DOI chapter:
Grenzgänger, traders and the last hunter-gatherers of the North European Plain
DOI chapter:Kotula, Andreas: Paths of innovation – the site Dąbki, Poland, and the early forager pottery in the Baltic Sea region
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0226
Stone Age Borderland Experience (MAN 60, 2022, 225 -247)
225
Paths of innovation - the site D$bki, Poland, and
the early forager pottery in the Baltic Sea region
Andreas Kotula
Abstract The site Dqbki, Poland, is one of the most important hunter-gatherer settlement sites to shed light on the introduc-
tion of pottery into the western Baltic Ertebolle culture in the 5th millennium caIBC. This lakeshore environment site was settled
from c. 5,200-3,600 caIBC, and bog excavations revealed find material in excellent preservation conditions. The pottery
assemblage consists of local pointed-bottom pottery and lamps as well as Funnel Beaker pottery. Additionally, numerous
fragments of non-local Neolithic ware from communities to the south were uncovered. The pointed-bottom ware was analysed
and compared to pottery from neighbouring hunter-gatherer complexes of the 5th millennium caIBC. The results show that
the pottery from Dqbki displays clear similarities to the western Baltic Ertebolle ware, but some typological traits indicate
eastern connections, too. Based on this, possible scenarios for the introduction of pottery into the western Baltic sea area are
discussed.
Keywords Ertebolle culture, hunter-gatherer pottery, eastern influences
Zusammenfassung Der Fundplatz D^bki 1st einer der bedeutendsten Siedlungsplatze spaterdager-Sammler fur die Diskussion
der Einfuhrung von Keramik in die Erteb0iiekultur im westlichen Ostseeraum im 5. Jahrtausend v. Chr. Der Seeuferfundplatz
war zwischen ca. 5200 und 3600 v. Chr besiedelt, und die Ausgrabungen in den vermoorten Uferschichten ergaben Fund-
material mit hervorragender Erhaltung. Die lokale Keramik besteht aus fruher Spitzbodenware und Lampen sowie Trichter-
becherkeramik; daruber hinaus ergab der Fundplatz eine Vielzahl nicht-lokaler Keramikfunde aus sudlich gelegenen
neolithischen Gemeinschaften. Die Analyse der fruhen Spitzbodenware und der Vergleich mit Keramik benachbart gelegener
Jager-Sammler Kulturen im Ostseeraum ergab deutliche Ahnlichkeiten der D^bki-Keramik mit der Ware der Frteb0llekultur;
typologische ahnlich sind jedoch auch Ge fa be bstlicher Kulturgruppen. Die Ergebnisse der Analyse dienen als Basis fur die
Diskussion mbglicher Szenarien der Einfuhrung von Keramik in den westlichen Ostseeraum.
Introduction
The invention of pottery vessels was one of the most
crucial developments in prehistory, leading to mas-
sive advances in food preparation, consumption,
transport and storage (Orton / Hughes 2013). The
invention and production of pottery vessels was tradi-
tionally connected with Neolithic farming societies,
starting in the Near East (cf. e.g. Arnold 1985).
Accordingly, the introduction of pottery into the late
Mesolithic Ertebolle culture (ERT) in the southern
and western Baltic Sea area was traced in the in-
fluence by early Neolithic communities expanding
through central Europe into the northern European
lowlands in the late 6th millenium caIBC (e.g. Ber-
lekamp 1977). This was supported by technological
analyses highlighting similarities between ERT and
Linear Band pottery (LBK) vessels (Hulthen 1977).
In northern Germany, research at the site
Rosenhof was of major importance, and on the ba-
sis of supposed early farming activities there as well
as supposed cattle and pig domesticates an earliest
Neolithic phase with pointed-bottom pottery was
postulated (e.g. Schwabedissen 1994), but evidence
of cereals and domestic animals was later rejected
(Scheu et al. 2008; Krause-Kyora et al. 2013; Fees-
er / Dorfler 2015). H. Schwabedissen elaborated
the idea of Neolithic influence on the pottery produc-
tion of semi-sedentary groups in northern Germany
especially with evidence from the Hamburg-Boberg
sites, were early Neolithic as well as pointed-bottom
pottery was uncovered (Schwabedissen 1994). His
hypotheses were in general agreement with western
European research postulating Neolithic influence
on early pottery in forager groups (cf. Klassen 2004,
110-111).
