DOI Kapitel:
Changing Worlds – The Spread of the Neolithic Way of Life in the North
DOI Kapitel:Kirleis, Wibke: Subsistence change? Diversification of plant economy during the Neolithic in northern Germany
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0446
Wiebke Kirleis
445
3,600 and 3200 calBCE (Beck 2014; Muller 2014;
Sorensen / Karg 2014). The ‘boom’ of ard marks
directly predates the erection of megalithic tombs
(Mischka 2013). It is often overlooked but impor-
tant that the ard is a tool that can be pulled either
by humans or by draught animals. To differentiate
both, systematic measurements of the depth of ard
marks are a desideratum that might reveal the depth
of ground penetration which supposedly is deeper
when animal traction was applied. To date, animal
traction is proven to have taken place on a regular
basis only since the Middle Neolithic, i.e. from 3,300
calBCE onwards (Johannsen 2006). The full adop-
tion of animal traction for plowing coincides with the
introduction of wheel and wagon or cart in the mid
4th millennium calBCE, another technological innova-
tion that accounts for animal traction (Mischka 2011;
Klimscha 2017; Klimscha / Neumann this volume).
From an archaeobotanical point of view, the
documented weed spectrum allows for the identifi-
cation of differences in the subsistence regime. The
weeds can be grouped into annual and perennial
species, each linked with a variable degree of distur-
bance and thus a specific mode of arable practice.
The occurrence of annual weeds is linked with a
high disturbance regime, intensive earthwork and
weeding. In contrast, the perennial weed species
dominate in cultivation regimes that are managed ex-
tensively, e.g. with the ard, just scratching furrows in
the ground for seeding, leaving undisturbed patches
between the ard marks and later rows of plants.
To infer tendencies in crop management strat-
egies regarding intensive versus extensive cultiva-
tion in the northern German Neolithic and how it
relates to specific crop plants, the ratios of emmer
plus spelt/free-threshing barley and annual/peren-
nial weeds are calculated (Brozio et al. 2019a). For
the periods 4,000-2,800 and 2,250-1,900 calBCE,
sound background data on cereal and weed seeds
and fruits are available. They show that the ratio of
free-threshing barley/emmer-spelt for the Early Neo-
lithic period (4,000-3,300 calBCE) is linked with the
ratio of perennial to annual weeds, indicating that in
this period in particular free-threshing barley may
have been grown extensively (Fig. 6). However, emmer
and annual weeds are present as well and show that
intensive crop growing was a complimentary part of
the agricultural system. In contrast, for the Late Neo-
lithic period (here: 2,250-1,900 calBCE) the ratio of
emmer-spelt/free-threshing barley matches the ratio
of annual to perennial weeds. Since annual weeds
dominate, it can be assumed that intensive agricul-
ture was the practice applied to emmer and gained
even more importance when spelt entered the crop
spectrum in the Late Neolithic. The Middle Neolithic
(3,300-2,800 calBCE) is a period with more or less
balanced extensive and intensive agricultural practices.
Informed crop cultivation: adaptation to plant
traits and ecological niches
The Neolithic dwellers lived in a widely forested envi-
ronment (Feeser et al. 2019; Knitter et al. 2019) with
small-scale clearings for farmsteads. Further opening
of the dense woodland cover was triggered by livestock
browsing in the vicinity of the farmsteads, thus facili-
tating the establishment of plots for crop cultivation.
While cultivation on freshly cleared plots is highly
beneficial with respect to plant nutrients, depletion of
soils becomes relevant if plots are periodically under
cultivation (Schier et al. 2013). It is assumed that in-
tensive garden plots were in use over long time periods
over the course of the Neolithic, possibly for several
generations. The recurrent crop cultivation on the
same plots changed the soil properties. Intensive use
and biomass removal by harvesting of crops may have
led to a severe leaching of soils, accounting for the ap-
plication of manure to sustain high yields. The stable
isotopic composition of cereal grains can indicate the
use of livestock manure and hint at water management
strategies that enhance crop yields. Whether or not
manuring was implemented as a cultivation strategy
in the northern German Neolithic, is currently being
investigated.
