DOI chapter:
Grenzgänger, traders and the last hunter-gatherers of the North European Plain
DOI chapter:Hartz, Sönke: Hunter-gatherer pottery from the Baltic Sea coast – some regional examples from Schleswig-Holstein
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0216
Sonke Hartz
215
Fig. 3 In s/tu-sherds of a fragmented pointed-bottomed vessel from Wangels LA 505.
In the pottery assemblage from the initial oc-
cupation (ERT phase) phase around 4,300 calBC
sherds from pointed-bottomed vessels (Fig. 3) and
oval lamps occur. The material comprises approxi-
mately 200 sherds from eight thick-walled, pointed-
based vessels, and 19 sherds from oblong lamps. An
analysis and stratigraphic classification of the ceram-
ics is discussed by Grohmann (2010). Some charred
food remains on pottery fragments and samples from
other organic artefacts were dated by radiocarbon
method. The 31 dates indicate that the settlement
existed between 4,300 and 3,700 calBC, but with an
emphasis on the early Funnel Beaker culture (Early
Neolithic I; Hartz 2004).
Site context of Neustadt LA 156
The submerged site Neustadt LA 156 is located
3.5-4.0 m below the present sea level. It was discov-
ered in 1999 and excavated from 2000 until 2006
by divers (Hartz / Glykou 2008; Glykou 2016).
Around 110 m2 were investigated. However, only c.
10 m2 of this area belong to the proper occupation
area. In the refuse area, the find layer merges into
brackish gyttja/peat with molluscs which provides
excellent preservation conditions.
From the layers with high proportions of organic
components, not only sharp-edged flint artefacts and
ceramic finds were retrieved, but also plant remains,
animal bones, antler implements, charcoal as well
as worked and charred wood. The high proportion
of finds and the thick find layers suggest that Neu-
stadt LA 156 was used as a base-camp settlement,
comparable to Grube-Rosenhof LA 58 some 25 km
north.
Altogether more than 40,000 flint artefacts were
excavated (excluding chips), 1 % of which have been
defined as tools (Hartz 2004). This group is dominated
by 750 transverse arrowheads, which were fabricated
from blades and flakes in almost equal shares. The
second group comprises c. 260 flat trimmed trapezoidal
flake axes, followed by c. 100 blade scrapers. The blade
implements also comprise concavely and obliquely
truncated tools, borers as well as edge-retouched and
denticulated pieces. Burins, however, are very rare,
which is similar to other coastal sites of the terminal
ERT in Schleswig-Holstein.
The non-flint stone tools comprise hammerstones
of quartzite or quartzite sandstone, round-butted axes
(‘Walzenbeile’,) and two Danubian shaft hole axes,
which underline the special role of East Holstein in
the distribution of imported amphibolite axes from
the south.
Among the bone implements, simple bone points,
awls, a slender bone chisel, a spatula-shaped tool with
a denticulated end and several ulna daggers have to be
mentioned. T-shaped axes, harpoon heads, punches and
a small chisel were made from antler.
Among the wooden tools are leister prongs, dug-
out canoe fragments, paddles, spears, angled handle
shafts for axes, fragments of a bow and arrows, a net
float made of bark, textile net remains, several frag-
ments of wicker work fish traps, pointed sticks and
poles.
215
Fig. 3 In s/tu-sherds of a fragmented pointed-bottomed vessel from Wangels LA 505.
In the pottery assemblage from the initial oc-
cupation (ERT phase) phase around 4,300 calBC
sherds from pointed-bottomed vessels (Fig. 3) and
oval lamps occur. The material comprises approxi-
mately 200 sherds from eight thick-walled, pointed-
based vessels, and 19 sherds from oblong lamps. An
analysis and stratigraphic classification of the ceram-
ics is discussed by Grohmann (2010). Some charred
food remains on pottery fragments and samples from
other organic artefacts were dated by radiocarbon
method. The 31 dates indicate that the settlement
existed between 4,300 and 3,700 calBC, but with an
emphasis on the early Funnel Beaker culture (Early
Neolithic I; Hartz 2004).
Site context of Neustadt LA 156
The submerged site Neustadt LA 156 is located
3.5-4.0 m below the present sea level. It was discov-
ered in 1999 and excavated from 2000 until 2006
by divers (Hartz / Glykou 2008; Glykou 2016).
Around 110 m2 were investigated. However, only c.
10 m2 of this area belong to the proper occupation
area. In the refuse area, the find layer merges into
brackish gyttja/peat with molluscs which provides
excellent preservation conditions.
From the layers with high proportions of organic
components, not only sharp-edged flint artefacts and
ceramic finds were retrieved, but also plant remains,
animal bones, antler implements, charcoal as well
as worked and charred wood. The high proportion
of finds and the thick find layers suggest that Neu-
stadt LA 156 was used as a base-camp settlement,
comparable to Grube-Rosenhof LA 58 some 25 km
north.
Altogether more than 40,000 flint artefacts were
excavated (excluding chips), 1 % of which have been
defined as tools (Hartz 2004). This group is dominated
by 750 transverse arrowheads, which were fabricated
from blades and flakes in almost equal shares. The
second group comprises c. 260 flat trimmed trapezoidal
flake axes, followed by c. 100 blade scrapers. The blade
implements also comprise concavely and obliquely
truncated tools, borers as well as edge-retouched and
denticulated pieces. Burins, however, are very rare,
which is similar to other coastal sites of the terminal
ERT in Schleswig-Holstein.
The non-flint stone tools comprise hammerstones
of quartzite or quartzite sandstone, round-butted axes
(‘Walzenbeile’,) and two Danubian shaft hole axes,
which underline the special role of East Holstein in
the distribution of imported amphibolite axes from
the south.
Among the bone implements, simple bone points,
awls, a slender bone chisel, a spatula-shaped tool with
a denticulated end and several ulna daggers have to be
mentioned. T-shaped axes, harpoon heads, punches and
a small chisel were made from antler.
Among the wooden tools are leister prongs, dug-
out canoe fragments, paddles, spears, angled handle
shafts for axes, fragments of a bow and arrows, a net
float made of bark, textile net remains, several frag-
ments of wicker work fish traps, pointed sticks and
poles.