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#0244
Andreas Kotula
243
put forward for that (e.g. Hartz 2011), but new evi-
dence points out the use of lamps in the inland in other
regions (Kotula et al. 2015). The absence of this vessel
type in the Swifterbant culture and at the northern
German inland Ertebolle sites indicates a possible
connection and may point to influence coming from
the west into the Ertebolle culture. Additionally, new
research could verify some technological differences
between Ertebolle coastal and inland pointed-bottom
ware in Schleswig-Holstein (Meyer 2017), while some
parallel developments in the pottery of Swifterbant
and Ertebolle are suggested (Glykou 2016). However,
a recent lipid study was able to point out that Swift-
erbant vessels were used in more specialised ways
than Ertebolle ware (Demirci et al. 2020). There is
no conclusive evidence for a western inspiration on
Ertebolle pottery yet, and the northwestern German
inland remains a crucial region for the further study of
possible influences (e.g. Ten Anscher 2015).
Dqbki is an important site for the discussion of the
introduction of pottery into the Ertebolle culture by in-
fluence from the east (e.g. Povlsen 2013). It has been
discussed that the early pottery in the southern Baltic
was inspired by eastern European groups with ear-
lier pottery traditions (e.g. Van Berg 1997; Timofeev
1998; Klassen 2004), and 14C-data provide general
support for this (Jordan / Zvelebil 2009; Piezonka
2015; Jordan et al. 2016). For the southern Swedish
Ertebolle culture, typological parallels to Narva pot-
tery have been pointed out (Hallgren 2004). The
pointed-bottom ware from the Polish central southern
Baltic displays typological similarities to Dubiciai type
pottery. The beginning of the Dubiciai type is estimated
around the second half of the 6th millennium calBC
(Tkachou 2018). 14C-dates from Dqbki pointed-bottom
ware around 4,850/4,700 calBC point to a slightly
earlier introduction of ceramic technology than in the
western Baltic Ertebolle culture, but due to uncertain
reservoir effect, the data is not conclusive. The idea of
eastern influence is supported, though, by the appear-
ance of lamps, which are unknown to western lowland
foragers, and thus most likely were brought into the
western Baltic from the eastern Narva culture. This
is underlined by typological parallels between lamps
from Dqbki and Narva culture. It is well possible that
the general inspiration for the pointed-bottom vessel
type and the usability of ceramic containers in forager
context came from the east into the central Baltic. The
comparison of pottery characteristics, however, high-
lights technological differences. While it may be pos-
sible that an eastern inspiration was accompanied by
an autochthonous technological development, numer-
ous non-local Neolithic vessels in Dqbki, in parts pre-
dating the local production, provide another possible
explanation: Especially sherds from SBK and Brzesc
Kujawski ware display technological similarities to the
local pointed-bottom pottery, like mineralic admixture,
smoothed surface and N-coil technique, and the for-
eign Neolithic ware may have acted as a technological
blueprint for local production. It is thus possible that
the emergence of Ertebolle pointed-bottom pottery
was a ‘creolisation’ of eastern influences and Neolithic
impact in the Polish lowland (cf. Povlsen 2013).
The Ertebolle groups were based on local sub-
strate in each different area, and it has to be con-
sidered that they responded differently to external
influences respective to their geographical location
and network situation. It cannot be ruled out that
successive waves of influence from the west and east,
respectively, inspired pottery production in the dif-
ferent Ertebolle regions. Dqbki was a well-integrat-
ed and innovative part of the Baltic Sea Ertebolle
networks, and the Polish sites can be described as
an eastern branch of the Ertebolle phenomenon.
While 14C-data are not conclusive, there are clear
indications for eastern European influences on the
innovation of Ertebolle ceramics.
REFERENCES
Andersen 2008: S. H. Andersen, Kitchen middens and the
early pottery of Denmark. In: S. Hartz / F. Luth / T.
Terberger (eds.), Early pottery in the Baltic - Dating,
Origin and Social Context. International Workshop at
Schleswig from 20th to 21th October 2006. Bericht der
Romisch-Germanischen Kommission 89, 2008 (2011),
193-215.
Ten Anscher 2015: T. Ten Anscher, Under the radar: Swift-
erbant and the origins oft he Funnel Beaker culture.
In: J. Kabaciriski / S. Hartz / D. C. M. Raemaekers /
T. Terberger (eds.), The Dqbki Site in Pomerania and
the Neolithisation of the North European Lowlands
(c. 5000-3000 calBC). Archaologie und Geschichte im
Ostseeraum 8 (Rahden/Westf. 2015) 335-357.
Arnold 1985: D. E. Arnold, Ceramic Theory and Cultural
Process (Cambridge 1985).
Van Berg 1990: P. L. Van Berg, La Ceramique Neolithique
Ancienne Non Rubanee Dans Le Nord-Ouest De
L’Europe. Bulletin de le Societe Prehistorique Luxem-
bourgeoise 12, 1990, 107-124.
