedogenic origin that can be used for a more detailed reconstruction of the natural environment. The data on spores, pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs of the soil profiles are also presented in this article.

In order to identify the evolutionary stages of the natural environment of the Western Caspian Sea region in the second half of the Holocene, buried submound soils and bone remains in the Bogomolnye Peski 1 mound were analyzed. Spore-pollen, anthropological, and isotope analyzes were carried out on soil and bone samples. Bioclimatic fluctuations of the natural environment were established based on the reconstruction of paleolandscapes (soils, vegetation) and associated changes in socio-cultural factors (changes in paleo-diet, anthropological characteristics).

The article presents preliminary results of a new stage of studying the multilayered Middle and Upper Paleolithic site Biryuchya Balka 2, located in the Seversky Donets River’s lower reaches, the Don’s largest right tributary. Based on the stratigraphy and correlation of paleosoils, the age of the lower part of the subaerial sedimentary sequence containing cultural horizons of the Middle Paleolithic is proposed to be revised. Morphological and analytical evidence makes it possible to attribute the formation of the chernozem-like paleosol at the base of the section to MIS 5 (not older than MIS 5c). Previously, this paleosol was dated to MIS 3. If the proposed stratigraphy is confirmed, significant changes should be expected in our understanding of the distribution of Middle Paleolithic industries of various types: both Micoquian/KMG and blade industries within the south of Eastern Europe and the North Caucasus.