Abstract
The locality Brno - Přízřenice is situated in the inundation zone of the Svratka River. A dark horizon, about 50 cm thick, containing Neolithic, Eneolitic, and Bronze Age artefacts, was excavated under approximately 200 cm thick surface layer of alluvial deposits, in the centre of what is recently called as alluvial zone of the Svratka River.
When anthropogenic constituents of any size (artifacts or micro-artifacts) occur in a sedimentary matrix which shows only a microstructure created by natural processes, the former existence of a human structured micro-facies can be envisioned. Micromorphological study will then aim to determine if pedological or sedimentary transformations may have caused a total destruction of the original structure of human origin.
There are therefore following aims of presented research: 1. to describe this quite unique situation from archaeological point of view, 2. to discuss the context of past geomorphological and climatic changes in this area as well as 3. to set the possible intensity of human activities for the development of dark horizon, what we think is Dark earth, buried under the alluvial plain. The studied site was long time and continuosly occupied during the Late Neolithic, Early Eneolithic, and Bronze Age (4500-1000 BC).
It means, that the site was not flooded for more than 3500 years. This fact may be interpreted more likely as a result of limited source of alluvial deposits than as a consequence of climatic changes resulting into lower precipitation for such a long period.
The dark layer buried under two metres of alluvial deposits was described as "Dark soil".