In Situ Site Preservation of Archaelogical Remains in the Unsaturated Zone

International treaties and conventions are designed to protect the archaeological heritage as a source of the European collective memory and as an instrument for historical and scientific study. E.g. the Valletta treaty (Council of Europe, 1992) also call s for preservation of the archaeological heritage in situ. To ensure that in situ preservation fulfils requirements of a sustainable strategy for archaeological remains, knowledge about the present state of conservation as well as the physical and chemica l conditions for future preservation capacity is necessary. This project aims to study the possibilities, limitations and consequences of in situ site preservation, particularly in the unsaturated zone. These deposits, along with those in the fluctuation zone between saturated and unsaturated, are the most vulnerable to changes and degradation. The project aims to create a working approach that can identify, describe and measure relevant parameters for monitoring of the conservation state and preservation conditions of archaeological deposits in the unsaturated zone that provide necessary archaeological and pedological information. The project works towards sustainable management of very vulnerable archaeological remains, the archaeological deposits. Ulti mately we seek to develop mitigation strategies that reduce the impact of human activities on archaeological deposits.