ИСТИНА

Several ramparts of fortified settlements of the Dyakovo culture, located in the southeastern part of the Moscow region, were investigated. It was revealed that all the ramparts were built using significant amounts of household waste. In all cases, there are layers situated within the ramparts showing high total phosphorus content and microbiomorphs (mainly phytoliths and diatoms). This means that these organic matter layers, presumably deriving from manure or household waste were always present in the studied embankments. Consequently, the observed difference of the composition of the embankments is not accidental. Moreover, each shaft has an independent alternation of enriched and depleted organic layers, i.e. there was no single scheme for creating the shaft. Thus, the ramparts of the Dyakovo type settlements were multifunctional. They had both fortification and ecological significance, being a place of discharge of mud and manure accumulated at the place of settlement. The rampart itself was always built on anthropogenically modified soil, and not on the surface of the natural zonal soil.