DOI chapter:
Changing Worlds – The Spread of the Neolithic Way of Life in the North
DOI chapter:Klimscha, Florian; Neumann, Daniel: A longue durée perspective on technical innovations in the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic of the North European Plain
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0381
380
A longue duree perspective on technical innovations in the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic of the North European Plain
Wooden wagon remains
The Neolithic wheels fround in the Netherlands have
been frequently studied,8 and none of them is older
than 3,000 calBC.9 The situation for the finds from
northern Germany is very similar, which is not sur-
prising, as the northwest German bogs are a direct
continuation of the Dutch landscape. Frequently the
finds were discovered during peat digging and dur-
ing the systematic excavations of bog roads (cf. the
catalogue by Both / Fansa 2011). The oldest finds
date to around or after 3,100/3,000 calBC.10 although
significantly later dates for the respective contexts
have also been proposed.11 The Neolithic wheels from
Jutland are slightly younger and belong to the early
3rd millennium calBC.12 The apparent absence of
early wagon parts in Mecklenburg and Pomerania is
striking. Whether this reflects the prehistoric reality
or simply a different level of research is difficult to
8 Finds are known from Bourtanger Moor / Bourtangerveen
(Nieuw-Dordrecht), Ubbena, prov. Drenthe, De Eese, com.
Steenwijkerwold, Dertienhuizen-Musselkanaal, com. Onstwed-
deof, Midlaren, com. Zuidlaren, as well as Exloerboerkijl, com.
Odoorn, Weerdinge, com. Emmen, and ‘veenplads no. 3’ in the
Gasselterboerven, com. Gasselte; cf. Van der Waals 1964,
90-95, 136-137,141; Rostholm 1977, 211; Vosteen 1996,
25-26 fig. 10; 1999 Nr. 33-34.
9 Inter alia-. Van der Waals 1964; Vosteen 1996; Bakker
1999; 2004; Burmeister 2004b.
10 For instance at the bog road VII (Pr) near Diepholz-Vechta,
where two axles from a prehistoric wagon were found, one of
them 14C-dated to 3,100-2,875 calBC, the second axle to c.
3,021-2,891 calBC (Burmeister 2004b, 329), from the vicinity
of Tannenhausen-Aurich, where several well-dated wagon parts
are known, among them two wooden axles (C820 [D] and C821
[D]), radiocarbondated to c. 3,100-2,900 calBC (Burmeister
2004b, 329; Fansa 2004, 35 fig. 44), and from the Teufelsmoor
near Gnarrenburg, where an axle connected to a disc wheel
yielded a 14C-date of 3,100-2,400 calBC (Vosteen 1999 Nr. 35;
Burmeister 2004b, 322, 329 fig. 8).
11 The Teufelsmoor find (Vosteen 1999 Nr. 35; Burmeister
2004b, 322, 329 fig. 8), was recently re-evaluated and is now
considered to be significantly younger at 2,580-2,479 calBC
(Hesse 2011, 240). - Mid-3rd millennium dates have also been
published for bog road and Le 15 (Vosteen 1999, 74-75).
12 A single find of a disc wheel from Bjerregaard Mose, former
Studsgard-Havnstrup sogn, reg. Midtjylland, dated to c.
2,900-2,400 calBC (Rostholm 1977, 210-211; Vosteen 1996,
23 fig. 3; 1999 Nr. 26); two disc wheels from Kideris, south of
Herning, reg. Midtjylland, that were found relatively near to
each other but do not derive from the same context; one of them
was 14C-dated to c. 2,900-2,600 calBC (Rostholm 1977, 210;
Vosteen 1996, 25; 1999 Nr. 39), and a disc wheel from Pilkmo-
se bog, Vejle amt, radiocarbon dated to c. 2,900-2,500 calBC
(Vosteen 1999 Nr. 46).
assess. From a taphonomic perspective the preserva-
tion of wheels is certainly possible.13
Wheel tracks
Wheel tracks of wagons are a source-group docu-
mented relatively recently. The possibility to discover
them is dependent on quick sedimentation over the
tracks to protect these very delicate features from
later interferences and erosion. This is normally only
the case, if a burial construction was built immedi-
ately after a wagon had crossed the surface. Thus,
the number of discovered wheel tracks is extremely
sparse. Additionally, their identification rests on the
premise that a track from a wagon wheel can be dif-
ferentiated from a track caused by a sledge or tra-
vois.14 A spectacular discovery from Flintbek, distr.
