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Summary The exploration of the Ertebølle Culture and Early Neolithic represented a major research topic on the German coast of the Baltic Sea from the late 90s to the 2000s. In the scope of various research projects, particularly the DFG sponsored SINCOS group and further rescue excavations, carried out by the state department “Landesamt für Kultur und Denkmalpflege Mecklenburg-Vorpommern”, several coastal sites with good preservation conditions for organic material were investigated. In the present dissertation the excavated wooden artefacts were analysed in detail and compared with other finds, resulting in a comprehensive investigation of Stone Age wooden findings from the Northern German region. The investigation area encompasses Ostholstein and the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern including Rügen Island. The region in front of Poel Island in the Bay of Wismar and the sites in the wetlands of the Oldenburger Graben were particularly well inspected. For the most part, inventories of the Ertebølle Culture were examined dating from 5500 to 4100 cal. BC. Few sites even date into the Late Mesolithic around 6500 cal. BC. Some settlement sites were used until the beginning of Early Neolithic around 3800 cal. BC. From thirteen different coastal sites 4153 wooden artefacts of the Ertebølle Culture and the Early Neolithic were analysed. This includes 1223 tools and pointed sticks as well as predominantly anthropogenic wood without visible working traces. In addition, 80 preserved wooden findings from excavations of the 70s and 80s from the site Grube-Rosenhof LA 58 and 94 wooden artefacts of the Middle Neolithic settlement phase from the site Wangels LA 505 were examined. Above all, the wooden findings of the coastal sites account for fishing activities. In most cases fishing implements and remains of stationary fishing traps were recovered. In addition, dugouts, paddles, hunting tools and handles of stone and antler tools could be found. The artefacts were analysed by metric criteria and characteristics of shape. They were examined and compared archaeologically and dendrologically. The first part of this doctoral dissertation describes the findings classified according to tool type. Thereby, the inventories of different sites could be compared among each other. Furthermore, the method of tools production and the modes of operation were delineated. The evaluation of the artefacts also includes their comparison with material from other Ertebølle sites of Denmark and Southern Sweden. Additionally, findings from other eras and other regions of Europe were consulted. The second part of this analysis describes the wooden artefacts of the individual sites in detail or in summary for higher quantities. For every site the respective research history, dating, archaeological material and results derived from natural science are briefly mentioned. An alphabetical catalog of the documented tree and shrub types with a short description and feature list as well as common use cases completes this analysis. This catalog recapitulates the proven artefacts of this work by wood type. As noted, a categorization of several wooden tools according to type was attempted. In doing so the existing division of paddle types from HARTZ and LÜBKE (1999) was expanded. For the leister prongs of eel spears two types were determined and several groups were created for the knee-shaped handles. As a result of the great diversity, most types, with the exception of the leister prongs, have only a very limited number of examples. Signs of chronological development were found for paddles and leister prongs. The fishing implements, however, were already technically mature so there was little variation. This becomes all the more evident when these tools were compared with eel spears and trap baskets of recent history. Minor regional distinctions in the making of leister prongs are evidenced by the use of different wood types. In general, the preference for certain, well-suited types of wood to create specific objects or tools could be proven for coastal settlements of the Ertebølle Culture and the Early Neolithic. This reflects downright standardisation. As such, fish trap baskets were always made from red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) with root stripes of alder (Alnus glutinosa) and pine (Pinus sylvestris) as compound material. Tall lime (Tilia sp.) trunks and in one case a trunk of maple (Acer platanoides/ pseudoplatanus) – both wood types are easy to process – were used to build logboats. Spears and paddles were mostly crafted from the trunk wood of ash (Fraxinus excelsior), which is elastic but also rigid and especially resistant to breakage. The moderately tough wood of hazel (Corylus avellana) as well as very tough red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and pomaceous wood (Maloideae) were used to produce leister prongs. Shafts and handles of stone and antler tools were made of miscellaneous wood types, mostly hazel (Corylus avellana), ash (Fraxinus excelsior) or pomaceous wood (Maloideae). For the production of bows, on the other hand, slow growing elm (Ulmus sp.) was selected, which was the best bow-making wood available at the time. Arrow shafts from split wood of hazel (Corylus avellana), ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) as well as from sprouts of the latter are documented. Based on the shape, age and annual ring widths of the hazel sticks management of hazel shrubs (Corylus avellana) by coppicing can be assumed. Straight, knotless shoots of hazel that are only a few years old with wide annual rings dominate the Terminal Mesolithic find layers of all sites. The shoots were needed in large quantities for the construction of fishing fences that were proven on nearly all investigated sites even if no well-preserved part of a wattle work could be detected. Regular cutting of bushes of red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) can be assumed as well because straight rods of these plants were split and used to build fish trap baskets, which were likewise in high demand. The fundamental importance of fishing for the coastal sites is also reflected in the results of fish bone analysis. Some sites can be interpreted as specialised eel catching places (Anguilla anguilla) because of wooden tools and the results of fish bone determination. At other places mainly the bones of small cod (Gadus morhua) and other marine fish were found, which could be caught by fish weirs composed of a fence and a trap basket. No substantial change in the wooden material culture can be seen, due to the fact that living on the coastal sites continued the same manner from the Terminal Mesolithic to Early Neolithic.
Bericht der Römisch-Germanischen Kommission 92, 2011 (2014) 251-274
S. Klooß (2014) They were fishing in the sea and coppicing the forest. Terminal Mesolithic and Early Neolithic wooden artefacts of coastal settlements on the south-western Baltic Sea2014 •
German - English - French ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Die Untersuchung der Holzartefakte von 13 Fundplätzen des Endmesolithikums und Frühneolithikums demonstriert die intensive Nutzung der marinen Ressourcen an der südwestlichen Ostseeküste. Der Fischfang mit stationären Anlagen, Reusen und Aalstechern war weit verbreitet. Weniger häufig wurde Fischfang mit Netzen oder die Angelfischerei betrieben. Durch Funde von Einbäumen und Paddeln in der Flachwasserzone ist der Gebrauch dieser Wasserfahrzeuge gut belegt. Weiterhin wurden Jagdgeräte wie Pfeil und Bogen oder Speere gefunden. Stiele für Stein- oder Geweihgeräte zeigen die Handhabung dieser Geräte. Die Fischfanggeräte sind technisch weitgehend ausgereift und zeigen nur geringe Veränderungen. Chronologische Entwicklungen sind lediglich für Paddel, kaum für Aalstechersprossen nachgewiesen. Kleine regionale Unterschiede werden durch die Nutzung anderer Holzarten für die Herstellung von Aalstechersprossen und Reusen deutlich. Insgesamt kann für die Küstensiedlungen der Ertebølle-Kultur und des Frühneolithikums die Bevorzugung bestimmter, besonders gut geeigneter Holzarten für die Herstellung spezifischer Geräte und Gegenstände deutlich gezeigt werden. Die Gleichförmigkeit der geraden Haselruten (Corylus avellana) im Fundmaterial und der Bedarf großer Mengen Flechtmaterial für die Fischzäune weist auf die intensive Nutzung der Haselsträucher hin. Basierend auf der Form, Größe, Jahrringanzahl und Jahrringweite der Stangen kann das „auf den Stock setzen“ der Hasel seit dem Endmesolithikum nachgewiesen werden. Der regelmäßige Schnitt von weiteren Sträuchern, namentlich Rotem Hartriegel (Cornus sanguinea) und Gemeinem Schneeball (Viburnum opulus), kann ebenso angenommen werden, da gerade Stangen dieser Gehölze gespalten und für die Herstellung von häufig verwendeten Fischreusen genutzt wurden. Die Art des Fischfangs mit stationären Zaunanlagen sowie die niederwaldartige Bewirtschaftung von Haselhainen erfordert