Der früheisenzeitliche Fundplatz am Mont Lassois bei Vix (Dép. Côte d’Or, Frankreich) ist insbes... more Der früheisenzeitliche Fundplatz am Mont Lassois bei Vix (Dép. Côte d’Or, Frankreich) ist insbesondere durch das ausserordentlich reich ausgestattete Frauengrab bekannt sowie durch die komplex befestigte Plateausiedlung mit Monumentalbauten und Importen aus dem Mittelmeerraum.
Die Entdeckungen am Champ Fossé bereichern die bisherigen Kenntnisse zum späthallstattlichen Fürstensitz am Mont Lassois insofern, als dass sie den Blick für das Alltägliche im Kontext des Extravaganten öffnen: Bauarbeiten, Handwerk, Wohnen – dies zur kurzen Blütezeit der Protourbs um 500 v. Chr. Die Ausgrabungen haben zudem gezeigt, dass das Champ Fossé in der Mittellatènezeit platzartig umgestaltet und den deformierten Waffenteilen nach zu urteilen kurzfristig für Kulthandlungen genutzt wurde. Damit ist die am Mont Lassois bisher einzige archäologische Kulturschicht aus der Latènezeit belegt.
In dieser Monografie werden die Befunde und Kleinfunde aus den Zürcher Ausgrabungen am Champ Fossé vorgelegt und in ihrem Zusammenhang besprochen.
The publication presents the present state of research on the bronze hand of Prêles.
FULL DOWNL... more The publication presents the present state of research on the bronze hand of Prêles.
FULL DOWNLOAD!
In many regions of Europe and beyond, fortifications belong to the most impressive of archaeologi... more In many regions of Europe and beyond, fortifications belong to the most impressive of archaeological remains. Their study has a long tradition and today a multitude of aspects about architecture, function or symbolism have been explored. However, fortifications are generally examined in a temporally, regionally or culturally limited context. Going a step further, this volume aims to bring into focus concepts of fortifications, which can not only be socially, symbolically or functionally aligned, but also chronologically and supra-regionally. An important question is to determine which fortification elements are culture-specific, and which can be regarded as convergence or even universal phenomena. Adopting a comparative view, the central aim of the volume is to highlight the diversity and the structural similarities of ancient fortifications. The chronological framework goes from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age, and the geographical scope extends from the Near East to the Iberian Peninsula.
On the prehistoric site of Ploˇca Miˇcov Grad (Ohrid, North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of La... more On the prehistoric site of Ploˇca Miˇcov Grad (Ohrid, North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid a total of 799 wooden elements were recorded from a systematically excavated area of nearly 100 square metres. Most of them are pile remains made of round wood with diameters up to almost 40 cm. A comprehensive dendrochronological analysis allows the construction of numerous well-replicated tree-ring chronologies for different species. High agreements between the chronologies prove that oak, pine, juniper, ash and hop-hornbeam can be crossdated. The chronologies are dated by means of radiocarbon dates and modelling using wiggle matching. An intensive settlement phase is attested for the middle of the 5th millennium BCE. Further phases follow towards the end of the 5th millennium BCE and in the 2nd millennium around 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE. Furthermore, the exact, relative felling dates allow first insights into the minimum duration of the settlement phases, which lie between 17 and 87 years. The multi-centennial chronologies presented in this study can be used as a first robust dating basis for future research in the numerous not yet dated prehistoric lake shore settlements of the region with excellently preserved wooden remains.
Along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, a series of settlement remains from the Late Eneolithic and Bro... more Along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, a series of settlement remains from the Late Eneolithic and Bronze Age have been preserved underwater and in marshy environments. A few of them seem originally to have been terrestrial settlements which were flooded and abandoned when the level of the Black Sea rose, while others were actual wetland settlements. Specific remains of “pile-dwelling” architecture have been found, for example, at sites in the Varna Lakes area, in Sozopol harbour, and at Ropotamo and Urdoviza. As well as drawing parallels with the pan-European phenomenon of pile dwellings, the paper examines the broader significance of the Bulgarian wetland settlements, including their complex interrelationship with the water system and their role in the overall cultural landscape at the time of their occupation.
Specialized and systematic underwater fieldwork at the prehistoric site of Ploča Mičov Grad at Gr... more Specialized and systematic underwater fieldwork at the prehistoric site of Ploča Mičov Grad at Gradište (North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid was undertaken in 2018 and 2019. It has substantiated the archeological site’s outstanding preservation condition, and furthermore proven the numerous construction timbers’ suitability for dendrochronological analysis. Dendrochronological analysis on archaeological timbers was applied, combined with radiocarbon dating. Bayesian radiocarbon modeling allowed to ‘wiggle match’ the dendrochrono-logical mean curves, i.e. allowed the precise chronological anchoring of ‘floating’ tree-ring sequences. Furthermore, radiocarbon dates of plant remains from the site’s main archaeological layer are statistically evaluated. Based on the new findings, the strikingly high density of wooden piles at the site can be attributed to several construction phases of Neolithic (middle of 5th millennium BC) and Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC: 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE) settlements. Intense settlement activity is furthermore evidenced by a cultural layer of mainly organic material under the lakebed up to 1.7 m in thickness, which accumulated during the Neolithic occupation of the bay in the middle of the 5th millennium BC. The presented research enables precise absolute dating of a series of settlement phases at Ploča Mičov Grad from the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, and hence provides important reference points for an absolute chronological framework for the prehistory of the southwestern Balkans. The investigations underline the potential of future research on waterlogged prehistoric settlements in the region.
