DOI chapter:
Grenzgänger, traders and the last hunter-gatherers of the North European Plain
DOI chapter:Hülsebusch, Christian; Jockenhövel, Albecht: Going north . . . The Middle Neolithic settlement of Nottuln-Uphoven (Westphalia) and the start of the neolithisation in the lowlands
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0130
Christian Hulsebusch and Albrecht Jockenhbvel
129
Fig. 7 Nottuln-Uphoven (Kr. Coesfeld). Pit F3 (Rossen culture). Grinding stone (fragment) of carbon sandstone with a weight of 13 kg
(LWL-Archaologie Munster / J. Gryz).
lands in general. Because of the extensive erosion a typi-
cal trapezoid-shaped longhouse of the Rossen culture
could not be ascertained, only some post-pits as the last
remains of such post-built structures1 were recorded.
Pottery
At Nottuln-Uphoven the Rossen culture is repre-
sented with about 70 decorated and undecorated
vessels, mainly globular vessels and bowls, often in-
crusted with a white paste (selection: Figs. 5; 6,E).
The composition of the pottery’s decorations and
motives allows its classification as an example of the
typical chevron-banded style of the Rossen Rhine-
Main cluster which belongs to a younger stage of the
Rossen style (Dorn-Ihmig 1983). However, despite
all similarities to the Rhinish Rossen style, some
peculiarities appear at Nottuln-Uphoven. There is
in the first place the enigmatic decorated bowl from
pit F 7, which shows an extension of the decora-
tion reaching 3.5 cm horizontally into the vessel’s
mouth, a unique feature among vessels from compa-
rable cultural contexts (Groer / Bussmann 2010;
Fig. 6,E6; 6a.b) . From the ‘ceramic point of view’
the Rossen settlement of Nottuln-Uphoven has to
be interpreted in every respect as a direct ‘outpost’
located c. 40-70 km distant to the Rossen culture
border of the Hellweg zone between Dortmund and
Soest (see also Rorig / Knapper 2018/2019).
1 Cf. Deiringsen-Ruploh: Gunther 1976; Soest-'Runstert’:
Buczka / Pfeffer 2015; Bad Sassendorf-Lohne: Schonfeld /
Jorns 2015; Dortmund-Oespel: Brink-Kloke / Meurers-Balke
2003; Brink-Kloke / Schneider 2013.
Stone industry
Silex
About 2,500 artefacts from the Neolithic silex industry
were discovered during the campaigns in 2007 and
2008. Only few typical triangular arrowheads with
straight bases, scrapers and a blade for a sickle come
from Rossen contexts (Fig. 6,C.D). During the Rossen
period the local Baltic silex of morainic origin origin
was almost exclusively used. There are only a handful
of imported pieces. The Rullen silex variant, however,
which is so dominant at the Rossen sites in the Rhine-
land, is totally absent. This suggests that the Rossen
settlement had access only to local glacial deposits
and no direct connections to the silex resources of the
Rhineland, which is a significant contrast to the fol-
lowing period’s settlement of the Michelsberg culture.
Grinding stone
Some fragments of querns and hammerheads are the
only artefacts from rock material found during the
excavations. Polished blades and axes were not found
except from the single find of a perforated axe from
the earlier excavation (Fig. 6,B). Concerning the ma-
terial for grinding stones it is worth mentioning that
the totally worn down ‘Unterlieger’ (weight 13 kg;
reconstructed original weight c. 38 kg; for a grinding
stone of the Rossen settlement of Dortmund-Oespel:
Graefe 2009, 255 f., Taf. 3; 5) unearthed from the
Rossen pit F 3 (Fig. 7), consists of a distinctive variety
of sandstone. This raw material must have been im-
ported from the area of the Hellweg zone; it is totally
absent in the glacial region of the Miinsterland. In
129
Fig. 7 Nottuln-Uphoven (Kr. Coesfeld). Pit F3 (Rossen culture). Grinding stone (fragment) of carbon sandstone with a weight of 13 kg
(LWL-Archaologie Munster / J. Gryz).
lands in general. Because of the extensive erosion a typi-
cal trapezoid-shaped longhouse of the Rossen culture
could not be ascertained, only some post-pits as the last
remains of such post-built structures1 were recorded.
Pottery
At Nottuln-Uphoven the Rossen culture is repre-
sented with about 70 decorated and undecorated
vessels, mainly globular vessels and bowls, often in-
crusted with a white paste (selection: Figs. 5; 6,E).
The composition of the pottery’s decorations and
motives allows its classification as an example of the
typical chevron-banded style of the Rossen Rhine-
Main cluster which belongs to a younger stage of the
Rossen style (Dorn-Ihmig 1983). However, despite
all similarities to the Rhinish Rossen style, some
peculiarities appear at Nottuln-Uphoven. There is
in the first place the enigmatic decorated bowl from
pit F 7, which shows an extension of the decora-
tion reaching 3.5 cm horizontally into the vessel’s
mouth, a unique feature among vessels from compa-
rable cultural contexts (Groer / Bussmann 2010;
Fig. 6,E6; 6a.b) . From the ‘ceramic point of view’
the Rossen settlement of Nottuln-Uphoven has to
be interpreted in every respect as a direct ‘outpost’
located c. 40-70 km distant to the Rossen culture
border of the Hellweg zone between Dortmund and
Soest (see also Rorig / Knapper 2018/2019).
1 Cf. Deiringsen-Ruploh: Gunther 1976; Soest-'Runstert’:
Buczka / Pfeffer 2015; Bad Sassendorf-Lohne: Schonfeld /
Jorns 2015; Dortmund-Oespel: Brink-Kloke / Meurers-Balke
2003; Brink-Kloke / Schneider 2013.
Stone industry
Silex
About 2,500 artefacts from the Neolithic silex industry
were discovered during the campaigns in 2007 and
2008. Only few typical triangular arrowheads with
straight bases, scrapers and a blade for a sickle come
from Rossen contexts (Fig. 6,C.D). During the Rossen
period the local Baltic silex of morainic origin origin
was almost exclusively used. There are only a handful
of imported pieces. The Rullen silex variant, however,
which is so dominant at the Rossen sites in the Rhine-
land, is totally absent. This suggests that the Rossen
settlement had access only to local glacial deposits
and no direct connections to the silex resources of the
Rhineland, which is a significant contrast to the fol-
lowing period’s settlement of the Michelsberg culture.
Grinding stone
Some fragments of querns and hammerheads are the
only artefacts from rock material found during the
excavations. Polished blades and axes were not found
except from the single find of a perforated axe from
the earlier excavation (Fig. 6,B). Concerning the ma-
terial for grinding stones it is worth mentioning that
the totally worn down ‘Unterlieger’ (weight 13 kg;
reconstructed original weight c. 38 kg; for a grinding
stone of the Rossen settlement of Dortmund-Oespel:
Graefe 2009, 255 f., Taf. 3; 5) unearthed from the
Rossen pit F 3 (Fig. 7), consists of a distinctive variety
of sandstone. This raw material must have been im-
ported from the area of the Hellweg zone; it is totally
absent in the glacial region of the Miinsterland. In