Daily life at the turn of the neolithic

Simonsen John

Description

This book provides unique insights into Late Neolithic life, its organization and its economy, made possible by an altogether exceptional collection of recent archaeological findings in South Scandinavia from longhouses with sunken floors dating from this period. Through analysis and interpretation of these comprehensive materials, Danish archaeologist John Simonsen presents brand new findings essential for many wider interpretations of this crucial and fascinating transitional period from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age (c. 2350- c. 1600 BC). The basic materials presented and discussed in Daily Life at the Turn of the Neolithic were mainly found during new archaeological excavations in the central part of the Limfjord region of Denmark, but, in terms of the wider perspectives and considerations, often relate to the entire region and in several respects also to South Scandinavia - and beyond.

Sujets

• Archaeology
• Prehistoric Europe
• Northern Europe
• Scandinavia
• Bronze Age
• Stone Age
• Scandinavie

Informations

• Publié par: Aarhus University Press
• Date de parution: 02 août 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9788793423213
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 33 Mo

Extrait

at the Turn
of the Neolithic
DAILY LIFE
John Simonsen
DAILY LIFE
at the Turn of the Neolithic
MUSEUM SALLING
JUTLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
105487_cover_daily life_r1.indd 1 11/07/17 13:17DAILY LIFE
at the Turn of the Neolithic
A comparative study of longhouses with
sunken foors at Resengaard and nine other
setlements in the Limford region, South Scandinavia
John Simonsen
MUSEUM SALLING
JUTLAND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
105487_daily life_r1.indd 3 11/07/17 11:11DAILY LIFE AT THE TURN OF THE NEOLITHIC
A comparative study of longhouses with sunken foors at Resengaard
and nine other settlements in the Limford region, South Scandinavia
© The author and Jutland Archaeological Society 2017
Layout: Ea Rasmussen and Lars Foged Thomsen
Graphics: Lars Foged Thomsen
Language revision: Elaine Bolton
E book production: arayana Press
Jutland Archaeological Society Publications Vol. 98
ISBN 978-87-93423-21-3
Published in cooperation between
Museum Salling and Jutland Archaeological Society
Jysk Arkæologisk Selskab
Moesgaard
Moesgaard Allé 20
DK-8270 Højbjerg
Distribution:
Aarhus Universitetsforlag
Langelandsgade 177
DK-8200 Aarhus N
This book is published with the gracious support
of the following Danish private foundations:
Aage og Johanne Louis-Hansens Fond
Becket-Fonden
Farumgaard-Fonden
Den Hielmstierne-Rosencroneske Stiftelse
105487_daily life_r1.indd 4 11/07/17 11:11Contents
Acknowledgements 11
Introduction: Theme, time and area 15
Chapter 1: Aims, research history and methodological approach 17
1.1. Characteristics of sunken-foor houses 17
1 2 Objectives of the present work 18
Ground plan elements of the houses 18
Architecture, agriculture and domestic refuse 19
Artefacts, interior arrangements and activities 19
Household production, specialization and exchange 20
Potery chronology in the shadowy centuries 20
1 3 Existing interpretations of South Scandinavian house sites 21
Initial knowledge 1957 21
A quantum leap in new knowledge 1973 22
Further knowledge from 1980 onwards 22
1 4 Field research history in Denmark and beyond 27
Investigations in the Limford region 27
Investigations elsewhere in Jutland 29
A glance at neighbouring countries 33
Some “classic” South Scandinavian house sites 37
The end of a 900-year era 37
1.5. Methodological refections and theoretical inspiration 38
Sunken-foor formation processes 38
Field research strategies 39
Source critique on geographical representativeness 39
Source critique on physical destruction 41
Analytical approach 42
Sources of theoretical inspiration 44
Notes 46
Chapter 2: Analysis and interpretation of houses with sunken foors 51
2 1 Establishing the sources 51
Strategies for methods of excavation 52
Measuring distances between postholes 58
Measuring sunken foor depths 59
105487_daily life_r1.indd 5 11/07/17 11:11Measuring soil features and raw dimensions of houses 60
Sunken-foor horizon versus secondary fll 61
2.2. Presenting the Resengaard houses ........................................................ 62
The hill, its terraces and the house plots 63
Occurrence and absence of thick topsoil layers 64
Presentation of the buildings 64
Twelve longhouses 66
