Abstract/Summary

Geoarchaeological approaches to ancient urban con- texts focus on the study of the town as an artefact, and as an artificial and anthropogenic sedimentary basin. In such context the relationship between soci- eties and the geosystem generates diverse and dense pedo-sedimentary formations. The studied scales of such a complex socio-system encompass local geo- chemical substrate, artificial superficial formations, and relationship between town and hinterland. In the actual conditions of massive and accelerated artificialisation of spaces, the study of those systems can give new clues to better understand the Anthropocene. Different geoarchaeological approaches developed in Europe to study this hybrid urban object are exposed here. From the Iron Age to modern period, they deal with questions of pre-urban topography, social management of material flows, pollutions, occupation of spaces, stratigraphy, and taphonomy. The obtained results underline the diversity of the relations between societies and soils, rivers, hazards in a long-term co-construction of artificial urban systems, which are our heritage now.