DOI chapter:
Grenzgänger, traders and the last hunter-gatherers of the North European Plain
DOI chapter:Bauerochse, Andreas; Leuschner, Hanns Hubert: Neolithic colonisation of the southwestern Dümmer basin (NW Germany) – evidence from palaeobotanical data
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0046
Stone Age Borderland Experience (MAN 60, 2022, 45 -59)
45
Neolithic colonisation of the southwestern
Dummer basin (NW Germany) - evidence from
palaeobotanical data
Andreas Bauerochse and Hanns Hubert Leuschner
Abstract Dendrochronological, dendroecological, and palaeobotanical investigations have been carried out at Campemoor
(southwestern Dummer basin) to trace early Neolithic colonisation. The analyses of the tree ring sequences of bog pines and
trackway timbers document changes in water level and increasing paludification that caused humans to build wooden trackways.
Environmental changes in the Dummer basin are discussed as a part of supra-regional changes, triggered by climate change.
Keywords Dummer basin, wooden trackways, palaeobotanic proxies, Neolithic landscape development, palynology, dendro-
chronology
Zusammenfassung Um die Entwicklung der neolithischen Besiedlung im Bereich des Campemoors (sudwestliche Dummer-
niederung) nachzuzeichnen, warden dendrochronologische, dendrodkologische undpalaobotanische Untersuchungen durch-
gefuhrt. Analysen an Jahrringen von Kiefern von Moorstandorten und Bauhblzern von Moorwegen belegen einen ansteigenden
Moorwasserstand und fortschreitende Vermoorungen in Verbindung mit dem Bau von Moorwegen. Umweltveranderungen in
der Dummerniederung werden im Kontext mit klimainduzierten uberregionalen Veranderungen diskutiert.
Introduction
The understanding of settlement processes is often the
subject of archaeological investigations. Therefore,
in addition to artefacts, various proxies like palaeo-
botanical data play an important role. Their synthesis
allows the processes of settlement to be traced as well
as their relationships with changes in the ecosystem
and their effects on the environment. This is particu-
larly interesting in case of the Diimmer basin, which
is one of the most important regions for considering
early Neolithic colonisation in northern Germany.
The Dummer-Geest lowland is a shallow basin
that is largely paludified, with Lake Dummer in its
south. It is located in southwestern Lower Saxony
and famous for its archaeological discoveries (Figs. 1;
9). Its formation is the result of cryo-karst processes
during the last postglacial. The northern border of
the basin is formed by end moraines of the Weich-
selian (c. 115,000-12,000 BC; cf. Dienemann 1963;
Pfaffenberg/ Dienemann 1964; Dahms 1974). In
the south it borders the northwest German upland,
the Wiehengebirge. To the east and west it is bor-
dered by end moraines of the Saalian glaciation
(c. 300,000-126,000 BC). Its surface is covered by
Fig. 1 Situation of research area (graphics: A. Bauerochse).
45
Neolithic colonisation of the southwestern
Dummer basin (NW Germany) - evidence from
palaeobotanical data
Andreas Bauerochse and Hanns Hubert Leuschner
Abstract Dendrochronological, dendroecological, and palaeobotanical investigations have been carried out at Campemoor
(southwestern Dummer basin) to trace early Neolithic colonisation. The analyses of the tree ring sequences of bog pines and
trackway timbers document changes in water level and increasing paludification that caused humans to build wooden trackways.
Environmental changes in the Dummer basin are discussed as a part of supra-regional changes, triggered by climate change.
Keywords Dummer basin, wooden trackways, palaeobotanic proxies, Neolithic landscape development, palynology, dendro-
chronology
Zusammenfassung Um die Entwicklung der neolithischen Besiedlung im Bereich des Campemoors (sudwestliche Dummer-
niederung) nachzuzeichnen, warden dendrochronologische, dendrodkologische undpalaobotanische Untersuchungen durch-
gefuhrt. Analysen an Jahrringen von Kiefern von Moorstandorten und Bauhblzern von Moorwegen belegen einen ansteigenden
Moorwasserstand und fortschreitende Vermoorungen in Verbindung mit dem Bau von Moorwegen. Umweltveranderungen in
der Dummerniederung werden im Kontext mit klimainduzierten uberregionalen Veranderungen diskutiert.
Introduction
The understanding of settlement processes is often the
subject of archaeological investigations. Therefore,
in addition to artefacts, various proxies like palaeo-
botanical data play an important role. Their synthesis
allows the processes of settlement to be traced as well
as their relationships with changes in the ecosystem
and their effects on the environment. This is particu-
larly interesting in case of the Diimmer basin, which
is one of the most important regions for considering
early Neolithic colonisation in northern Germany.
The Dummer-Geest lowland is a shallow basin
that is largely paludified, with Lake Dummer in its
south. It is located in southwestern Lower Saxony
and famous for its archaeological discoveries (Figs. 1;
9). Its formation is the result of cryo-karst processes
during the last postglacial. The northern border of
the basin is formed by end moraines of the Weich-
selian (c. 115,000-12,000 BC; cf. Dienemann 1963;
Pfaffenberg/ Dienemann 1964; Dahms 1974). In
the south it borders the northwest German upland,
the Wiehengebirge. To the east and west it is bor-
dered by end moraines of the Saalian glaciation
(c. 300,000-126,000 BC). Its surface is covered by
Fig. 1 Situation of research area (graphics: A. Bauerochse).