Van Berg 1997: P. L. Van Berg, La ceramique et son decor en
Eurasie. In: C. Jeunesse (eds.), Le Neolithique danubien
et ses marges entre Rhin et Seine. Actes du 22eme col-
loque interregional sur le Neolithique, Strasbourg 27-29
octobre 1995. Supplement aux Cahiers de lAssociation
243
put forward for that (e.g. Hartz 2011), but new evi-
dence points out the use of lamps in the inland in other
regions (Kotula et al. 2015). The absence of this vessel
type in the Swifterbant culture and at the northern
German inland Ertebolle sites indicates a possible
connection and may point to influence coming from
the west into the Ertebolle culture. Additionally, new
research could verify some technological differences
between Ertebolle coastal and inland pointed-bottom
ware in Schleswig-Holstein (Meyer 2017), while some
parallel developments in the pottery of Swifterbant
and Ertebolle are suggested (Glykou 2016). However,
a recent lipid study was able to point out that Swift-
erbant vessels were used in more specialised ways
than Ertebolle ware (Demirci et al. 2020). There is
no conclusive evidence for a western inspiration on
Ertebolle pottery yet, and the northwestern German
inland remains a crucial region for the further study of
possible influences (e.g. Ten Anscher 2015).
Dqbki is an important site for the discussion of the
introduction of pottery into the Ertebolle culture by in-
fluence from the east (e.g. Povlsen 2013). It has been
discussed that the early pottery in the southern Baltic
was inspired by eastern European groups with ear-
lier pottery traditions (e.g. Van Berg 1997; Timofeev
1998; Klassen 2004), and 14C-data provide general
support for this (Jordan / Zvelebil 2009; Piezonka
2015; Jordan et al. 2016). For the southern Swedish
Ertebolle culture, typological parallels to Narva pot-
tery have been pointed out (Hallgren 2004). The
pointed-bottom ware from the Polish central southern
Baltic displays typological similarities to Dubiciai type
pottery. The beginning of the Dubiciai type is estimated
around the second half of the 6th millennium calBC
(Tkachou 2018). 14C-dates from Dqbki pointed-bottom
ware around 4,850/4,700 calBC point to a slightly
earlier introduction of ceramic technology than in the
western Baltic Ertebolle culture, but due to uncertain
reservoir effect, the data is not conclusive. The idea of
eastern influence is supported, though, by the appear-
ance of lamps, which are unknown to western lowland
foragers, and thus most likely were brought into the
western Baltic from the eastern Narva culture. This
is underlined by typological parallels between lamps
from Dqbki and Narva culture. It is well possible that
the general inspiration for the pointed-bottom vessel
type and the usability of ceramic containers in forager
context came from the east into the central Baltic. The
comparison of pottery characteristics, however, high-
lights technological differences. While it may be pos-
sible that an eastern inspiration was accompanied by
an autochthonous technological development, numer-
ous non-local Neolithic vessels in Dqbki, in parts pre-
dating the local production, provide another possible
explanation: Especially sherds from SBK and Brzesc
Kujawski ware display technological similarities to the
local pointed-bottom pottery, like mineralic admixture,
smoothed surface and N-coil technique, and the for-
eign Neolithic ware may have acted as a technological
blueprint for local production. It is thus possible that
the emergence of Ertebolle pointed-bottom pottery
was a ‘creolisation’ of eastern influences and Neolithic
impact in the Polish lowland (cf. Povlsen 2013).
The Ertebolle groups were based on local sub-
strate in each different area, and it has to be con-
sidered that they responded differently to external
influences respective to their geographical location
and network situation. It cannot be ruled out that
successive waves of influence from the west and east,
respectively, inspired pottery production in the dif-
ferent Ertebolle regions. Dqbki was a well-integrat-
ed and innovative part of the Baltic Sea Ertebolle
networks, and the Polish sites can be described as
an eastern branch of the Ertebolle phenomenon.
While 14C-data are not conclusive, there are clear
indications for eastern European influences on the
innovation of Ertebolle ceramics.
REFERENCES
Andersen 2008: S. H. Andersen, Kitchen middens and the
early pottery of Denmark. In: S. Hartz / F. Luth / T.
Terberger (eds.), Early pottery in the Baltic - Dating,
Origin and Social Context. International Workshop at
Schleswig from 20th to 21th October 2006. Bericht der
Romisch-Germanischen Kommission 89, 2008 (2011),
193-215.
Ten Anscher 2015: T. Ten Anscher, Under the radar: Swift-
erbant and the origins oft he Funnel Beaker culture.
In: J. Kabaciriski / S. Hartz / D. C. M. Raemaekers /
T. Terberger (eds.), The Dqbki Site in Pomerania and
the Neolithisation of the North European Lowlands
(c. 5000-3000 calBC). Archaologie und Geschichte im
Ostseeraum 8 (Rahden/Westf. 2015) 335-357.
Arnold 1985: D. E. Arnold, Ceramic Theory and Cultural
Process (Cambridge 1985).
Van Berg 1990: P. L. Van Berg, La Ceramique Neolithique
Ancienne Non Rubanee Dans Le Nord-Ouest De
L’Europe. Bulletin de le Societe Prehistorique Luxem-
bourgeoise 12, 1990, 107-124.
Van Berg 1997: P. L. Van Berg, La ceramique et son decor en
Eurasie. In: C. Jeunesse (eds.), Le Neolithique danubien
et ses marges entre Rhin et Seine. Actes du 22eme col-
loque interregional sur le Neolithique, Strasbourg 27-29
octobre 1995. Supplement aux Cahiers de lAssociation