die Sesshaftigkeit in einem begrenzten Gebiet. Diese erste stark eingreifende Maßnahme zur bewussten Produktion von natürlichen Rohstoffen leitet zum Wesen der neolithischen Wirtschaftsweise hin. SUMMARY The investigation of wooden artefacts from thirteen Terminal Mesolithic and Early Neolithic sites shows that the marine environment of the southwestern Baltic Sea was used intensively. Fishing with the help of stationary structures, fish trap baskets and eel catching spears was widespread. By comparison, fishing with nets and hooks was less commonly employed. Travelling and transport with log boats manoeuvred by paddles is welldemonstrated by wooden finds from the shallow water zone. Moreover, hunting tools such as bows and arrows as well as spears were excavated. Handles for stone and antler axes show how these tools were hafted. Fishing implements were already technically advanced, so there was little variation through time. Small signs of chronological development were only found for paddles and leister prongs. Furthermore, minor regional distinctions became evident in the usage of different types of wood for producing leister prongs and fish trap baskets. Generally, a preference for certain, well-suited types of wood to create specific objects or tools could be proven for coastal settlements of the Ertebølle Culture and the Early Neolithic. The uniformity of straight hazel poles in the find material, and the requirement of large quantities of such poles for the construction of wattle fishing fences indicate that hazel bushes (Corylus avellana) were used intensively. Based on shape, size, age and annual ring widths of the hazel poles, the coppicing of hazel bushes could be proven for the Terminal Mesolithic and later. The regular cutting of red dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and guelder rose bushes (Viburnum opulus) can also be assumed since straight rods from these plants were split and used to build fish trap baskets, which were likewise in high demand. In addition to this kind of woodland management, the exploitation of fish with stationary structures required sedentism in a restricted habitation area as well. This is one of the first profound interventional procedures indicating a purposeful production of natural resources, thereby leading towards the Neolithic economy. RESUMÉ L’examen d’artefacts en bois provenant de 13 sites du Mésolithique final et du Néolithique ancien démontre l’exploitation intensive des ressources marines sur la côte sudouest de la Baltique. La pêche à l’aide d’installations passives, de nasses et de foënes était fort répandue. Plus rarement furent utilisés les filets et l’hameçon. La découverte de pirogues monoxyles et de pagaies en zone peu profonde prouve l’usage de ce véhicule. On a également découvert des armes de chasses telles que des flèches et des arcs, ou encore des javelots. Les manches des outils en pierre ou bois de cerf indiquent comment ils furent manipulés. Les engins de pêche sont très développés techniquement et ne présentent que de légers changements. On constate des évolutions chronologiques seulement pour les pagaies, à peine pour les dents de foëne. L’utilisation d’essences différentes pour la fabrication des dents de foëne et des nasses révèle nettement de légers écarts régionaux. Globalement, on peut établir que les habitants des sites côtiers de la culture d’Ertebølle et du Néolithique ancien affichaient une préférence pour certaines essences particulièrement adaptées à la fabrication d’outils et d’objets spécifiques. La régularité des verges de noisetier (corylus avellana) dans le matériel archéologique et les besoins en matériaux pour le tressage de barrages révèle une exploitation intensive des noisetiers. La forme et la grandeur des perches, ainsi que le nombre et la largeur de leurs cernes, indiquent que les noisetiers étaient « rabattus jusqu’à la souche » dès le Mésolithique final. La coupe régulière d’autres arbustes, notamment le cornouiller sanguin (cornus sanguinea) et la viorne obier (viburnum opulus), peut être aussi envisagée, vu que des perches régulières appartenant à ces essences ont été fendues et utilisées pour la fabrication des nasses fort répandues. Le mode de pêche avec des installations de palissades et l’exploitation des bosquets de noisetiers par recépage exigent une sédentarité dans un territoire limité. Cette première mesure radicale en vue de produire sciemment des matières premières naturelles mène au coeur de l’économie de production néolithique. (Y.G.)
