DOI chapter:
Grenzgänger, traders and the last hunter-gatherers of the North European Plain
DOI chapter:Anscher, Theo J. ten; Knippenberg, Sebastiaan: Unexpected dimensions of a Swifterbant settlement at Medel-De Roeskamp (the Netherlands)
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0167
166
Unexpected dimensions of a Swifterbant settlement at Medel-De Roeskamp (the Netherlands)
class
species
NISP
mammals
pig
11
wild boar
18
pig / wild boar
4,793
cattle
1,552
aurochs
25
cattle / aurochs
24
sheep / goat
126
dog
100
horse
29
deer (antler excl)
433
beaver
28
fur animals
34
birds
102
fish
4,571
reptiles
European pond turtle
1
total 11,847
Fig. 3b Identified animal species (NISP: Number of Identified
Specimen).
layers had a limited extension of about 10-30 m2 each,
and didn’t yield many finds. The same holds true for
two subsequent refuse layers to the south of the north-
ern site.
Animal bones constitute the most abundant find
category. The 340,000 pieces of mammal bone typi-
cally are poorly preserved, showing a high degree of
fragmentation also caused by extensive sieving. From
only 2 % of the mammal bones the species could be
determined (Fig. 3a-b).18 The proportion of wild ani-
mals (wild boar/pigs excluded), mainly deer, is strik-
ingly low compared to other Swifterbant sites. Note-
worthy too is the paucity of beaver bones, elsewhere
ubiquitous. In addition to a dominance of swine (wild
boar/pigs) bones, a high percentage of domesticated
animals, predominantly cattle, is seen. On the basis
of the dimensions of their molars (M2), it seems that
a large majority of the swine bones belongs to pigs
instead of wild boars. In that case the Swifterbant
people from Medel have been swineherds first and
foremost, with cattle farming taking second place.
Animal husbandry seems to have been much more
important than hunting at Medel, and more so than
at any other known Swifterbant site.
Due to the sampling method, fish bones are un-
derrepresented and biased in favour of larger species.
Still, fish bones are found in high numbers. Similar
to many Swifterbant sites, pike fishing was a major
18 The information concerning the mammal bones has been
provided by archaeozoological specialists, Kinie Esser and Joy-
ce van Dijk (Archeoplan Eco), the information on fish bones is
based on the analysis of Wim Van Neer (Royal Belgian Institu-
te of Natural Sciences, Brussels).
activity. Anadromous species such as twait shad and
allis shad were caught too.
Hundreds of charred kernels from naked barley,
einkorn and emmer wheat were found. Especially
noteworthy are charred rachis remains of durum
wheat, a novelty in Swifterbant context. The charred
grains of naked wheat found in Medel most likely
belong also to the durum wheat. Chaff remains of
naked barley and durum wheat indicate that thresh-
ing of both cereals would have taken place at the site.
Chaff remains of einkorn and emmer - spikelet forks
and glume bases - suggest that dehusking (but likely
also threshing) of these hulled wheats took place at
Medel too. Nearby arable fields are to be expected. So
cereal cultivation probably played a significant role in
the local subsistence economy. There is no evidence
for growing oil plants or pulses from the Swifterbant
context in Medel. Antler adzes and flint sickle blades
may be associated with these agricultural activities.
There is ample evidence of activities related to the
gathering of food plants, such as loads of charred ha-
zelnut shells and some charred remains of sloe plum,
hawthorn and crab apple, as well as water chestnut.19
Ceramics constitute the second most abundant
find category. From over 85,000 fragments of pottery
the 18,500 sherds larger than 2 cm2 were selected for
analysis. As is indicative of SW2 ceramics in general,
the predominant temper type at Medel is a combina-
tion of plant material, presumably moss, and crushed
stone, in particular quartz. The Medel pottery is unusu-
ally well made, the joints of the clay rolls (U-joints as
well as Hb-joints) being seldom recognisable. On the
whole the Medel pottery is rather thin walled (mean:
8 mm, one third is thinner than 7 mm). Neck sherds
with a thickness of 3-4 mm are not uncommon. Typi-
cal is the two-staged construction of quite a lot of rela-
tively thick walled pots (Fig. 4: 17549). After being set
aside to dry for a while, a fresh clay layer of 2-6 mm
thickness was applied on the outer surface of the pot.
The applied layer is often easily recognisable in the
pot profile and prone to erosion. The pots usually are
S-shaped, like the Rossen or Bischheim ‘VorratsgefaRe’
(16151). Sometimes the shape is somewhat angular
(17497) or globular, resembling ‘Kugelbecher’ (6620)
or TCugeltdpfe’ (17009). A few bowls have been rec-
ognised. Pointed and rounded bases were common.
