DOI Kapitel:
Changing Worlds – The Spread of the Neolithic Way of Life in the North
DOI Kapitel:Philippi, Alexandra: The Schöningen group and the cultural development around 4,000 calBC
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0411
410
The Schoningen group and the cultural development around 4,000 calBC
Elbe-Saale area as well as in Bohemia. They prove the
increasing Michelsberg influence further east. It is
worth noting that especially in the middle Elbe-Saale
area a decrease of the Lengyel influence can be ob-
served at the same time. There only a small representa-
tion of the Jordansmiihl group and a higher number
of Michelsberg finds can be observed (Klassen 2004,
290). This fusion of western and eastern cultural influ-
ences may therefore have influenced the formation of
the Funnel Beaker culture.
For the formation of the northern group of the
Funnel Beaker culture the regional group of the Mi-
chelsberg culture in southern Lower Saxony (see
Leiber 1983, 189-213) is of high importance, as
ceramic finds of the Oxie and Wangels groups (c.
4,100-3,900 calBC), especially from Schleswig-Hol-
stein, show (Mischka et al. 2015, 468-469; Glykou
2016,199-201). There not only clay spoons and ladles
can be traced back to influences of the Michelsberg
culture, but large storage vessels with decorated
rims also show parallels. Arcade rims and rims with
finger-nail impressions, fingertip impressed decora-
tion or simple punctures are typical of the funnel
beakers of the Oxie group, which the large storage
vessels of the Michelsberg culture resemble quite
closely in their profile. The complex of Flintbek, distr.
Rendsburg-Eckernforde, also provided numerous
fragments of large storage vessels (dated to c. 3,985
calBC; Klassen 2004, 169; Mischka 2011; Muller
et al. 2012, 30-31).
Early Funnel Beaker pottery in
Schleswig-Holstein
The Michelsberg influence also becomes clear when
looking at the funnel beakers of the Oxie group. Simi-
lar vessels occur further south in Michelsberg contexts
in Westphalia, southern Lower Saxony and the middle
Elbe-Saale area. The Schoningen pottery also shows
decorated rims in the form of impressions typical for
the early Funnel Beaker culture. Also relatively short
vessel necks find their equivalents. The origin of this
form in the Lower Saxony regional group of the Mi-
chelsberg culture, including the Schoningen group,
can be taken for certain (see Klassen 2004, 174).
The ‘Osenkranzflaschen’ of the Oxie group have
also to be included in this discussion. Their necks
are short and cylindrical, and the lugs are perforated
horizontally. The latter element is characteristic for
lugs of the Michelsberg culture, and the lugs from
Schoningen are also horizontally perforated with-
out exception. However, it is uncertain in this case
whether these originally belonged to ‘Osenkranz-
flaschen’ or amphorae. Early Funnel Beaker pot-
tery, e.g. from Wangels LA 505, distr. Ostholstein
(see Klooss 2015, 36; Glykou 2016, 199-201), or
Flintbek, distr. Rendsburg-Eckernforde, illustrate the
connection between the earliest Funnel Beaker culture
in the western Baltic Sea area and the Michelsberg
regional groups in southern Lower Saxony. At the site
of Wangels the data for pointed-bottom vessels or oval
lamps are earlier than 4,100 calBC, and thus the end
of the Ertebolle culture in Holstein can be identified.
The Early Neolithic vessel forms, on the other hand,
date between 4,100 and 3,900 calBC and mark the
beginning of the Funnel Beaker culture in this area
(Hartz et al. 2000, 134; cf. Hartz, this volume). A
14C-dated pit (4,233-3,969 calBC; KIA 3072: 5,280
±115 BP) is known from Flintbek, which included
numerous Early Neolithic sherds that show parallels
to Michelsberg culture pottery (Zich 1992/1993, 20;
Hartz et al. 2000, 132; Mischka et al. 2015). Also
to be mentioned in this context is the site of Lubeck-
Genin in Schleswig-Holstein. There, early pottery of
the Funnel Beaker culture could be dated between
4,050 and 3,700 calBC (Hartz 2015, 459; see also
Hartz 2011, 258-270).
Early Funnel Beaker pottery in Mecklenburg-
Western Pomerania
Other inventories, which can be assigned to the find
spectrum of the Oxie group and the Wangels phase,
also originate from two sites in Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania (for the earliest Funnel Beaker culture in
the southern Mecklenburg bay see Hartz / Lubke
2004, 119-143). From the site Baabe on the island of
Riigen undecorated pottery is known, which can be
assigned to the earliest Funnel Beaker culture (Hirsch
et al. 2007, 11-51; Kotula et al. 2015, 492-494). The
vessels have flat bottoms and strongly protruding rims.
Pointed bottoms characteristic for the Ertebolle cul-
ture are missing. Only two sherds of oval lamps are
represented, which, nevertheless, still occur in the ear-
ly Funnel Beaker culture (Meurers-Balke 1983, 55).
