The celtic rampart of the oppidum at manching -an example for a multi-methodological interaction of soil science and archaeology in southern Germany

In this paper we present the results of a geoarchaeological project in Southern Germany. At the site of the Celtic wall at Manching (Lkr. Pfaffenhofen/Ilm, Ob.) a completely preserved fossil organic rich horizon (ancient surface) with iron precipitation was found. In the context of palaeoenvironmental research the results of pedological studies enabled the reconstruction of a very high groundwater table during the time of wall construction. The high ground water level had an important influence on the acquisition of construction materials. The fluvial materials used by the Celtic engineers had a rather weak stability that was compensated by a systematic integration of burnt sediments from iron smelting materials with higher shear strength. A chronological history of several phases of wall construction using pedological field observations and laboratory data was not possible. Ground penetrating radar was used . to demonstrate the construction design of the wall outside of an archaeological section for the first time.