This article presents a novel methodology to the underwater documentation of pile fields in archa... more This article presents a novel methodology to the underwater documentation of pile fields in archaeological lakeside settlement sites using Structure from Motion (SfM). Mapping the piles of such sites is an indispensable basis to the exploitation of the high resolution absolute chronological data gained through dendrochronology. In a case study at the underwater site of Ploča, Mičov Grad at Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia, nine consecutive 10 m 2 strips and a 6 m 2 excavation section were uncovered, the situation documented, and the wood piles sampled. The gained data was vectorized in a geographic information system. During two field campaigns, a total of 794 wooden elements on a surface of 96 m 2 could be documented three-dimensionally with a residual error of less than 2 cm. The exceptionally high number of fishes in the 5 m deep water resulted in a significant covering of potentially important information on the relevant photos. We present a machine learning approach, especially developed and successfully applied to the automatic detection and masking of these fishes in order to eliminate them from the images. The discussed documentation workflow enables an efficient, cost-effective, accurate and reproducible mapping of pile fields. So far, no other method applied to the recording of pile fields has allowed for a comparably high resolution of spatial information.
The archaeological site of Sovjan is situated on the edge of the Korç¨e Basin, southeastern Alban... more The archaeological site of Sovjan is situated on the edge of the Korç¨e Basin, southeastern Albania. Its remarkably long and well investigated stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the Neolithic till the Iron Age, makes it an important type- and reference-site for the whole region. At different periods of prehistory it was located on the shores of the former Lake Maliq that once filled the Korç¨e Basin, but was definitely drained in the 1940′ s. These permanent wetland conditions on the site allowed for a high degree of preservation of organic material, especially wood. Based on the current knowledge, level 8 of Sovjan contains the best-preserved wooden material of all the Early Bronze Age sites in the Balkans. Through the combination of dendrochronology and Bayesian modelling, i.e. wiggle-matching, a floating 269-years long tree-ring chronology was constructed, with an absolute end-date range falling between 2158 and 2142 cal BC (2σ). It was possible to establish that the dwellings and the trackway associated with the last occupation phase of level 8 are contemporaneous. Additionally, with the help of the new dendrochronological data and based on previously published charcoal dates, the absolute chronology of the subsequent level 7 is being narrowed-down to a range from the mid-22nd to mid-20th c. cal BC (2σ). The Early Bronze Age layers of the archaeological site of Sovjan, which are particularly pertinent for the 3rd millennium chronology of the southwestern Balkans, can now be dated with high precision for the first time and hence offer a major chronological reference point in the region.
in: Philipp W. Stockhammer / Janine Fries-Knochlach (Hrsg.), In die Töpfe geschaut. Biochemische und kulturgeschichtliche Studien zum früheisenzeitlichen Essen und Trinken. BEFIM 2 (Leiden 2019: Sidestone Press) 51-112., 2019
Zwischen 2015 und 2018 führte das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geförder... more Zwischen 2015 und 2018 führte das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geförderte interdisziplinäre Verbundprojekt „BEFIM - Bedeutungen und Funktionen mediterraner Importe im früheisenzeitlichen Mitteleuropa“ Analysen organischer Rückstände an Keramik prominenter früheisenzeitlicher Siedlungsplätze durch. Neben der Heuneburg bildete der Mont Lassois den zweiten großen Schwerpunkt der Untersuchungen. Auf einer Basis von Analyseergebnissen an insgesamt 99 Gefäßen lokaler und mediterraner Herkunft konnte BEFIM nicht nur unterschiedliche Konsumpraktiken in den verschiedenen Siedlungsbereichen des Mont Lassois feststellen, sondern auch einen komplexen und ebenfalls räumlich differenzierten Übersetzungsprozess im Hinblick auf die Aneignung mediterraner Lebensmittel (wie Traubenwein und Olivenöl) und Konsumpraktiken. Die überkommene These von der Nachahmung der mediterranen, insbesondere der griechischen Symposionskultur durch die „frühen Kelten“ muss anhand der neuen Ergebnisse überdacht werden. Neben tieferen Einblicken in die eisenzeitlichen Ess- und Trinkpraktiken wurden ferner weiterführende Erkenntnisse zur Nahrungszubereitung und Vorratshaltung am Mont Lassois gewonnen. Darüber hinaus gelang durch den Nachweis lokal verfügbarer Produkte wie Bienenwachs (bzw. von Bienen produzierter Substanzen), Hirse und eines bakteriell fermentierten Produktes/Getränks eine Erweiterung unserer bisherigen Kenntnis über das Ausmaß der Nutzung dieser natürlichen Ressourcen in der früheisenzeitlichen Siedlung am Mont Lassois.
The Late Hallstatt period at the turn of the 5th century BC witnessed the introductory phase of a... more The Late Hallstatt period at the turn of the 5th century BC witnessed the introductory phase of a new architectural concept in fortification construction: the so-called Pfostenschlitz wall, i.e. a wall face featuring dry stone masonry interrupted by vertical earthfast posts which are cross-anchored in the earth rampart. In the present paper, several fortifications from south-western Germany are examined, in order to capture the early stages of the novel architecture. The rare but interesting archaeological record of this architectural programme features accompanying phenomena such as inadequate implementation and interim solutions. Meanwhile, it remains difficult to localise the origin of the Pfostenschlitz concept. In its definitive form, it is not known south of the Alps. The basic construction principle, especially the log work, finds roots in the indigenous architecture, while the stone sections in the façade could perhaps refer to Mediterranean aesthetics.