2009 •
Environmental Archaeology
Selective use of Cornus sanguinea L.(red dogwood) for Neolithic fish traps in the Netherlands2008 •
Recurrent results of wood identifications at Dutch Neolithic wetland sites indicate selective use of wood for fish traps. Three hypotheses on wood selection for fish traps are presented: functional selection, selection through cultural preference and selection under influence of the distribution of Cornus sanguinea L. (red dogwood). The hypotheses are tested by the available data of Neolithic fish traps from the Netherlands. The data show that fish traps in the north of the Netherlands are generally made of Salix species (willow) and/or Corylus avellana L. (hazel) while fish traps in the south are made of Cornus sanguinea (red dogwood). The hypotheses on functional selection and on the role of the distribution of Cornus sanguinea are strongly supported by archaeological and palaeoecological data, while the hypothesis on cultural preference is not broadly supported but cannot be rejected either. Predictions on the wood species of fish traps that are to be excavated in the future are put forward in order to facilitate future testing of the hypotheses. Representativity of the dataset remains sub-optimal and wood identification of fish traps needs more attention in the future. Keywords: wood selection, fish traps, Neolithic, Cornus sanguinea, Swifterbant culture
Fennoscandia Archaeologica
Go with the flow: Stationary wooden fishing structures and the significance of estuary fishing in Subneolithic Finland2015 •
We still lack basic knowledge of the intensity and character of fishing as subsistence among the Stone Age populations of the northeast shores of the Baltic Sea. In locations where direct evidence of fish utilisation is insufficient, various forms of indirect evidence play an essential role. Generalisations about the importance of fishing are mainly based on shore-bound site locations, fragmentary burnt fish remains, and fishing-related artefacts recovered at archaeological sites. The remains of stationary wooden fishing structures preserved in wetland conditions have not been properly utilised previously in Finland to study prehistoric subsistence practices and diet. The interplay between the archaeological and ethnographic materials is well-grounded, because similar structures have been used for several millennia. This paper combines the wetland archaeological data, fish remains, and ethnographic analogy based on environmental and climatic considerations to examine the fishing methods and subsistence base among the Middle Subneolithic (non-agricultural Neolithic) populations of northwest Finland c 3000 calBC. Several factors, including site location, requisite woodworking skill, the quantity of the wooden structures, and the labour contribution allocated to fishing all underline the high significance of aquatic resources for the hunter-fisher-gatherer populations occupying the mouth and the banks of the Iijoki River during the mid-Holocene productivity peak of the Baltic Sea.
Prehistoric sites preserved in the waterlogged environments of northern Europe, the Baltic region, and Russia possess a number of common features related to the specifics of their locations in prehistoric times and the later conditions of their preservation. The lake settlements of the forest zone of European Russia did not undergo any drastic changes in their economy based on hunting and fishing during most of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. The importance of fishing can be understood by studying the remains of wooden items from such sites, which include utensils like paddles, floats, and nets, as well as fish traps and other fishing constructions. The comprehensive analysis of wooden artefacts enables not only a detailed reconstruction of woodworking traditions and techniques at the sites, but also the reconstruction of the surrounding landscape, as exemplified by recent studies made at the Zamostje 2 site (Sergiev Posad district, Moscow region, Russia). This article presents the results of these studies. The assemblage of wooden artefacts – with more than 300 items – and fishing structures (fish traps, weirs, and fish screens) found at the Zamostje 2 site currently represents a unique opportunity to assess not only the role of wood in hunter-fisher societies during the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods in the forest zone of eastern Europe, but also the scientific potential of this fragile find material category.
