After a detailed soil survey on the summit of the Serra de São José (Minas Gerais State, SE Brasil), two soil profiles (p1 and p2), with alternating sequences of white sand and sandy layers enriched with organic matter on meta-sandstones of the tiradentes formation, were characterized. the study site is located at 1450 m above sea level and 300 m over the dominant regional topographic level. p1 is located 50 m apart from p2 and 1.5 m higher in elevation. In P1, 33 organic-rich layers with a plane-parallel stratification and widths varying between 1 to 60 mm down to the rock contact, were identified. In P2 the organic-rich layers are wider (between 10 and 130 mm) and presented abrupt discontinuities probably due to low impact tectonic movements. Three layers selected from P1 (20-30, 70-80 and 100-110cm) have a C content of 0.5, 7 and 1%, and radiocarbon ages of <40, 180 ± 60 and 350 ± 80 BP, respectively. These 14C dating indicate the existence of a recurrent depositional process with increasing intensity up to present, coinciding the age of the deeper layers with the beginning of the post-european colonization period. During this period erosive processes were probably triggered by human activities. In P2, the organic-rich layers buried between 20-30, 80-90 110-120 and 170-180cm have a C content of 3, 2.5, 21 and 1.5% and radiocarbon ages of 3580 ± 80, 3750 ± 80, 21210 ± 180 and 24060 ± 130BP, respectively. The C/N ratios of the organic-rich layers showed an increase from the most recent (around 20) to the oldest (maximum around 100) layers. The lack of continuity between both profiles can also be associated to resurgent tectonic phenomena. The drainage in P2 is impeded in the deeper layers, which could be the cause for the preservation of a wood fragment (5cm diameter and 62cm on length) at a depth of 200cm with an age of 32220 ± 290 BP. The soils characteristics and the ages found are promising to continue studying the relations between paleosols, paleo-climates, paleo-vegetation, resurgent tectonics and anthropic action on the evolution of the local landscape.