This paper deals with the spatial parameters of two characteristic ritual practices of the Bronze... more This paper deals with the spatial parameters of two characteristic ritual practices of the Bronze Age in the Central Alps: the deposition of single bronze artifacts, and the activities at Brandopferplätze (sites for burnt offerings). I propose two (for some time coexistent) modes for the spatial dimension of cultural memory. While the first one relates to a geographically flexible 'landscape' , essentially defined by the natural environment, the second one features locations of territorial significance. Considering the economic and social change in the Central Alpine region, I consequently postulate a trend towards a detachment of the cultural memory from the unaltered, natural terrain in favour of an increased collective use of ceremonial sites controlled by elites.
Zum bronzezeitlichen Umgang mit räumlichen Themen wie topographischem Wissen, Orientierung im Gel... more Zum bronzezeitlichen Umgang mit räumlichen Themen wie topographischem Wissen, Orientierung im Gelände sowie auch der Nutzung des Raums als Wissensspeicher werden einige der wenigen bildlichen Darstellungen sowie auch distinkte topografische Situationen konsultiert. Materialdeponierungen sind dabei ebenfalls zu berücksichtigt. Sie werden dabei im Zusammenhang mit dem bronzezeitlichen Landnahme-Szenario in den Zentralalpen verstanden. Ihre Bedeutung innerhalb komplexer Raumaneignungsstrategien liegt dabei in der Materialisierung mentaler und kognitiver Karten, und dadurch auch in der (Re-)Produktion räumlichen Wissens und kultureller Erinnerung.
-----------------
This article consults some of the few visual representations, as well as distinct topographical situations to investigate the Bronze Age handling of spatial issues such as topographical knowledge, land-based orientation, and the use of space as a repository of knowledge. Material depositions are also considered within the context of the Bronze Age land acquisition scenario in the Central Alps. Their significance within complex strategies of spatial appropriation has to do with the materialization of mental and cognitive maps, and through them the reproduction of spatial knowledge and cultural memory.
The understanding of depositions as part of a social practice is not just an alternative approach... more The understanding of depositions as part of a social practice is not just an alternative approach to the traditional research question concerning the motives behind Bronze Age depositions, but mainly enables a stronger focus on the question how and where these depositions took place.
The present paper addresses the questions whether and how (1) the depositional practice can be referred to the landscape, and (2) the structural meaning of space be set in relation to the depositional practice.
Against the background of practice theory, and in discussion of archaeological evidence, a reciprocal, dynamic model for the understanding of depositions (as part of a practice) and landscape (as a materialized structure or worldview) is outlined.
The deposition of objects in distinct places thus creates, confirms and renews the worldview, while in turn, the worldview structures the deposition of objects by suggesting specific places (for example marshes). To what extent this model is reflected in the archaeological record, and can be approached quantitatively, is shown in the spatial analysis of hypothetical material traces of a Siberian community. The distribution map of material traces shows patterns identifying the deposition practice, and reveals the presence of a mental spatial concept taking into account the natural surroundings.
Answers to the questions on the nature of the practice and the corresponding role of the landscape can therefore be found in the spatio-relational dimension of Bronze Age depositions.
Der früheisenzeitliche Fundplatz am Mont Lassois bei Vix (Dép. Côte d’Or, Frankreich) ist insbes... more Der früheisenzeitliche Fundplatz am Mont Lassois bei Vix (Dép. Côte d’Or, Frankreich) ist insbesondere durch das ausserordentlich reich ausgestattete Frauengrab bekannt sowie durch die komplex befestigte Plateausiedlung mit Monumentalbauten und Importen aus dem Mittelmeerraum.
Die Entdeckungen am Champ Fossé bereichern die bisherigen Kenntnisse zum späthallstattlichen Fürstensitz am Mont Lassois insofern, als dass sie den Blick für das Alltägliche im Kontext des Extravaganten öffnen: Bauarbeiten, Handwerk, Wohnen – dies zur kurzen Blütezeit der Protourbs um 500 v. Chr. Die Ausgrabungen haben zudem gezeigt, dass das Champ Fossé in der Mittellatènezeit platzartig umgestaltet und den deformierten Waffenteilen nach zu urteilen kurzfristig für Kulthandlungen genutzt wurde. Damit ist die am Mont Lassois bisher einzige archäologische Kulturschicht aus der Latènezeit belegt.
In dieser Monografie werden die Befunde und Kleinfunde aus den Zürcher Ausgrabungen am Champ Fossé vorgelegt und in ihrem Zusammenhang besprochen.
The publication presents the present state of research on the bronze hand of Prêles.
FULL DOWNL... more The publication presents the present state of research on the bronze hand of Prêles.
FULL DOWNLOAD!
