TY - JOUR A1 - Weihrauch, Christoph A1 - Schupp, Alexander A1 - Söder, Ulrike A1 - Opp, Christian T1 - Could oxalate-extractable phosphorus replace phosphorus fractionation schemes in soil phosphorus prospections?—A case study in the prehistoric Milseburg hillfort (Germany) Y1 - 2019 VL - 35 IS - 1 SP - 98 EP - 111 JF - Geoarchaeology DO - 10.1002/gea.21760 DO - 10.23689/fidgeo-4937 N2 - A geoarchaeological soil phosphorus (P) prospection is used to identify a gate within the prehistoric rampart of the Milseburg hillfort (Hesse, Germany). This study compares the application of a P fractionation scheme and P extraction with ammonium-oxalate. We hypothesized that oxalate-extractable P (P-ox) and the related degree of P saturation (DPS) could replace the more expensive and time-consuming fractionation schemes for geoarchaeological investigations. Comparing the results, the P fractionation helped to verify the existence of another section of the prehistoric ramparts and to identify the location of a gate within it. It also helped to discover the archaeologically relevant soil depths in the investigated area. This information could not be retrieved from the P-ox data alone. Soil P-ox contents and DPS values are relatively unspecific with regard to prehistoric land use. However, DPS at least indicates settled versus unsettled areas. Still, the results of the P fractionation more clearly delineate Iron Age land use areas including settlement, non-settlement, rampart, and rampart gap (probable gate). Thus, in geoarchaeological contexts, this method seems to be preferable to a singular P-ox extraction. However, for better results, P-ox determination could be integrated into a P fractionation scheme. UR - http://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gldocs-11858/9283 ER -