DOI chapter:
Grenzgänger, traders and the last hunter-gatherers of the North European Plain
DOI chapter:Müller, Michael; Schirren, Michael: Early and Middle Neolithic hoards in the area of the northern Mesolithic
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0136
Stone Age Borderland Experience (MAN 60, 2022, 135 -157)
135
Early and Middle Neolithic hoards in the area of
the northern Mesolithic1
Michael Muller and Michael Schirren
Abstract In 2016 seven shaft-hole axe heads and two adze heads were discovered at Friedefeld in Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania (Germany). The discovery was dated to the Middle Neolithic period and interpreted as a hoard. In connection to
this hoard, we are discussing here similar finds from the same and earlier periods. By comparing the composition of the dif-
ferent hoards and their distribution, we are debating several issues concerning Early and Middle Neolithic (5,500-4,400 cal
BC) stone tool depositions from central and northern Europe. It will be argued that Neolithic exploration groups were the
originators of these stone tool hoards from the territory of today’s northern Germany and Denmark, which were at that time
inhabited by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. The authors furthermore interpret the depositions as spatial markers, which were
used by the Neolithic groups to claim newly discovered or to demarcate existing settled areas.
Zusammenfassung Im Jah re 2016 warden bei Friedefeld in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Deutschland) sieben Axt- and zwei
Dechselklingen entdeckt. Der Fund wird von den Autoren als mittelneolithischer Hort interpretiert, welcher im vorliegenden
Aufsatz ausfuhrlich besprochen wird. In die Auswertungen werden sowohl zeitgleiche als auch fruher datierende Forte ein-
bezogen, deren Komposition and Verbreitung miteinander verglichen werden. Des Weiteren werden verschiedene Aspekte
der Niederlegungen mit Steingeraten des Fruh- and Mittelneolithikums (5500-4400 calBC) in Mittel- and Nordeuropa deba-
tiert. Es wird argumentiert, dass es neolithische Pioniere waren, die vergleichbare Deponierungen aufdem Gebiet des heutigen
Norddeutschlands and Dane marks niederlegten, welches zu jenem Zeitpunkt von mesolithischen Gruppen bewohnt war.
Zudem werden die Deponierungen als Raummarkierungen neolithischer Gruppen interpretiert, die dazu dienten, neue Ge-
biete fur sich in Anspruch zu nehmen oder bestehende Siedlungsareale abzugrenzen.
Introduction
During an archaeological monitoring2 in July 2016
in the district Friedefeld, west of the Pomeranian
city of Penkun (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,
Germany), a Middle Neolithic stone tool hoard was
discovered (for location see Figs. 5; 8). The find was
made while digging a 0.4 m wide trench with the aid
of an excavator. Seven shaft-hole axe heads and two
adze heads (Fig. 1) were scooped up by the excavator,
with no outline of any archaeological feature visible
on the surface of the find place.
1 In this paper we refer to the terminology proposed in
Luning 1996.
2 The monitoring was carried out by the Landesamt fiir Kultur
und Denkmalpflege (State Office for Culture and Preservation
of Monuments) of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. For more
details see Muller et al. in prep.
All nine artefacts came out at once in one shovel,
and no further finds could be made in the vicinity.
Based on these circumstances, it was possible to re-
construct that the objects had been packed together
in the ground, lying partly on top of one another.
The stone implements were embedded at about 0.5 m
below the top soil, in the genuine white-yellow glacial
sand. With the exception of a chipping on the cutting
edge of a shaft-hole axe head and small scratches on
some of them, the objects had not suffered any sig-
nificant damage.