In many regions of Europe and beyond, fortifications belong to the most impressive of archaeologi... more In many regions of Europe and beyond, fortifications belong to the most impressive of archaeological remains. Their study has a long tradition and today a multitude of aspects about architecture, function or symbolism have been explored. However, fortifications are generally examined in a temporally, regionally or culturally limited context. Going a step further, this volume aims to bring into focus concepts of fortifications, which can not only be socially, symbolically or functionally aligned, but also chronologically and supra-regionally. An important question is to determine which fortification elements are culture-specific, and which can be regarded as convergence or even universal phenomena. Adopting a comparative view, the central aim of the volume is to highlight the diversity and the structural similarities of ancient fortifications. The chronological framework goes from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age, and the geographical scope extends from the Near East to the Iberian Peninsula.
On the prehistoric site of Ploˇca Miˇcov Grad (Ohrid, North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of La... more On the prehistoric site of Ploˇca Miˇcov Grad (Ohrid, North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid a total of 799 wooden elements were recorded from a systematically excavated area of nearly 100 square metres. Most of them are pile remains made of round wood with diameters up to almost 40 cm. A comprehensive dendrochronological analysis allows the construction of numerous well-replicated tree-ring chronologies for different species. High agreements between the chronologies prove that oak, pine, juniper, ash and hop-hornbeam can be crossdated. The chronologies are dated by means of radiocarbon dates and modelling using wiggle matching. An intensive settlement phase is attested for the middle of the 5th millennium BCE. Further phases follow towards the end of the 5th millennium BCE and in the 2nd millennium around 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE. Furthermore, the exact, relative felling dates allow first insights into the minimum duration of the settlement phases, which lie between 17 and 87 years. The multi-centennial chronologies presented in this study can be used as a first robust dating basis for future research in the numerous not yet dated prehistoric lake shore settlements of the region with excellently preserved wooden remains.
Along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, a series of settlement remains from the Late Eneolithic and Bro... more Along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, a series of settlement remains from the Late Eneolithic and Bronze Age have been preserved underwater and in marshy environments. A few of them seem originally to have been terrestrial settlements which were flooded and abandoned when the level of the Black Sea rose, while others were actual wetland settlements. Specific remains of “pile-dwelling” architecture have been found, for example, at sites in the Varna Lakes area, in Sozopol harbour, and at Ropotamo and Urdoviza. As well as drawing parallels with the pan-European phenomenon of pile dwellings, the paper examines the broader significance of the Bulgarian wetland settlements, including their complex interrelationship with the water system and their role in the overall cultural landscape at the time of their occupation.
Specialized and systematic underwater fieldwork at the prehistoric site of Ploča Mičov Grad at Gr... more Specialized and systematic underwater fieldwork at the prehistoric site of Ploča Mičov Grad at Gradište (North Macedonia) on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid was undertaken in 2018 and 2019. It has substantiated the archeological site’s outstanding preservation condition, and furthermore proven the numerous construction timbers’ suitability for dendrochronological analysis. Dendrochronological analysis on archaeological timbers was applied, combined with radiocarbon dating. Bayesian radiocarbon modeling allowed to ‘wiggle match’ the dendrochrono-logical mean curves, i.e. allowed the precise chronological anchoring of ‘floating’ tree-ring sequences. Furthermore, radiocarbon dates of plant remains from the site’s main archaeological layer are statistically evaluated. Based on the new findings, the strikingly high density of wooden piles at the site can be attributed to several construction phases of Neolithic (middle of 5th millennium BC) and Bronze Age (2nd millennium BC: 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE) settlements. Intense settlement activity is furthermore evidenced by a cultural layer of mainly organic material under the lakebed up to 1.7 m in thickness, which accumulated during the Neolithic occupation of the bay in the middle of the 5th millennium BC. The presented research enables precise absolute dating of a series of settlement phases at Ploča Mičov Grad from the Neolithic and the Bronze Age, and hence provides important reference points for an absolute chronological framework for the prehistory of the southwestern Balkans. The investigations underline the potential of future research on waterlogged prehistoric settlements in the region.
This article presents a novel methodology to the underwater documentation of pile fields in archa... more This article presents a novel methodology to the underwater documentation of pile fields in archaeological lakeside settlement sites using Structure from Motion (SfM). Mapping the piles of such sites is an indispensable basis to the exploitation of the high resolution absolute chronological data gained through dendrochronology. In a case study at the underwater site of Ploča, Mičov Grad at Lake Ohrid, North Macedonia, nine consecutive 10 m 2 strips and a 6 m 2 excavation section were uncovered, the situation documented, and the wood piles sampled. The gained data was vectorized in a geographic information system. During two field campaigns, a total of 794 wooden elements on a surface of 96 m 2 could be documented three-dimensionally with a residual error of less than 2 cm. The exceptionally high number of fishes in the 5 m deep water resulted in a significant covering of potentially important information on the relevant photos. We present a machine learning approach, especially developed and successfully applied to the automatic detection and masking of these fishes in order to eliminate them from the images. The discussed documentation workflow enables an efficient, cost-effective, accurate and reproducible mapping of pile fields. So far, no other method applied to the recording of pile fields has allowed for a comparably high resolution of spatial information.
