The Influence of Soil Moisture, Temperature and Oxygen on the Oxic Decay of Organic Archaeological Deposits

A one-pool decomposition model successfully linked laboratory measurements of oxic decay to on-site monitoring data at Bryggen, revealing how soil moisture, temperature, and oxygen concentrations influence the degradation of organic archaeological deposits. The study demonstrates that this approach can predict current in situ decay patterns, identifying critical conditions under which decay occurs most rapidly. Future research should prioritize long-term incubation experiments and studies conducted at zero or very low oxygen levels to enhance the accuracy of these predictive models.

Hollesen, J., & Matthiesen, H. (2014). The Influence of Soil Moisture, Temperature and Oxygen on the Oxic Decay of Organic Archaeological Deposits. Archaeometry, 57(2), 362–377. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/arcm.12094