Vegetation History and Archaeobotany
Branch wood from the lake shore settlements of Horgen Scheller, Switzerland: Evidence for economic specialization in the late Neolithic period1998 •
R. Bockius (ed.), Between the Seas - Transfer and Exchange in Nautical Technology. Proceedings of the Eleventh International Symposium on Boat and Ship Archaeology Mainz 2006, ISBSA 11 (Oxford 2009)
Klooss & Luebke 2009 - The Terminal Mesolithic and Early Neolithic log boats of Stralsund-Mischwasserspeicher (Hansestadt Stralsund, Fpl. 225). Evidence of early waterborne transport on the German Southern Baltic coast.2009 •
At the German Baltic coast excellent conditions exist for the preservation of archaeological objects, and even for organic material, wood, bark or plant fibre. Due to the worldwide sea level rise and the isostatic land sinking after the Weichselian glaciation, a regular sunken landscape with traces of human dwellingplaces and other activities is preserved below the present sea level at the S.W. Baltic coast. Intensive settlement activities in the terminal Mesolithic and early Neolithic along the sound Strelasund is demonstrated by many finds at the sites Prohn, Parow and Drigge. However, a reconstruction of the former landscape and a separation of different settlement phases have not been realized because finds were brought up to light by dredging, without options to document stratigraphies. Therefore, the discovery of a terminal Mesolithic/early Neolithic coastal site near the medieval city of Stralsund gave opportunity to observe a sequence of shore sediments. As a preliminary survey of a building ground for a water supply reservoir (German: Mischwasserspeicher), an area of 60 to 27m to a depth of 8m, was excavated by the State Authority for Culture and Protection of Monuments (Landesamt für Kultur und Denkmalpflege [LKD]), Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Connected to the settlement site parts of the shore sediments up to 3m beneath Kronstadt m.s.l could have been investigated. Some oak trunks from the Atlantic period have been found in a peat layer together with archaeological artefacts from flint, antler, bone and wood. The material belongs to the terminal Mesolithic phase of Ertebølle Culture dating from 5000 to 4700 B.C. The most important findings are two dugout canoes lying side by side (logboat 2 and 3). Above the peat, there were marine sand and mud layers again with terminal Meso lithic flint and bone artefacts. A third cultural layer, wherein a third logboat (logboat 1) was found belongs to the early Neolithic Funnel Beaker Culture. Extraordinary well preserved, these three up to 12m long dugout canoes are the only complete Stone Age logboats of the German Baltic coast to date.
Dolní Věstonice II has a large assemblage of preserved charred wood and charcoals, which contains some evidence of worked artefacts. Preserved in this assemblage are complex adjustments using cutting and polishing, forming the shapes of tools, as well as examples of the simpler working of artefacts using cutting, including waste generated during their processing. Artefacts and charcoals were preserved due to the specific conditions of charring, when a large part of the assemblage was charring without access of air, and charcoals from the fireplaces are well preserved thanks to the overlaying loess. Coniferous wood was mainly used, but to a lesser extent, deciduous trees are documented. Also documented in the assemblage was the use of dry wood infested with wood-destroying insects. The large charcoal fragments that have been studied display a long tree-ring series, which is ideal for the reconstruction of the short period climatic variations. The warmer oscillations are documented in the order single year to several years in a row.
Oceans of Archaeology
Nekselø -fishing and woodland management on a grand scale2018 •
Off the island of Nekselø, Denmark remains of >200 m long Neolithic fish weirs are exposed by erosion. These wooden structures have lain well-preserved beneath marine sediments for 5000 years. They demonstrate that the riches of the aquatic environment were by no means forgotten when people became farmers. Wood anatomical studies of the weirs show that the population responsible for the Nekselø structures were competent woodland managers. The perfectly straight-grown building materials are a result of coppicing, involving repeated felling of areas of hazel woodland at 7-10-year intervals. In their construction and choice of materials, the structures have much in common with wooden eel weirs that, in historical time, were erected along Danish coasts and harvested effectively of the mass migration of this species on its way to the breeding ground in the Atlantic Ocean.
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