The archaeological site of Sovjan is situated on the edge of the Korç¨e Basin, southeastern Alban... more The archaeological site of Sovjan is situated on the edge of the Korç¨e Basin, southeastern Albania. Its remarkably long and well investigated stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the Neolithic till the Iron Age, makes it an important type- and reference-site for the whole region. At different periods of prehistory it was located on the shores of the former Lake Maliq that once filled the Korç¨e Basin, but was definitely drained in the 1940′ s. These permanent wetland conditions on the site allowed for a high degree of preservation of organic material, especially wood. Based on the current knowledge, level 8 of Sovjan contains the best-preserved wooden material of all the Early Bronze Age sites in the Balkans. Through the combination of dendrochronology and Bayesian modelling, i.e. wiggle-matching, a floating 269-years long tree-ring chronology was constructed, with an absolute end-date range falling between 2158 and 2142 cal BC (2σ). It was possible to establish that the dwellings and the trackway associated with the last occupation phase of level 8 are contemporaneous. Additionally, with the help of the new dendrochronological data and based on previously published charcoal dates, the absolute chronology of the subsequent level 7 is being narrowed-down to a range from the mid-22nd to mid-20th c. cal BC (2σ). The Early Bronze Age layers of the archaeological site of Sovjan, which are particularly pertinent for the 3rd millennium chronology of the southwestern Balkans, can now be dated with high precision for the first time and hence offer a major chronological reference point in the region.
in: Philipp W. Stockhammer / Janine Fries-Knochlach (Hrsg.), In die Töpfe geschaut. Biochemische und kulturgeschichtliche Studien zum früheisenzeitlichen Essen und Trinken. BEFIM 2 (Leiden 2019: Sidestone Press) 51-112., 2019
Zwischen 2015 und 2018 führte das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geförder... more Zwischen 2015 und 2018 führte das vom Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) geförderte interdisziplinäre Verbundprojekt „BEFIM - Bedeutungen und Funktionen mediterraner Importe im früheisenzeitlichen Mitteleuropa“ Analysen organischer Rückstände an Keramik prominenter früheisenzeitlicher Siedlungsplätze durch. Neben der Heuneburg bildete der Mont Lassois den zweiten großen Schwerpunkt der Untersuchungen. Auf einer Basis von Analyseergebnissen an insgesamt 99 Gefäßen lokaler und mediterraner Herkunft konnte BEFIM nicht nur unterschiedliche Konsumpraktiken in den verschiedenen Siedlungsbereichen des Mont Lassois feststellen, sondern auch einen komplexen und ebenfalls räumlich differenzierten Übersetzungsprozess im Hinblick auf die Aneignung mediterraner Lebensmittel (wie Traubenwein und Olivenöl) und Konsumpraktiken. Die überkommene These von der Nachahmung der mediterranen, insbesondere der griechischen Symposionskultur durch die „frühen Kelten“ muss anhand der neuen Ergebnisse überdacht werden. Neben tieferen Einblicken in die eisenzeitlichen Ess- und Trinkpraktiken wurden ferner weiterführende Erkenntnisse zur Nahrungszubereitung und Vorratshaltung am Mont Lassois gewonnen. Darüber hinaus gelang durch den Nachweis lokal verfügbarer Produkte wie Bienenwachs (bzw. von Bienen produzierter Substanzen), Hirse und eines bakteriell fermentierten Produktes/Getränks eine Erweiterung unserer bisherigen Kenntnis über das Ausmaß der Nutzung dieser natürlichen Ressourcen in der früheisenzeitlichen Siedlung am Mont Lassois.
The Late Hallstatt period at the turn of the 5th century BC witnessed the introductory phase of a... more The Late Hallstatt period at the turn of the 5th century BC witnessed the introductory phase of a new architectural concept in fortification construction: the so-called Pfostenschlitz wall, i.e. a wall face featuring dry stone masonry interrupted by vertical earthfast posts which are cross-anchored in the earth rampart. In the present paper, several fortifications from south-western Germany are examined, in order to capture the early stages of the novel architecture. The rare but interesting archaeological record of this architectural programme features accompanying phenomena such as inadequate implementation and interim solutions. Meanwhile, it remains difficult to localise the origin of the Pfostenschlitz concept. In its definitive form, it is not known south of the Alps. The basic construction principle, especially the log work, finds roots in the indigenous architecture, while the stone sections in the façade could perhaps refer to Mediterranean aesthetics.
This paper deals with the spatial parameters of two characteristic ritual practices of the Bronze... more This paper deals with the spatial parameters of two characteristic ritual practices of the Bronze Age in the Central Alps: the deposition of single bronze artifacts, and the activities at Brandopferplätze (sites for burnt offerings). I propose two (for some time coexistent) modes for the spatial dimension of cultural memory. While the first one relates to a geographically flexible 'landscape' , essentially defined by the natural environment, the second one features locations of territorial significance. Considering the economic and social change in the Central Alpine region, I consequently postulate a trend towards a detachment of the cultural memory from the unaltered, natural terrain in favour of an increased collective use of ceremonial sites controlled by elites.
Zum bronzezeitlichen Umgang mit räumlichen Themen wie topographischem Wissen, Orientierung im Gel... more Zum bronzezeitlichen Umgang mit räumlichen Themen wie topographischem Wissen, Orientierung im Gelände sowie auch der Nutzung des Raums als Wissensspeicher werden einige der wenigen bildlichen Darstellungen sowie auch distinkte topografische Situationen konsultiert. Materialdeponierungen sind dabei ebenfalls zu berücksichtigt. Sie werden dabei im Zusammenhang mit dem bronzezeitlichen Landnahme-Szenario in den Zentralalpen verstanden. Ihre Bedeutung innerhalb komplexer Raumaneignungsstrategien liegt dabei in der Materialisierung mentaler und kognitiver Karten, und dadurch auch in der (Re-)Produktion räumlichen Wissens und kultureller Erinnerung.