Among the decorated pieces of early funnel bea-
kers is a rim sherd with impressions on the folded rim,
and several times decorations in the form of punc-
tures below the rim appear (Hirsch et al. 2007,30-31;
Glykou 2016, 175 fig. 18.6). Based on 14C dates, a
settlement phase between 4,100 and 3,800 calBC
could be verified (Hirsch et al. 2007, 13-14; Kotu-
la et al. 2015, 492-494). Another coastal settlement
of the Funnel Beaker culture is situated near Parow
on the southern Baltic Sea coast on the Strelasund
north of Stralsund. The spectrum of finds indicates a
The Schoningen group and the cultural development around 4,000 calBC
Elbe-Saale area as well as in Bohemia. They prove the
increasing Michelsberg influence further east. It is
worth noting that especially in the middle Elbe-Saale
area a decrease of the Lengyel influence can be ob-
served at the same time. There only a small representa-
tion of the Jordansmiihl group and a higher number
of Michelsberg finds can be observed (Klassen 2004,
290). This fusion of western and eastern cultural influ-
ences may therefore have influenced the formation of
the Funnel Beaker culture.
For the formation of the northern group of the
Funnel Beaker culture the regional group of the Mi-
chelsberg culture in southern Lower Saxony (see
Leiber 1983, 189-213) is of high importance, as
ceramic finds of the Oxie and Wangels groups (c.
4,100-3,900 calBC), especially from Schleswig-Hol-
stein, show (Mischka et al. 2015, 468-469; Glykou
2016,199-201). There not only clay spoons and ladles
can be traced back to influences of the Michelsberg
culture, but large storage vessels with decorated
rims also show parallels. Arcade rims and rims with
finger-nail impressions, fingertip impressed decora-
tion or simple punctures are typical of the funnel
beakers of the Oxie group, which the large storage
vessels of the Michelsberg culture resemble quite
closely in their profile. The complex of Flintbek, distr.
Rendsburg-Eckernforde, also provided numerous
fragments of large storage vessels (dated to c. 3,985
calBC; Klassen 2004, 169; Mischka 2011; Muller
et al. 2012, 30-31).
Early Funnel Beaker pottery in
Schleswig-Holstein
The Michelsberg influence also becomes clear when
looking at the funnel beakers of the Oxie group. Simi-
lar vessels occur further south in Michelsberg contexts
in Westphalia, southern Lower Saxony and the middle
Elbe-Saale area. The Schoningen pottery also shows
decorated rims in the form of impressions typical for
the early Funnel Beaker culture. Also relatively short
vessel necks find their equivalents. The origin of this
form in the Lower Saxony regional group of the Mi-
chelsberg culture, including the Schoningen group,
can be taken for certain (see Klassen 2004, 174).
The ‘Osenkranzflaschen’ of the Oxie group have
also to be included in this discussion. Their necks
are short and cylindrical, and the lugs are perforated
horizontally. The latter element is characteristic for
lugs of the Michelsberg culture, and the lugs from
Schoningen are also horizontally perforated with-
out exception. However, it is uncertain in this case
whether these originally belonged to ‘Osenkranz-
flaschen’ or amphorae. Early Funnel Beaker pot-
tery, e.g. from Wangels LA 505, distr. Ostholstein
(see Klooss 2015, 36; Glykou 2016, 199-201), or
Flintbek, distr. Rendsburg-Eckernforde, illustrate the
connection between the earliest Funnel Beaker culture
in the western Baltic Sea area and the Michelsberg
regional groups in southern Lower Saxony. At the site
of Wangels the data for pointed-bottom vessels or oval
lamps are earlier than 4,100 calBC, and thus the end
of the Ertebolle culture in Holstein can be identified.
The Early Neolithic vessel forms, on the other hand,
date between 4,100 and 3,900 calBC and mark the
beginning of the Funnel Beaker culture in this area
(Hartz et al. 2000, 134; cf. Hartz, this volume). A
14C-dated pit (4,233-3,969 calBC; KIA 3072: 5,280
±115 BP) is known from Flintbek, which included
numerous Early Neolithic sherds that show parallels
to Michelsberg culture pottery (Zich 1992/1993, 20;
Hartz et al. 2000, 132; Mischka et al. 2015). Also
to be mentioned in this context is the site of Lubeck-
Genin in Schleswig-Holstein. There, early pottery of
the Funnel Beaker culture could be dated between
4,050 and 3,700 calBC (Hartz 2015, 459; see also
Hartz 2011, 258-270).
Early Funnel Beaker pottery in Mecklenburg-
Western Pomerania
Other inventories, which can be assigned to the find
spectrum of the Oxie group and the Wangels phase,
also originate from two sites in Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania (for the earliest Funnel Beaker culture in
the southern Mecklenburg bay see Hartz / Lubke
2004, 119-143). From the site Baabe on the island of
Riigen undecorated pottery is known, which can be
assigned to the earliest Funnel Beaker culture (Hirsch
et al. 2007, 11-51; Kotula et al. 2015, 492-494). The
vessels have flat bottoms and strongly protruding rims.
Pointed bottoms characteristic for the Ertebolle cul-
ture are missing. Only two sherds of oval lamps are
represented, which, nevertheless, still occur in the ear-
ly Funnel Beaker culture (Meurers-Balke 1983, 55).
Among the decorated pieces of early funnel bea-
kers is a rim sherd with impressions on the folded rim,
and several times decorations in the form of punc-
tures below the rim appear (Hirsch et al. 2007,30-31;
Glykou 2016, 175 fig. 18.6). Based on 14C dates, a
settlement phase between 4,100 and 3,800 calBC
could be verified (Hirsch et al. 2007, 13-14; Kotu-
la et al. 2015, 492-494). Another coastal settlement
of the Funnel Beaker culture is situated near Parow
on the southern Baltic Sea coast on the Strelasund
north of Stralsund. The spectrum of finds indicates a