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#0139
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Early and Middle Neolithic hoards in the area of the northern Mesolithic
Fig. 3 Middle Neolithic stone axe heads with shaft-hole found in Mesolithic habitation layers or as single finds in the Mesolithic occupa-
tion area (left side mapped after Verhart / Wansleben 1997, 70 fig. 7; right side mapped after Klassen 2004, 49 fig. 31).
vestigated, there was the so-called ‘inland Mesolithic’
(Cziesla 2008, 408; Terberger et al. 2015).
In the Uckermark region, situated in the north-
eastern part of Brandenburg, beyond the large loess
landscapes, areas with black soils developed on calcare-
ous boulder clay.5 It is worth noting that in the same
region the northernmost settlement area of the late
Linear Pottery and the succeeding Stroke-ornamented
Pottery cultures is assumed (Fig. 2). This is based on the
evidence offered by lithic industry, pottery, elongated
pits and a few other house features as well as isolated
graves (Parschau 1988; Wechler 1993,61; Terberger
et al. 2009,261). However, palynological evidence has
so far remained unsatisfactory (cf. Cziesla 2008).
Further north, in the area of Mesolithic hunter-
gatherers, no less than a few hundred certainly Neo-
lithic finds are known. This includes shaft-hole axe
heads (Fig. 3a-b) and adze heads of stone as well
as sherds of ceramic vessels assigned to the Linear
Pottery, Stroke-ornamented Pottery and Rossen cul-
tures. Yet, there is no evidence for contemporary
Neolithic settlements in that area. Instead the Neo-
lithic objects, particularly axe heads with shaft-hole,
occur regularly in connection with Mesolithic fea-
tures.6 In Denmark, several dozens of axe heads with
shaft-holes were revealed so far and around five times
as many as in southern Sweden (Klassen 2004, 22).
However, at a closer look we see that only an amount
of around 15 % of these objects was discovered in
direct Mesolithic contexts.7 Additionally, it was sug-
gested that these items came into the ground not
long after reaching the Mesolithic area (Hartz et al.
2011). Until now, complete shaft-hole axe heads and
fragmented ones were found in the Mesolithic area in
a ratio of 2:1. Both the complete and the fragmented
shaft-hole axe heads were connected with Mesolithic
sites. Nonetheless, the majority of central European
Neolithic items were found either as single finds in
the area of the northern Mesolithic or without any
available information of their find circumstances.
In addition to being found within settlements
and as single finds, central European Neolithic heavy
stone tools occur in hoards in the distribution area
of the Mesolithic. A dense concentration of Middle
Neolithic hoards was uncovered in the southeast-
ern part of Western Pomerania, in the lower Oder
region, while two more were discovered on the Dan-
ish islands Lolland and Asko (Fig. 5). In all these
cases no contemporary Neolithic settlement could
be identified until now.
5 Cf. https://mlul.brandenburg.de/Steckbriefe-BB-Boeden/a_
sb_3_l.pdf (accessed: 02. November 2019).
6 General overview: Terberger etal. 2009; Mecklenburg-
Western Pomerania: Mertens / Schirren 2000; Lubke at al.
2000; Netherlands: Verhart / Wansleeben 1997; northern
Germany and southern Scandinavia: Klassen 2004; Poland:
Czekaj-Zastawny et al. 2011.
7 This value and the following numbers are based on the in-
formation given in the catalogue by Klassen 2004 which in-
volves the territories of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Den-
mark and Sweden; see also Hartz et al. 2011, 53.
Early and Middle Neolithic hoards in the area of the northern Mesolithic
Fig. 3 Middle Neolithic stone axe heads with shaft-hole found in Mesolithic habitation layers or as single finds in the Mesolithic occupa-
tion area (left side mapped after Verhart / Wansleben 1997, 70 fig. 7; right side mapped after Klassen 2004, 49 fig. 31).
vestigated, there was the so-called ‘inland Mesolithic’
(Cziesla 2008, 408; Terberger et al. 2015).
In the Uckermark region, situated in the north-
eastern part of Brandenburg, beyond the large loess
landscapes, areas with black soils developed on calcare-
ous boulder clay.5 It is worth noting that in the same
region the northernmost settlement area of the late
Linear Pottery and the succeeding Stroke-ornamented
Pottery cultures is assumed (Fig. 2). This is based on the
evidence offered by lithic industry, pottery, elongated
pits and a few other house features as well as isolated
graves (Parschau 1988; Wechler 1993,61; Terberger
et al. 2009,261). However, palynological evidence has
so far remained unsatisfactory (cf. Cziesla 2008).
Further north, in the area of Mesolithic hunter-
gatherers, no less than a few hundred certainly Neo-
lithic finds are known. This includes shaft-hole axe
heads (Fig. 3a-b) and adze heads of stone as well
as sherds of ceramic vessels assigned to the Linear
Pottery, Stroke-ornamented Pottery and Rossen cul-
tures. Yet, there is no evidence for contemporary
Neolithic settlements in that area. Instead the Neo-
lithic objects, particularly axe heads with shaft-hole,
occur regularly in connection with Mesolithic fea-
tures.6 In Denmark, several dozens of axe heads with
shaft-holes were revealed so far and around five times
as many as in southern Sweden (Klassen 2004, 22).
However, at a closer look we see that only an amount
of around 15 % of these objects was discovered in
direct Mesolithic contexts.7 Additionally, it was sug-
gested that these items came into the ground not
long after reaching the Mesolithic area (Hartz et al.
2011). Until now, complete shaft-hole axe heads and
fragmented ones were found in the Mesolithic area in
a ratio of 2:1. Both the complete and the fragmented
shaft-hole axe heads were connected with Mesolithic
sites. Nonetheless, the majority of central European
Neolithic items were found either as single finds in
the area of the northern Mesolithic or without any
available information of their find circumstances.
In addition to being found within settlements
and as single finds, central European Neolithic heavy
stone tools occur in hoards in the distribution area
of the Mesolithic. A dense concentration of Middle
Neolithic hoards was uncovered in the southeast-
ern part of Western Pomerania, in the lower Oder
region, while two more were discovered on the Dan-
ish islands Lolland and Asko (Fig. 5). In all these
cases no contemporary Neolithic settlement could
be identified until now.
5 Cf. https://mlul.brandenburg.de/Steckbriefe-BB-Boeden/a_
sb_3_l.pdf (accessed: 02. November 2019).
6 General overview: Terberger etal. 2009; Mecklenburg-
Western Pomerania: Mertens / Schirren 2000; Lubke at al.
2000; Netherlands: Verhart / Wansleeben 1997; northern
Germany and southern Scandinavia: Klassen 2004; Poland:
Czekaj-Zastawny et al. 2011.
7 This value and the following numbers are based on the in-
formation given in the catalogue by Klassen 2004 which in-
volves the territories of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Den-
mark and Sweden; see also Hartz et al. 2011, 53.