225
Paths of innovation - the site D$bki, Poland, and
the early forager pottery in the Baltic Sea region
Andreas Kotula
Abstract The site Dqbki, Poland, is one of the most important hunter-gatherer settlement sites to shed light on the introduc-
tion of pottery into the western Baltic Ertebolle culture in the 5th millennium caIBC. This lakeshore environment site was settled
from c. 5,200-3,600 caIBC, and bog excavations revealed find material in excellent preservation conditions. The pottery
assemblage consists of local pointed-bottom pottery and lamps as well as Funnel Beaker pottery. Additionally, numerous
fragments of non-local Neolithic ware from communities to the south were uncovered. The pointed-bottom ware was analysed
and compared to pottery from neighbouring hunter-gatherer complexes of the 5th millennium caIBC. The results show that
the pottery from Dqbki displays clear similarities to the western Baltic Ertebolle ware, but some typological traits indicate
eastern connections, too. Based on this, possible scenarios for the introduction of pottery into the western Baltic sea area are
discussed.
Keywords Ertebolle culture, hunter-gatherer pottery, eastern influences
Zusammenfassung Der Fundplatz D^bki 1st einer der bedeutendsten Siedlungsplatze spaterdager-Sammler fur die Diskussion
der Einfuhrung von Keramik in die Erteb0iiekultur im westlichen Ostseeraum im 5. Jahrtausend v. Chr. Der Seeuferfundplatz
war zwischen ca. 5200 und 3600 v. Chr besiedelt, und die Ausgrabungen in den vermoorten Uferschichten ergaben Fund-
material mit hervorragender Erhaltung. Die lokale Keramik besteht aus fruher Spitzbodenware und Lampen sowie Trichter-
becherkeramik; daruber hinaus ergab der Fundplatz eine Vielzahl nicht-lokaler Keramikfunde aus sudlich gelegenen
neolithischen Gemeinschaften. Die Analyse der fruhen Spitzbodenware und der Vergleich mit Keramik benachbart gelegener
Jager-Sammler Kulturen im Ostseeraum ergab deutliche Ahnlichkeiten der D^bki-Keramik mit der Ware der Frteb0llekultur;
typologische ahnlich sind jedoch auch Ge fa be bstlicher Kulturgruppen. Die Ergebnisse der Analyse dienen als Basis fur die
Diskussion mbglicher Szenarien der Einfuhrung von Keramik in den westlichen Ostseeraum.
Introduction
The invention of pottery vessels was one of the most
crucial developments in prehistory, leading to mas-
sive advances in food preparation, consumption,
transport and storage (Orton / Hughes 2013). The
invention and production of pottery vessels was tradi-
tionally connected with Neolithic farming societies,
starting in the Near East (cf. e.g. Arnold 1985).
Accordingly, the introduction of pottery into the late
Mesolithic Ertebolle culture (ERT) in the southern
and western Baltic Sea area was traced in the in-
fluence by early Neolithic communities expanding
through central Europe into the northern European
lowlands in the late 6th millenium caIBC (e.g. Ber-
lekamp 1977). This was supported by technological
analyses highlighting similarities between ERT and
Linear Band pottery (LBK) vessels (Hulthen 1977).
In northern Germany, research at the site
Rosenhof was of major importance, and on the ba-
sis of supposed early farming activities there as well
as supposed cattle and pig domesticates an earliest
Neolithic phase with pointed-bottom pottery was
postulated (e.g. Schwabedissen 1994), but evidence
of cereals and domestic animals was later rejected
(Scheu et al. 2008; Krause-Kyora et al. 2013; Fees-
er / Dorfler 2015). H. Schwabedissen elaborated
the idea of Neolithic influence on the pottery produc-
tion of semi-sedentary groups in northern Germany
especially with evidence from the Hamburg-Boberg
sites, were early Neolithic as well as pointed-bottom
pottery was uncovered (Schwabedissen 1994). His
hypotheses were in general agreement with western
European research postulating Neolithic influence
on early pottery in forager groups (cf. Klassen 2004,
110-111).