First results from stable isotope studies applied
on charred material from the northern German site
Oldenburg LA77, distr. Holstein, have shown a high
degree of variation (Filipovic et al. 2019a). Crab
apple provides a signal of natural soils with 815N val-
ues below any manuring regime (Fig. 7). The emmer
grains group with consistent values in the range of
natural soils and a low level of manuring (resulting
in 815N values between 3-6°/oo). The individual grains
of barley however show a high variety in the range of
815N values. This may be explained by differences in
the incorporation of nitrogen in the living plant, or
taphonomic reasons, like the effects of charring and
the state of grain preservation. The narrow range of
emmer 615N values, when compared with barley, might
also be interpreted as a consequence of stable grow-
ing conditions for emmer, with cultivation on similar
plots and consistent treatment, perhaps in the dry
upland zone near to the settlement. The high degree
of variation in barley may, in contrast, reflect the wide
ecological amplitude of this species, regardless of the
presence/absence of manuring, that allows for success-
445
3,600 and 3200 calBCE (Beck 2014; Muller 2014;
Sorensen / Karg 2014). The ‘boom’ of ard marks
directly predates the erection of megalithic tombs
(Mischka 2013). It is often overlooked but impor-
tant that the ard is a tool that can be pulled either
by humans or by draught animals. To differentiate
both, systematic measurements of the depth of ard
marks are a desideratum that might reveal the depth
of ground penetration which supposedly is deeper
when animal traction was applied. To date, animal
traction is proven to have taken place on a regular
basis only since the Middle Neolithic, i.e. from 3,300
calBCE onwards (Johannsen 2006). The full adop-
tion of animal traction for plowing coincides with the
introduction of wheel and wagon or cart in the mid
4th millennium calBCE, another technological innova-
tion that accounts for animal traction (Mischka 2011;
Klimscha 2017; Klimscha / Neumann this volume).
From an archaeobotanical point of view, the
documented weed spectrum allows for the identifi-
cation of differences in the subsistence regime. The
weeds can be grouped into annual and perennial
species, each linked with a variable degree of distur-
bance and thus a specific mode of arable practice.
The occurrence of annual weeds is linked with a
high disturbance regime, intensive earthwork and
weeding. In contrast, the perennial weed species
dominate in cultivation regimes that are managed ex-
tensively, e.g. with the ard, just scratching furrows in
the ground for seeding, leaving undisturbed patches
between the ard marks and later rows of plants.
To infer tendencies in crop management strat-
egies regarding intensive versus extensive cultiva-
tion in the northern German Neolithic and how it
relates to specific crop plants, the ratios of emmer
plus spelt/free-threshing barley and annual/peren-
nial weeds are calculated (Brozio et al. 2019a). For
the periods 4,000-2,800 and 2,250-1,900 calBCE,
sound background data on cereal and weed seeds
and fruits are available. They show that the ratio of
free-threshing barley/emmer-spelt for the Early Neo-
lithic period (4,000-3,300 calBCE) is linked with the
ratio of perennial to annual weeds, indicating that in
this period in particular free-threshing barley may
have been grown extensively (Fig. 6). However, emmer
and annual weeds are present as well and show that
intensive crop growing was a complimentary part of
the agricultural system. In contrast, for the Late Neo-
lithic period (here: 2,250-1,900 calBCE) the ratio of
emmer-spelt/free-threshing barley matches the ratio
of annual to perennial weeds. Since annual weeds
dominate, it can be assumed that intensive agricul-
ture was the practice applied to emmer and gained
even more importance when spelt entered the crop
spectrum in the Late Neolithic. The Middle Neolithic
(3,300-2,800 calBCE) is a period with more or less
balanced extensive and intensive agricultural practices.
Informed crop cultivation: adaptation to plant
traits and ecological niches
The Neolithic dwellers lived in a widely forested envi-
ronment (Feeser et al. 2019; Knitter et al. 2019) with
small-scale clearings for farmsteads. Further opening
of the dense woodland cover was triggered by livestock
browsing in the vicinity of the farmsteads, thus facili-
tating the establishment of plots for crop cultivation.
While cultivation on freshly cleared plots is highly
beneficial with respect to plant nutrients, depletion of
soils becomes relevant if plots are periodically under
cultivation (Schier et al. 2013). It is assumed that in-
tensive garden plots were in use over long time periods
over the course of the Neolithic, possibly for several
generations. The recurrent crop cultivation on the
same plots changed the soil properties. Intensive use
and biomass removal by harvesting of crops may have
led to a severe leaching of soils, accounting for the ap-
plication of manure to sustain high yields. The stable
isotopic composition of cereal grains can indicate the
use of livestock manure and hint at water management
strategies that enhance crop yields. Whether or not
manuring was implemented as a cultivation strategy
in the northern German Neolithic, is currently being
investigated.
First results from stable isotope studies applied
on charred material from the northern German site
Oldenburg LA77, distr. Holstein, have shown a high
degree of variation (Filipovic et al. 2019a). Crab
apple provides a signal of natural soils with 815N val-
ues below any manuring regime (Fig. 7). The emmer
grains group with consistent values in the range of
natural soils and a low level of manuring (resulting
in 815N values between 3-6°/oo). The individual grains
of barley however show a high variety in the range of
815N values. This may be explained by differences in
the incorporation of nitrogen in the living plant, or
taphonomic reasons, like the effects of charring and
the state of grain preservation. The narrow range of
emmer 615N values, when compared with barley, might
also be interpreted as a consequence of stable grow-
ing conditions for emmer, with cultivation on similar
plots and consistent treatment, perhaps in the dry
upland zone near to the settlement. The high degree
of variation in barley may, in contrast, reflect the wide
ecological amplitude of this species, regardless of the
presence/absence of manuring, that allows for success-