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#0232
Andreas Kotula
231
OxCal v4.3.2 Bronk Ramsey (2017); r:5 IntCaH 3 atmospheric curve (Reimer et al 2013)
J_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__L
6000 5500 5000 4500 4000 3500
Calibrated date (calBC)
Fig. 4 14C -data of pottery food residue against 14C-data from other organic non-pottery sources from the sites Dgbki and two northern
German ERT sites (Wangels, Neustadt) with especially numerous available 14C-data.
a background for the transition between the types.
It also has a similar age as the youngest date from a
pointed-bottom vessel (see above). This is in overall
accordance with the earliest datings of the Northern
TRB group from around 4,200/4,100 calBC (Kotula
et al. 2015; cf. Hartz/Lubke 2004; Glykou 2016).
The stratigraphy of the bog area provides only
limited additional information, as large parts of the
former shore zone were exposed to anthropogenic
and natural disturbances, resulting in a mixed cul-
tural layer (Kotula et al. 2015; 2018). While most
parts of the bog trenches cannot provide reliable
chrono-stratigraphical evidence, the deepest part of
the trenches show a better stratigraphical resolution
with few finds and correct chrono-stratigraphical
order (Fig. 3). In the lowest part of the gyttja and
peat layer sequence a tree stump was dated to c. 5,100
calBC. In the overlying gyttja layer pointed-bottom
pottery and lamps accompanied by non-local Brzesc
Kujawski pottery are situated. A residue from a lamp
sherd (Poz-10438: 5,750±40 BP) and a wild boar bone
(KIA-26388: 5,960±32 BP) from this sediment layer
date to between c. 4,860 and 4,600 calBC. TRB pot-
tery is then found markedly higher in the overlying
peat sediment, together with pointed-bottom pottery
as well as Brzesc Kujawski pottery, 14C-dated to be-
tween c. 4,300 (wild boar bone KIA-26387: 5,339±29
BP) and 3,600 calBC (TRB food crust KIA-27412:
4,920±40 BP), which indicates a compact sedimen-
tation or slight disturbance in the upper part of the
stratigraphy.
The 14C-dates from pointed-bottom pottery
suggest a start of local pottery production around
4,850/4,700 calBC, thus dating slightly earlier than in
the Western Baltic coastal area at c. 4,600 calBC (e.g.
Hartz 2008). While the pottery data advise caution
due to a possibly high reservoir effect, as displayed
in the TRB dates, some indications support an early
pointed-bottom pottery production in Dqbki:
(1) No systematic shift towards older ages is observ-
able in the pointed-bottom pottery data against
the other 14C-data, and both categories are repre-
sented by numerous dates (Fig. 4). An intensive
occupation evidently starts already in the first
half of the 5th millennium calBC, and in general,
the assemblage is characterised by a high simi-
larity and connection to the Ertebolle culture
in morphology and technology (see below). It is
thus likely that pottery production in Dqbki was
part of a broadly contemporary introduction of
pottery at the southern Baltic coastal sites in
the first half of the 5th millennium calBC.
(2) The concept of pottery vessels was known in
Dqbki even before local production through
non-local Neolithic ceramic ware, starting in
late LBK times in the earliest 5th millennium
calBC, and upheld contacts are confirmed by
many Neolithic vessels from different cultures
throughout the 5th millennium calBC. Insight
into the convenience of pottery vessels was thus
present early at the site, and has possibly facili-
tated an early local ceramic production.
231
OxCal v4.3.2 Bronk Ramsey (2017); r:5 IntCaH 3 atmospheric curve (Reimer et al 2013)
J_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I_I__L
6000 5500 5000 4500 4000 3500
Calibrated date (calBC)
Fig. 4 14C -data of pottery food residue against 14C-data from other organic non-pottery sources from the sites Dgbki and two northern
German ERT sites (Wangels, Neustadt) with especially numerous available 14C-data.
a background for the transition between the types.
It also has a similar age as the youngest date from a
pointed-bottom vessel (see above). This is in overall
accordance with the earliest datings of the Northern
TRB group from around 4,200/4,100 calBC (Kotula
et al. 2015; cf. Hartz/Lubke 2004; Glykou 2016).
The stratigraphy of the bog area provides only
limited additional information, as large parts of the
former shore zone were exposed to anthropogenic
and natural disturbances, resulting in a mixed cul-
tural layer (Kotula et al. 2015; 2018). While most
parts of the bog trenches cannot provide reliable
chrono-stratigraphical evidence, the deepest part of
the trenches show a better stratigraphical resolution
with few finds and correct chrono-stratigraphical
order (Fig. 3). In the lowest part of the gyttja and
peat layer sequence a tree stump was dated to c. 5,100
calBC. In the overlying gyttja layer pointed-bottom
pottery and lamps accompanied by non-local Brzesc
Kujawski pottery are situated. A residue from a lamp
sherd (Poz-10438: 5,750±40 BP) and a wild boar bone
(KIA-26388: 5,960±32 BP) from this sediment layer
date to between c. 4,860 and 4,600 calBC. TRB pot-
tery is then found markedly higher in the overlying
peat sediment, together with pointed-bottom pottery
as well as Brzesc Kujawski pottery, 14C-dated to be-
tween c. 4,300 (wild boar bone KIA-26387: 5,339±29
BP) and 3,600 calBC (TRB food crust KIA-27412:
4,920±40 BP), which indicates a compact sedimen-
tation or slight disturbance in the upper part of the
stratigraphy.
The 14C-dates from pointed-bottom pottery
suggest a start of local pottery production around
4,850/4,700 calBC, thus dating slightly earlier than in
the Western Baltic coastal area at c. 4,600 calBC (e.g.
Hartz 2008). While the pottery data advise caution
due to a possibly high reservoir effect, as displayed
in the TRB dates, some indications support an early
pointed-bottom pottery production in Dqbki:
(1) No systematic shift towards older ages is observ-
able in the pointed-bottom pottery data against
the other 14C-data, and both categories are repre-
sented by numerous dates (Fig. 4). An intensive
occupation evidently starts already in the first
half of the 5th millennium calBC, and in general,
the assemblage is characterised by a high simi-
larity and connection to the Ertebolle culture
in morphology and technology (see below). It is
thus likely that pottery production in Dqbki was
part of a broadly contemporary introduction of
pottery at the southern Baltic coastal sites in
the first half of the 5th millennium calBC.
(2) The concept of pottery vessels was known in
Dqbki even before local production through
non-local Neolithic ceramic ware, starting in
late LBK times in the earliest 5th millennium
calBC, and upheld contacts are confirmed by
many Neolithic vessels from different cultures
throughout the 5th millennium calBC. Insight
into the convenience of pottery vessels was thus
present early at the site, and has possibly facili-
tated an early local ceramic production.