Archaeoanthrosol formation in the Brazilian semiarid

Multiple waves of dispersion populated South America throughout the late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The oldest rock art and artifacts in Caatinga are dated from 10,000 BP. Besides that, there is no register of ancient activities in soils in Caatinga. Four pedons were taken, described and classified in sites with a high number of artifacts littering the surface and/or rock art. Five more pedons were described to represent soil without anthropic influence. Soils are shallow and transition between horizons was predominantly clear or abrupt. Anthrosols in Caatinga have value and chroma similar to the anthropic horizons described in Amazonian dark earths. The pedons are strongly acid to slightly alkaline and predominantly have base saturation above 50% in all horizons. Anthrosols in Caatinga have up to 6 and 544 times, respectively, more soil organic carbon and phosphorus compared to adjacent soils without anthropic influence. Besides illite and kaolinite, apatite and calcite compose the clay and silt fractions and confirm the human influence in soil formation. Radiocarbon and thermoluminescence dating indicate that Anthrosols in Caatinga are contemporaneous to the majority of Amazonian dark earths.