Bases with modest knobs and flat bases are rarely
encountered. Occasionally lugs (‘Osen’) are found
19 All the archaeobotanical information has been provided by
archaeobotanical specialist Lucy Kubiak-Martens (BIAX
Consult).
Unexpected dimensions of a Swifterbant settlement at Medel-De Roeskamp (the Netherlands)
class
species
NISP
mammals
pig
11
wild boar
18
pig / wild boar
4,793
cattle
1,552
aurochs
25
cattle / aurochs
24
sheep / goat
126
dog
100
horse
29
deer (antler excl)
433
beaver
28
fur animals
34
birds
102
fish
4,571
reptiles
European pond turtle
1
total 11,847
Fig. 3b Identified animal species (NISP: Number of Identified
Specimen).
layers had a limited extension of about 10-30 m2 each,
and didn’t yield many finds. The same holds true for
two subsequent refuse layers to the south of the north-
ern site.
Animal bones constitute the most abundant find
category. The 340,000 pieces of mammal bone typi-
cally are poorly preserved, showing a high degree of
fragmentation also caused by extensive sieving. From
only 2 % of the mammal bones the species could be
determined (Fig. 3a-b).18 The proportion of wild ani-
mals (wild boar/pigs excluded), mainly deer, is strik-
ingly low compared to other Swifterbant sites. Note-
worthy too is the paucity of beaver bones, elsewhere
ubiquitous. In addition to a dominance of swine (wild
boar/pigs) bones, a high percentage of domesticated
animals, predominantly cattle, is seen. On the basis
of the dimensions of their molars (M2), it seems that
a large majority of the swine bones belongs to pigs
instead of wild boars. In that case the Swifterbant
people from Medel have been swineherds first and
foremost, with cattle farming taking second place.
Animal husbandry seems to have been much more
important than hunting at Medel, and more so than
at any other known Swifterbant site.
Due to the sampling method, fish bones are un-
derrepresented and biased in favour of larger species.
Still, fish bones are found in high numbers. Similar
to many Swifterbant sites, pike fishing was a major
18 The information concerning the mammal bones has been
provided by archaeozoological specialists, Kinie Esser and Joy-
ce van Dijk (Archeoplan Eco), the information on fish bones is
based on the analysis of Wim Van Neer (Royal Belgian Institu-
te of Natural Sciences, Brussels).
activity. Anadromous species such as twait shad and
allis shad were caught too.
Hundreds of charred kernels from naked barley,
einkorn and emmer wheat were found. Especially
noteworthy are charred rachis remains of durum
wheat, a novelty in Swifterbant context. The charred
grains of naked wheat found in Medel most likely
belong also to the durum wheat. Chaff remains of
naked barley and durum wheat indicate that thresh-
ing of both cereals would have taken place at the site.
Chaff remains of einkorn and emmer - spikelet forks
and glume bases - suggest that dehusking (but likely
also threshing) of these hulled wheats took place at
Medel too. Nearby arable fields are to be expected. So
cereal cultivation probably played a significant role in
the local subsistence economy. There is no evidence
for growing oil plants or pulses from the Swifterbant
context in Medel. Antler adzes and flint sickle blades
may be associated with these agricultural activities.
There is ample evidence of activities related to the
gathering of food plants, such as loads of charred ha-
zelnut shells and some charred remains of sloe plum,
hawthorn and crab apple, as well as water chestnut.19
Ceramics constitute the second most abundant
find category. From over 85,000 fragments of pottery
the 18,500 sherds larger than 2 cm2 were selected for
analysis. As is indicative of SW2 ceramics in general,
the predominant temper type at Medel is a combina-
tion of plant material, presumably moss, and crushed
stone, in particular quartz. The Medel pottery is unusu-
ally well made, the joints of the clay rolls (U-joints as
well as Hb-joints) being seldom recognisable. On the
whole the Medel pottery is rather thin walled (mean:
8 mm, one third is thinner than 7 mm). Neck sherds
with a thickness of 3-4 mm are not uncommon. Typi-
cal is the two-staged construction of quite a lot of rela-
tively thick walled pots (Fig. 4: 17549). After being set
aside to dry for a while, a fresh clay layer of 2-6 mm
thickness was applied on the outer surface of the pot.
The applied layer is often easily recognisable in the
pot profile and prone to erosion. The pots usually are
S-shaped, like the Rossen or Bischheim ‘VorratsgefaRe’
(16151). Sometimes the shape is somewhat angular
(17497) or globular, resembling ‘Kugelbecher’ (6620)
or TCugeltdpfe’ (17009). A few bowls have been rec-
ognised. Pointed and rounded bases were common.
Bases with modest knobs and flat bases are rarely
encountered. Occasionally lugs (‘Osen’) are found
19 All the archaeobotanical information has been provided by
archaeobotanical specialist Lucy Kubiak-Martens (BIAX
Consult).