-----------------
This article consults some of the few visual representations, as well as distinct topographical situations to investigate the Bronze Age handling of spatial issues such as topographical knowledge, land-based orientation, and the use of space as a repository of knowledge. Material depositions are also considered within the context of the Bronze Age land acquisition scenario in the Central Alps. Their significance within complex strategies of spatial appropriation has to do with the materialization of mental and cognitive maps, and through them the reproduction of spatial knowledge and cultural memory.
The understanding of depositions as part of a social practice is not just an alternative approach... more The understanding of depositions as part of a social practice is not just an alternative approach to the traditional research question concerning the motives behind Bronze Age depositions, but mainly enables a stronger focus on the question how and where these depositions took place.
The present paper addresses the questions whether and how (1) the depositional practice can be referred to the landscape, and (2) the structural meaning of space be set in relation to the depositional practice.
Against the background of practice theory, and in discussion of archaeological evidence, a reciprocal, dynamic model for the understanding of depositions (as part of a practice) and landscape (as a materialized structure or worldview) is outlined.
The deposition of objects in distinct places thus creates, confirms and renews the worldview, while in turn, the worldview structures the deposition of objects by suggesting specific places (for example marshes). To what extent this model is reflected in the archaeological record, and can be approached quantitatively, is shown in the spatial analysis of hypothetical material traces of a Siberian community. The distribution map of material traces shows patterns identifying the deposition practice, and reveals the presence of a mental spatial concept taking into account the natural surroundings.
Answers to the questions on the nature of the practice and the corresponding role of the landscape can therefore be found in the spatio-relational dimension of Bronze Age depositions.
Johannes Müller (ed.) Landscapes and Human Development: The Contribution of European Archaeology. Proceedings of the International Workshop 'Socio-Environmental Dynamics over the Last 12,000 Years: The Creation of Landscapes' (1st-4th April 2009), 2010
In the prehistoric archaeology dealing with metaphysical subjects like the mental construction of... more In the prehistoric archaeology dealing with metaphysical subjects like the mental construction of the landscape is problematic as forasmuch as the primary sources are very limited, or respectively seem to be very limited. Not least because of this apparent lack of source, but also for the reason of research tradition, the application of empirical methods to cognitive matters is relatively scarce. In the course of the post-processual archaeology the quantitative methods are routinely abstracted away from questions dealing with mental concepts, even harshly criticized, and phenomenological approaches are favoured instead. This paper deals with a methodical-theoretical aspect of prehistoric mental landscape structuring using the Bronze Age landscape as example, stressing its material dimension and hence its quantitative potential for empirical analysis. It is a sketch of ideas and a suggestion of concrete possibilities toward bridging the boundaries of paradigms and toward combining quantitative methods and metaphysical subjects in prehistoric archaeology.
Die neolithische Seeufersiedlung Uerikon-Im Länder am Zürichsee (CH) wurde in den 1930er-Jahren e... more Die neolithische Seeufersiedlung Uerikon-Im Länder am Zürichsee (CH) wurde in den 1930er-Jahren entdeckt und von 1972–74 in einer grösseren Ausgrabung und mehreren kleineren archäologischen Sondierungen und Abklärungen untersucht.
Die vorliegenden Informationen (Befunde, Funde, Dendrodaten) lassen sich zu einem relativ dichten Bild zusammenfügen: So scheint der Siedlungsplatz Uerikon-Im Länder ab dem mittleren (klassisches Pfyn) bis ins späte Pfyn, sowie ca. 250 Jahre später von der älteren bis in die jüngere Horgener Zeit belegt gewesen zu sein. Dass es sich dabei um einen immer wieder genutzten Siedlungsplatz auf einer zum Teil grösseren Fläche handelte, zeigt die hohe Pfahldichte in der Hechthaab und vor dem Strandbad sowie die Ausdehnung der Horgener Kulturschicht vor dem Strandbad. Dass die pfynzeitlichen Siedlungen auch wirtschaftlich gut situiert waren, belegen u.a. zwei Kupferobjekte sowie Gusstiegelfunde, welche die lokale Kupferverarbeitung dokumentieren. Die Fundstelle Uerikon-Im Länder kann auf Grund ihrer Ausdehnung, ihrer wiederholten Belegung und ihrer interessanten Einzelfunde zu den wichtigen neolithischen Siedlungsplätzen des 4. Jahrtausends am Zürichsee gezählt werden.
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Books by Ariane Ballmer
Die Entdeckungen am Champ Fossé bereichern die bisherigen Kenntnisse zum späthallstattlichen Fürstensitz am Mont Lassois insofern, als dass sie den Blick für das Alltägliche im Kontext des Extravaganten öffnen: Bauarbeiten, Handwerk, Wohnen – dies zur kurzen Blütezeit der Protourbs um 500 v. Chr. Die Ausgrabungen haben zudem gezeigt, dass das Champ Fossé in der Mittellatènezeit platzartig umgestaltet und den deformierten Waffenteilen nach zu urteilen kurzfristig für Kulthandlungen genutzt wurde. Damit ist die am Mont Lassois bisher einzige archäologische Kulturschicht aus der Latènezeit belegt.
In dieser Monografie werden die Befunde und Kleinfunde aus den Zürcher Ausgrabungen am Champ Fossé vorgelegt und in ihrem Zusammenhang besprochen.
