Soil Health as a Palimpsest: Applying a Long‐Term Perspective to Soil Health Through Integration With Archaeology

ABSTRACT

Soil health is best understood as a palimpsest of past land uses and therefore requires a long‐term perspective. Although human activity has shaped soils for millennia, soil health frameworks do not systematically incorporate the retrospective approaches that are now standard in many environmental disciplines. As a result, contemporary soil health indicators are often interpreted without recognising the deeper historical processes that have contributed to them. The palimpsest framework is an effective way to apply a long‐term perspective to soil health. Drawing on established uses of the palimpsest in archaeology and geology, the framework conceptualises soil properties as complex features shaped by both modern and historical management practices. Two case studies demonstrate how centuries‐old land uses remain measurable in present‐day soil nutrient levels and biodiversity, illustrating the practical value of this approach. Adopting a palimpsest perspective has several implications: it reframes how soil degradation is defined, is a fresh perspective on soil memory, and provides clearer guidance for soil management policies. Integrating archaeological knowledge into soil health assessments therefore offers a robust pathway toward more accurate interpretations and more sustainable soil use.