Rendsburg-Eckernforde, Holstein, has pushed the
beginning of wagon use to a significantly earlier date
(Zich 1992; 1993; Mischka 2010; 2011). Here, two
elongated-oval, parallel features were found beneath a
megalithic grave of the Funnelbeaker culture (Fig. 2).
The excavator B. Zich interpreted the traces as those
of a wheeled vehicle and considered its use in the
building of the monument (Zich 1993). He assumed
that soil from a freshly dug pit was transported to the
dolmen several times and that the wheel tracks thus
were the result of multiple transports on the same
route. The barrow was constructed in seven phases
and included twelve graves altogether. The tracks
were found beneath the filling of the extended dolmen
IV (phase 7). Dolmen IV can be dated to the Fuchs-
berg / EN II-phase due to the find of a looped bottle
(‘Osenflasche’)- D. Mischka was able to pinpoint the
construction history with a series of absolute dates
and proposed a date of 3,450-3,385 calBC for the
13 Two multi-part disc wheels from Skorshevo (Skorschewo),
Kartuzy distr., have been assigned to the Neolithic / Bronze
Age transition by most commentators (Vosteen 1999 Nr. 135
Taf. 83), while the chronological position of the disc wheels
from Kowale remains unclear (Van der Waals 1964 A,67; Vos-
teen 1999 Nr. 130-131). Furthermore, the wheels from
Kuhlungsborn, even though of Late Bronze Age date, demons-
trate the possibility of prehistoric wooden finds being preserved
(Heussner 1986).
14 While it is normally argued that a certain type of compres-
sion beneath wheel tracks resulting from the pressure of wheels
can be discerned from a track mark of a sledge, Burmeister
(2011, 216) has pointed out that the same type of compression
can be expected of a travois track.
A longue duree perspective on technical innovations in the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic of the North European Plain
Wooden wagon remains
The Neolithic wheels fround in the Netherlands have
been frequently studied,8 and none of them is older
than 3,000 calBC.9 The situation for the finds from
northern Germany is very similar, which is not sur-
prising, as the northwest German bogs are a direct
continuation of the Dutch landscape. Frequently the
finds were discovered during peat digging and dur-
ing the systematic excavations of bog roads (cf. the
catalogue by Both / Fansa 2011). The oldest finds
date to around or after 3,100/3,000 calBC.10 although
significantly later dates for the respective contexts
have also been proposed.11 The Neolithic wheels from
Jutland are slightly younger and belong to the early
3rd millennium calBC.12 The apparent absence of
early wagon parts in Mecklenburg and Pomerania is
striking. Whether this reflects the prehistoric reality
or simply a different level of research is difficult to
8 Finds are known from Bourtanger Moor / Bourtangerveen
(Nieuw-Dordrecht), Ubbena, prov. Drenthe, De Eese, com.
Steenwijkerwold, Dertienhuizen-Musselkanaal, com. Onstwed-
deof, Midlaren, com. Zuidlaren, as well as Exloerboerkijl, com.
Odoorn, Weerdinge, com. Emmen, and ‘veenplads no. 3’ in the
Gasselterboerven, com. Gasselte; cf. Van der Waals 1964,
90-95, 136-137,141; Rostholm 1977, 211; Vosteen 1996,
25-26 fig. 10; 1999 Nr. 33-34.
9 Inter alia-. Van der Waals 1964; Vosteen 1996; Bakker
1999; 2004; Burmeister 2004b.
10 For instance at the bog road VII (Pr) near Diepholz-Vechta,
where two axles from a prehistoric wagon were found, one of
them 14C-dated to 3,100-2,875 calBC, the second axle to c.