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Papers by Ariane Ballmer
of 799 wooden elements were recorded from a systematically excavated area of nearly 100 square metres. Most
of them are pile remains made of round wood with diameters up to almost 40 cm. A comprehensive dendrochronological
analysis allows the construction of numerous well-replicated tree-ring chronologies for different
species. High agreements between the chronologies prove that oak, pine, juniper, ash and hop-hornbeam can be
crossdated. The chronologies are dated by means of radiocarbon dates and modelling using wiggle matching. An
intensive settlement phase is attested for the middle of the 5th millennium BCE. Further phases follow towards
the end of the 5th millennium BCE and in the 2nd millennium around 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE. Furthermore,
the exact, relative felling dates allow first insights into the minimum duration of the settlement phases, which lie
between 17 and 87 years. The multi-centennial chronologies presented in this study can be used as a first robust
dating basis for future research in the numerous not yet dated prehistoric lake shore settlements of the region
with excellently preserved wooden remains.
long and well investigated stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the Neolithic till the Iron Age, makes it an
important type- and reference-site for the whole region. At different periods of prehistory it was located on the
shores of the former Lake Maliq that once filled the Korç¨e Basin, but was definitely drained in the 1940′ s. These
permanent wetland conditions on the site allowed for a high degree of preservation of organic material, especially
wood. Based on the current knowledge, level 8 of Sovjan contains the best-preserved wooden material of
all the Early Bronze Age sites in the Balkans. Through the combination of dendrochronology and Bayesian
modelling, i.e. wiggle-matching, a floating 269-years long tree-ring chronology was constructed, with an absolute
end-date range falling between 2158 and 2142 cal BC (2σ). It was possible to establish that the dwellings and
the trackway associated with the last occupation phase of level 8 are contemporaneous. Additionally, with the
help of the new dendrochronological data and based on previously published charcoal dates, the absolute
chronology of the subsequent level 7 is being narrowed-down to a range from the mid-22nd to mid-20th c. cal BC
(2σ). The Early Bronze Age layers of the archaeological site of Sovjan, which are particularly pertinent for the 3rd
millennium chronology of the southwestern Balkans, can now be dated with high precision for the first time and
hence offer a major chronological reference point in the region.
weiterführende Erkenntnisse zur Nahrungszubereitung und Vorratshaltung am Mont Lassois gewonnen. Darüber hinaus gelang durch den Nachweis lokal verfügbarer Produkte wie Bienenwachs (bzw. von Bienen produzierter Substanzen), Hirse und eines bakteriell fermentierten Produktes/Getränks eine Erweiterung unserer bisherigen Kenntnis über das Ausmaß der Nutzung dieser natürlichen Ressourcen in der früheisenzeitlichen Siedlung am Mont Lassois.
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This article consults some of the few visual representations, as well as distinct topographical situations to investigate the Bronze Age handling of spatial issues such as topographical knowledge, land-based orientation, and the use of space as a repository of knowledge. Material depositions are also considered within the context of the Bronze Age land acquisition scenario in the Central Alps. Their significance within complex strategies of spatial appropriation has to do with the materialization of mental and cognitive maps, and through them the reproduction of spatial knowledge and cultural memory.
The present paper addresses the questions whether and how (1) the depositional practice can be referred to the landscape, and (2) the structural meaning of space be set in relation to the depositional practice.
Against the background of practice theory, and in discussion of archaeological evidence, a reciprocal, dynamic model for the understanding of depositions (as part of a practice) and landscape (as a materialized structure or worldview) is outlined.
The deposition of objects in distinct places thus creates, confirms and renews the worldview, while in turn, the worldview structures the deposition of objects by suggesting specific places (for example marshes). To what extent this model is reflected in the archaeological record, and can be approached quantitatively, is shown in the spatial analysis of hypothetical material traces of a Siberian community. The distribution map of material traces shows patterns identifying the deposition practice, and reveals the presence of a mental spatial concept taking into account the natural surroundings.
Answers to the questions on the nature of the practice and the corresponding role of the landscape can therefore be found in the spatio-relational dimension of Bronze Age depositions.
Die Entdeckungen am Champ Fossé bereichern die bisherigen Kenntnisse zum späthallstattlichen Fürstensitz am Mont Lassois insofern, als dass sie den Blick für das Alltägliche im Kontext des Extravaganten öffnen: Bauarbeiten, Handwerk, Wohnen – dies zur kurzen Blütezeit der Protourbs um 500 v. Chr. Die Ausgrabungen haben zudem gezeigt, dass das Champ Fossé in der Mittellatènezeit platzartig umgestaltet und den deformierten Waffenteilen nach zu urteilen kurzfristig für Kulthandlungen genutzt wurde. Damit ist die am Mont Lassois bisher einzige archäologische Kulturschicht aus der Latènezeit belegt.
In dieser Monografie werden die Befunde und Kleinfunde aus den Zürcher Ausgrabungen am Champ Fossé vorgelegt und in ihrem Zusammenhang besprochen.
>>> Synthèse française!
>>> English synthesis!
