Palaeoenvironmental and Archaeological Implications of a Sediment Core from Polje Čepić, Istria, Croatia

Palaeoenvironmental and archaeological records provide an invaluableframework for land and water management in karstic areas of theMediterranean realm. We present the results from analyses carried outon three segments of a sediment core extracted in 2004 from a portionof Polje Čepić (Istria, Croatia), a tectono-karstic depression coveredin water until artificial drainage took place in 1932. We used bulksediment analyses, pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating to assessthe possible contribution of people to the progressive siltation of thelake, and compared our results with recent archaeological discoveriesmade on the polje margins. The dating of the sequence points tothe presence of a predominantly wet landscape at the coring locationsince at least 7000 years cal BP. The coincidence of cereal type pollengrains with several open-air archaeological sites indicates that smallscaleagricultural practices possibly developed around the polje inNeolithic times, ca 6500 years cal BP. Concentrations of charcoal inthe sediment core at this time suggest the use of fire clearance as partof the agricultural practice.During the Bronze and Iron Ages, the possible intensificationof forest clearance and agricultural practices is indicated by: (1) anincrease in the number and type of archaeological sites found aroundthe polje; (2) a more open plant landscape in the upper part of the analysed sequence; and (3) a three-fold increase in the sedimentation rate, possibly starting as early as 4000 years cal BP. Wetter climate conditions and higher erosion of the surrounding slopes probably led to the progressive siltation of the lake. Finally, in 1932 the lake was artificially drained and Istria lost its largest natural basin of fresh water.