3,021-2,891 calBC (Burmeister 2004b, 329), from the vicinity
of Tannenhausen-Aurich, where several well-dated wagon parts
are known, among them two wooden axles (C820 [D] and C821
[D]), radiocarbondated to c. 3,100-2,900 calBC (Burmeister
2004b, 329; Fansa 2004, 35 fig. 44), and from the Teufelsmoor
near Gnarrenburg, where an axle connected to a disc wheel
yielded a 14C-date of 3,100-2,400 calBC (Vosteen 1999 Nr. 35;
Burmeister 2004b, 322, 329 fig. 8).
11 The Teufelsmoor find (Vosteen 1999 Nr. 35; Burmeister
2004b, 322, 329 fig. 8), was recently re-evaluated and is now
considered to be significantly younger at 2,580-2,479 calBC
(Hesse 2011, 240). - Mid-3rd millennium dates have also been
published for bog road and Le 15 (Vosteen 1999, 74-75).
12 A single find of a disc wheel from Bjerregaard Mose, former
Studsgard-Havnstrup sogn, reg. Midtjylland, dated to c.
2,900-2,400 calBC (Rostholm 1977, 210-211; Vosteen 1996,
23 fig. 3; 1999 Nr. 26); two disc wheels from Kideris, south of
Herning, reg. Midtjylland, that were found relatively near to
each other but do not derive from the same context; one of them
was 14C-dated to c. 2,900-2,600 calBC (Rostholm 1977, 210;
Vosteen 1996, 25; 1999 Nr. 39), and a disc wheel from Pilkmo-
se bog, Vejle amt, radiocarbon dated to c. 2,900-2,500 calBC
(Vosteen 1999 Nr. 46).
assess. From a taphonomic perspective the preserva-
tion of wheels is certainly possible.13
Wheel tracks
Wheel tracks of wagons are a source-group docu-
mented relatively recently. The possibility to discover
them is dependent on quick sedimentation over the
tracks to protect these very delicate features from
later interferences and erosion. This is normally only
the case, if a burial construction was built immedi-
ately after a wagon had crossed the surface. Thus,
the number of discovered wheel tracks is extremely
sparse. Additionally, their identification rests on the
premise that a track from a wagon wheel can be dif-
ferentiated from a track caused by a sledge or tra-
vois.14 A spectacular discovery from Flintbek, distr.
Rendsburg-Eckernforde, Holstein, has pushed the
beginning of wagon use to a significantly earlier date
(Zich 1992; 1993; Mischka 2010; 2011). Here, two
elongated-oval, parallel features were found beneath a
megalithic grave of the Funnelbeaker culture (Fig. 2).
The excavator B. Zich interpreted the traces as those
of a wheeled vehicle and considered its use in the
building of the monument (Zich 1993). He assumed
that soil from a freshly dug pit was transported to the
dolmen several times and that the wheel tracks thus
were the result of multiple transports on the same
route. The barrow was constructed in seven phases
and included twelve graves altogether. The tracks
were found beneath the filling of the extended dolmen
IV (phase 7). Dolmen IV can be dated to the Fuchs-
berg / EN II-phase due to the find of a looped bottle
(‘Osenflasche’)- D. Mischka was able to pinpoint the
construction history with a series of absolute dates
and proposed a date of 3,450-3,385 calBC for the
13 Two multi-part disc wheels from Skorshevo (Skorschewo),
Kartuzy distr., have been assigned to the Neolithic / Bronze
Age transition by most commentators (Vosteen 1999 Nr. 135
Taf. 83), while the chronological position of the disc wheels
from Kowale remains unclear (Van der Waals 1964 A,67; Vos-
teen 1999 Nr. 130-131). Furthermore, the wheels from
Kuhlungsborn, even though of Late Bronze Age date, demons-
trate the possibility of prehistoric wooden finds being preserved
(Heussner 1986).
14 While it is normally argued that a certain type of compres-
sion beneath wheel tracks resulting from the pressure of wheels
can be discerned from a track mark of a sledge, Burmeister
(2011, 216) has pointed out that the same type of compression
can be expected of a travois track.