Historical development, current practices and future development of multi-elements soil chemistry in archaeology

Soils are one of the most important sources of information as they are an archive of past events associated with human activities. In the course of ancient routine activities, the chemical residues that are deposited in the surrounding soils remain fixed on the soil particles for decades and even centuries. Through the study of the geochemical composition of the soil, it is possible to provide insights into any activity that has disturbed the soil or occurred in it. Earlier studies have proven that various elements are associated with specific human activities. Ancient Human activities such as stalled animals, habitation, metalworking, hearths/fires, and other activities, e.g., industrial working and crop processing led to the production of wastes, which, after being deposited, result in physical and chemical changes in the soil composition. The most commonly analyzed element in geoarchaeology is P which is evident in the areas surrounding prehistoric settlements. Along with P, the total Cu, Sr, Zn, Mn, Rb, Ca, and K levels also reflect historical human settlement activities. As a result, the chemical analysis of soil can assist archaeologists in overcoming the impediments related to past human activities to answer artifact-independent research questions. Thus, the present paper aims to reexamine the contribution of soil chemical analysis as an important archaeological methodological instrument and show its potential in helping to have a better perception of the past socio-environmental and social contexts.