The site is located about 800 m from the eastern
edge of the Randow valley. The valley of the River Ran-
dow, draining from south to north, is of glacial origin
and largely swampy today. The river flows through a
relief-rich, Weichselian end moraine landscape of the
Pomeranian phase. The banks of River Randow are
to a large extent modeled by erosive processes, with
jagged slopes of up to 24 m in height. The site itself is
located at the northwestern foot of a distinctive hill-
top, which was referred to in the Royal Prussian Land
135
Early and Middle Neolithic hoards in the area of
the northern Mesolithic1
Michael Muller and Michael Schirren
Abstract In 2016 seven shaft-hole axe heads and two adze heads were discovered at Friedefeld in Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania (Germany). The discovery was dated to the Middle Neolithic period and interpreted as a hoard. In connection to
this hoard, we are discussing here similar finds from the same and earlier periods. By comparing the composition of the dif-
ferent hoards and their distribution, we are debating several issues concerning Early and Middle Neolithic (5,500-4,400 cal
BC) stone tool depositions from central and northern Europe. It will be argued that Neolithic exploration groups were the
originators of these stone tool hoards from the territory of today’s northern Germany and Denmark, which were at that time
inhabited by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. The authors furthermore interpret the depositions as spatial markers, which were
used by the Neolithic groups to claim newly discovered or to demarcate existing settled areas.
Zusammenfassung Im Jah re 2016 warden bei Friedefeld in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Deutschland) sieben Axt- and zwei
Dechselklingen entdeckt. Der Fund wird von den Autoren als mittelneolithischer Hort interpretiert, welcher im vorliegenden
Aufsatz ausfuhrlich besprochen wird. In die Auswertungen werden sowohl zeitgleiche als auch fruher datierende Forte ein-
bezogen, deren Komposition and Verbreitung miteinander verglichen werden. Des Weiteren werden verschiedene Aspekte
der Niederlegungen mit Steingeraten des Fruh- and Mittelneolithikums (5500-4400 calBC) in Mittel- and Nordeuropa deba-
tiert. Es wird argumentiert, dass es neolithische Pioniere waren, die vergleichbare Deponierungen aufdem Gebiet des heutigen
Norddeutschlands and Dane marks niederlegten, welches zu jenem Zeitpunkt von mesolithischen Gruppen bewohnt war.
Zudem werden die Deponierungen als Raummarkierungen neolithischer Gruppen interpretiert, die dazu dienten, neue Ge-
biete fur sich in Anspruch zu nehmen oder bestehende Siedlungsareale abzugrenzen.
Introduction
During an archaeological monitoring2 in July 2016
in the district Friedefeld, west of the Pomeranian
city of Penkun (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,
Germany), a Middle Neolithic stone tool hoard was
discovered (for location see Figs. 5; 8). The find was
made while digging a 0.4 m wide trench with the aid
of an excavator. Seven shaft-hole axe heads and two
adze heads (Fig. 1) were scooped up by the excavator,
with no outline of any archaeological feature visible
on the surface of the find place.
1 In this paper we refer to the terminology proposed in
Luning 1996.
2 The monitoring was carried out by the Landesamt fiir Kultur
und Denkmalpflege (State Office for Culture and Preservation
of Monuments) of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. For more
details see Muller et al. in prep.
All nine artefacts came out at once in one shovel,
and no further finds could be made in the vicinity.
Based on these circumstances, it was possible to re-
construct that the objects had been packed together
in the ground, lying partly on top of one another.
The stone implements were embedded at about 0.5 m
below the top soil, in the genuine white-yellow glacial
sand. With the exception of a chipping on the cutting
edge of a shaft-hole axe head and small scratches on
some of them, the objects had not suffered any sig-
nificant damage.
The site is located about 800 m from the eastern
edge of the Randow valley. The valley of the River Ran-
dow, draining from south to north, is of glacial origin
and largely swampy today. The river flows through a
relief-rich, Weichselian end moraine landscape of the
Pomeranian phase. The banks of River Randow are
to a large extent modeled by erosive processes, with
jagged slopes of up to 24 m in height. The site itself is
located at the northwestern foot of a distinctive hill-
top, which was referred to in the Royal Prussian Land