Three minor houses with specifc traits 93
Ten other minor houses 95
A short house 102
Two uncertain structures 102
2.3. Elements of the Resengaard houses ...................................................... 103
Sunken-foor longhouses in brief 103
Burned house versus burned house scrap 105
Two-aisled constructions 105
Outer wall posts 106
Interior panel wall stakes and posts 106
Thick turf walls 108
Doorways and a remarkable “corridor” 109
Connecting, east-sloping ramps 109
Dividing walls and compartments 109
Long side recesses and cubicles 110
Bejsebakken, Myrhøj, Fosie and Scord of Brouster 110
2.4. Radiocarbon dating at Resengaard ...................................................... 112
Selecting suitable samples 112
Dating results on short-life materials 112
2.5. Other “late” houses in the central Limford region ......................................... 113
Gåsemose 114
Kluborg II 119
2.6. Beaker houses in the central Limford region .............................................. 121
Glatrup I/III 122
Marienlyst Strand 123
Granlygård 125
Hellegård 127
Glatrup IV 130
Rosgårde 137
Tromgade 139
2.7. Lifecycle biographies of longhouse plots ................................................. 142
Destructive and preserving agents 142
Twelve lifecycle stages 143
2.8. Further Limford region traits of sunken foors ............................................ 146
Relative lengths of the sunken foors 146
Sunken-foor areas in special longhouses 148
The selected house plots 149
The sunken foor idea 150
Notes .............................................................................. 153
105487_daily life_r1.indd 6 11/07/17 11:11Chapter 3: Chronology of potery assemblages 155
3.1. Primary chronological objectives 155
Aiming for an independent chronology 156
3.2. Chronological method 157
Survey of potery assemblages 157
Source-critical aspects 161
Frame of interpretation 162
Design of concrete methodological path 163
Chronological entities 164
Comparing rim profles 164
Further comments on method 165
Technical remarks 167
3.3. Provisional chronology of the Resengaard potery 168
Comparison of the four reference assemblages 168
Afnities of the eight remaining longhouse assemblages 172
Afnities of assemblages from twelve minor houses and a short house 176
Afnities of certain pit assemblages 182
Strong and weak links in the chronological chain 190
Results of a relative chronology at Resengaard 190
Comparison with the radiocarbon dating 194
Ad hoc substantiation and options for further validation 197
Making use of the provisional Resengaard chronology 199
3.4. Beaker decoration and potery shapes 199
Beaker ornamentation on early Resengaard potery 200
Potery shapes at Bejsebakken, Stendis, Myrhøj, and Tastum I 200
3.5. Anchoring certain “classic” sites to the provisional Resengaard chronology? 201
Egehøj, Torslev, Vadgård and Vejlby 201
3.6. Anchoring certain new sites to the provisional Resengaard chronology? 203
Gåsemose and Kluborg II 203
3.7. Relationships of certain new sites to Myrhøj and Tastum I? 206
Glatrup I/III and Marienlyst Strand 207
Granlygård, Hellegård and Glatrup IV 210
Rosgårde and Tromgade 212
3.8. Towards a setlement chronology for the Limford region? 215
Notes 216
Chapter 4: Artefacts, pits, patches, and daily life activities 219
4.1. Some a priori considerations 220
Artefacts and soil patches 220
Core areas and activity spaces 221
Systematic study of foor horizons 222
Characterizing the activities 223
4.2. Interpreting the foors in twelve longhouse sites at Resengaard 226
4.3. Interpreting the foors in three special minor house sites at Resengaard 258
105487_daily life_r1.indd 7 11/07/17 11:114.4. Interpreting the foors in ten minor house sites and one short house site at Resengaard 262
4.5. Interpreting the foors in other house sites from the central Limford region 272
Gåsemose 272
Kluborg II 272
Glatrup I/III 277
Marienlyst strand 280
Granlygård 284
Hellegård 285
Glatrup IV 294
Rosgårde 303
Tromgade 305
4.6. Further considerations on soil features, plant remainders, and artefacts 309
Things placed below roofs or above foors? 313
Presence of foor layers in sunken-foor horizons 314
Placement of pits and patches 322
Scorched-stone patches, stones, and freplaces 326
Scorched-stone patches and charred plant residues 332
Scorched-stone patches and emergence of low zones 333
Scorched-stone patches and artefact placements 334
Vestiges in further house sites from the Limford region 340
4.7. Repeated everyday doings performed in the activity spaces? 341
Notes