FULL DOWNLOAD!
of 799 wooden elements were recorded from a systematically excavated area of nearly 100 square metres. Most
of them are pile remains made of round wood with diameters up to almost 40 cm. A comprehensive dendrochronological
analysis allows the construction of numerous well-replicated tree-ring chronologies for different
species. High agreements between the chronologies prove that oak, pine, juniper, ash and hop-hornbeam can be
crossdated. The chronologies are dated by means of radiocarbon dates and modelling using wiggle matching. An
intensive settlement phase is attested for the middle of the 5th millennium BCE. Further phases follow towards
the end of the 5th millennium BCE and in the 2nd millennium around 1800, 1400 and 1300 BCE. Furthermore,
the exact, relative felling dates allow first insights into the minimum duration of the settlement phases, which lie
between 17 and 87 years. The multi-centennial chronologies presented in this study can be used as a first robust
dating basis for future research in the numerous not yet dated prehistoric lake shore settlements of the region
with excellently preserved wooden remains.
long and well investigated stratigraphic sequence, spanning from the Neolithic till the Iron Age, makes it an
important type- and reference-site for the whole region. At different periods of prehistory it was located on the
shores of the former Lake Maliq that once filled the Korç¨e Basin, but was definitely drained in the 1940′ s. These
permanent wetland conditions on the site allowed for a high degree of preservation of organic material, especially
wood. Based on the current knowledge, level 8 of Sovjan contains the best-preserved wooden material of
all the Early Bronze Age sites in the Balkans. Through the combination of dendrochronology and Bayesian
modelling, i.e. wiggle-matching, a floating 269-years long tree-ring chronology was constructed, with an absolute
end-date range falling between 2158 and 2142 cal BC (2σ). It was possible to establish that the dwellings and
the trackway associated with the last occupation phase of level 8 are contemporaneous. Additionally, with the
help of the new dendrochronological data and based on previously published charcoal dates, the absolute
chronology of the subsequent level 7 is being narrowed-down to a range from the mid-22nd to mid-20th c. cal BC
(2σ). The Early Bronze Age layers of the archaeological site of Sovjan, which are particularly pertinent for the 3rd
millennium chronology of the southwestern Balkans, can now be dated with high precision for the first time and
hence offer a major chronological reference point in the region.
weiterführende Erkenntnisse zur Nahrungszubereitung und Vorratshaltung am Mont Lassois gewonnen. Darüber hinaus gelang durch den Nachweis lokal verfügbarer Produkte wie Bienenwachs (bzw. von Bienen produzierter Substanzen), Hirse und eines bakteriell fermentierten Produktes/Getränks eine Erweiterung unserer bisherigen Kenntnis über das Ausmaß der Nutzung dieser natürlichen Ressourcen in der früheisenzeitlichen Siedlung am Mont Lassois.
-----------------
This article consults some of the few visual representations, as well as distinct topographical situations to investigate the Bronze Age handling of spatial issues such as topographical knowledge, land-based orientation, and the use of space as a repository of knowledge. Material depositions are also considered within the context of the Bronze Age land acquisition scenario in the Central Alps. Their significance within complex strategies of spatial appropriation has to do with the materialization of mental and cognitive maps, and through them the reproduction of spatial knowledge and cultural memory.
The present paper addresses the questions whether and how (1) the depositional practice can be referred to the landscape, and (2) the structural meaning of space be set in relation to the depositional practice.
Against the background of practice theory, and in discussion of archaeological evidence, a reciprocal, dynamic model for the understanding of depositions (as part of a practice) and landscape (as a materialized structure or worldview) is outlined.
The deposition of objects in distinct places thus creates, confirms and renews the worldview, while in turn, the worldview structures the deposition of objects by suggesting specific places (for example marshes). To what extent this model is reflected in the archaeological record, and can be approached quantitatively, is shown in the spatial analysis of hypothetical material traces of a Siberian community. The distribution map of material traces shows patterns identifying the deposition practice, and reveals the presence of a mental spatial concept taking into account the natural surroundings.
Answers to the questions on the nature of the practice and the corresponding role of the landscape can therefore be found in the spatio-relational dimension of Bronze Age depositions.
This paper deals with a methodical-theoretical aspect of prehistoric mental landscape structuring using the Bronze Age landscape as example, stressing its material dimension and hence its quantitative potential for empirical analysis. It is a sketch of ideas and a suggestion of concrete possibilities toward bridging the boundaries of paradigms and toward combining quantitative methods and metaphysical subjects in prehistoric archaeology.
Die vorliegenden Informationen (Befunde, Funde, Dendrodaten) lassen sich zu einem relativ dichten Bild zusammenfügen: So scheint der Siedlungsplatz Uerikon-Im Länder ab dem mittleren (klassisches Pfyn) bis ins späte Pfyn, sowie ca. 250 Jahre später von der älteren bis in die jüngere Horgener Zeit belegt gewesen zu sein. Dass es sich dabei um einen immer wieder genutzten Siedlungsplatz auf einer zum Teil grösseren Fläche handelte, zeigt die hohe Pfahldichte in der Hechthaab und vor dem Strandbad sowie die Ausdehnung der Horgener Kulturschicht vor dem Strandbad. Dass die pfynzeitlichen Siedlungen auch wirtschaftlich gut situiert waren, belegen u.a. zwei Kupferobjekte sowie Gusstiegelfunde, welche die lokale Kupferverarbeitung dokumentieren. Die Fundstelle Uerikon-Im Länder kann auf Grund ihrer Ausdehnung, ihrer wiederholten Belegung und ihrer interessanten Einzelfunde zu den wichtigen neolithischen Siedlungsplätzen des 4. Jahrtausends am Zürichsee gezählt werden.