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Latent dwelling structures in the Final Palaeolithic: Niederbieber IV, Andernach-Martinsberg 3, Berlin-Tegel IX Frank Gelhausen, Jan Kegler, Stefan Wenzel To cite this version: Frank Gelhausen, Jan Kegler, Stefan Wenzel. Latent dwelling structures in the Final Palaeolithic: Niederbieber IV, Andernach-Martinsberg 3, Berlin-Tegel IX. Notae Praehistoricae, Laboratorium voor prehistorie, 2004, 24, pp.69-79. hal-02279104 HAL Id: hal-02279104 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02279104 Submitted on 5 Sep 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. LatentNotae Praehistoricaedwelling structures 24-2004 in the : 69-79 Final Palaeolithic: Niederbieber IV 69 Latent dwelling structures in the Final Palaeolithic: Niederbieber IV, Andernach-Martinsberg 3, Berlin-Tegel IX Frank GELHAUSEN, Jan F. KEGLER & Stefan WENZEL Résumé Pour les concentrations d’objets lithiques de Federmessergruppen dans les sites de Nieberbieber IV, Andernach- Martinsberg 3 et Berlin-Tegel IX, la présence d’habitats humains peut être démontrée par la combinaison de différents indices. Chacune des ces quatre concentrations est relativement compacte tandis que la quantité des objets lithiques diminue rapidement en périphérie. La distribution des objets de taille supérieure et des lignes de raccordement entre les remontages se rapporte à la périphérie de l’étendue lithique. En partie, la concentration d’objets lithiques se trouve sans rapport avec la répartition des ossements. Nous interprétons ces indices comme une ancienne barrière effective entre les répartitions qui indique l’existence des structures habitats humains. Mots-clés : Interstade d’Allerød, Paléolithique final, Federmessergruppen, structures de campement, structures d’habitat, réparti- tion de la densité des artefacts, lignes contours de la densité, remontages des artefacts. Abstract At the Final Palaeolithic (Federmessergruppen) sites of Niederbieber (Area IV), Andernach-Martinsberg 3 and Berlin-Tegel IX a combination of different methods of spatial analysis reveals indications for a former separation of the main accumulations of finds from the surrounding area. All three find scatters are very dense and show a marked sudden decrease at their edges. The distribution of larger objects and refitting lines between artefacts respect the edges of the find scatters. In some cases certain finds like unburned larger bone fragments or larger stones are not found within the artefact find scatter. We interpret these indications for a formerly effective limitation of the find concentrations as showing the former presence of dwelling structures. Keywords: Allerød Interstadial, Final Palaeolithic, Federmessergruppen, settlement structures, dwellings, mapping of artefact density, density contour lines, refits of artefacts. 1. Introduction Pincevent. On the basis of mapping and the refitting of finds it was possible to reconstruct activities and Several dwelling structures of the Magdalenian work areas can be defined. Furthermore the position and an early phase of the Final Palaeolithic (bipointe of the walls of a dwelling can be detected by finds phase) are characterized by floors made of slabs of which were trapped within the walls (Leroi-Gourhan, schist (Bosinski, 1979; Street, 1995) or by stones in 1984: fig. 27). Under the influence of the work of A. lateral position used as weights (Jöris & Terberger, Leroi-Gourhan dwellings were sought in the find-poor 2001). Such unambiguous dwelling structures are first area behind the fire places and surrounded by adjacent known again in the Mesolithic, for example the dwelling waste zones (e.g. Bolus, 1992). However, the evident of Ulkestrup I with a preserved bark floor and stakes structures mentioned initially are in fact dwellings (Andersen, Jørgensen & Richter, 1982; Grøn, 2003). characterised by a large quantity of internal finds For the time of the Federmessergruppen such evident (Grøn, 2003: 698), in particular the trapezoid tent of dwelling structures are missing in Western and Central Etiolles W11 from the Magdalenian (Jöris & Terberger, Europe. 2001) and the Mesolithic dwellings of Ulkestrup type Fundamental considerations for the evaluation (Grøn, 1995), which contained numerous waste of latent settlement structures, which are handed around their internal fire places. down as simple find scatters, have been discussed by On the basis of L. R. Binford’s criticism (1984) A. Leroi-Gourhan and M. Brézillon (1972) in the of Leroi-Gourhan’s concepts, D. Stapert (1992) tried context of the analysis of the Magdalenian site of to develop a method to distinguish find concentrations 70 F. Gelhausen, J. F. Kegler & St. Wenzel derived from former dwelling locations from those the hearth, but falls steadily towards the periphery, concentrations which reflect open air camp sites. leading to a unimodal distribution of the find density. Stapert’s ring & sector method divides the area around Stapert’s method is unsuitable in its basic principle for a central fireplace into sectors and circular zones. It demonstrating dwellings which do not have a circular examines the frequency of artefacts according to ground plan, since these cannot meaningfully be picked distance classes relative to the fire place. Has the fire up by circular zones. However individual latent place been in a dwelling, a zone comparatively poor dwellings of Allerød age were detected by the ring & in finds shows up between fire place and the former sector method, so Rekem 10 (de Bie & Caspar, 2000) wall. At the wall the number of artefacts rises again in and Andernach-Martinsberg (Street & Stapert, 1997). order to finally fall again outside. A bimodal In order to also be able to evaluate find concen- distribution of the find frequency is the result. In trations which are neither round nor have a central fire contrast to this, at an outdoor hearth the number of place, we have combined already well-known methods finds does not rise again beyond the waste zone around of the analysis of settlement structures for three sites from the Allerød (fig. 1). Our investigation is based on following considerations and observations: 1. A sudden change from high to small find density at the edge of a find concentration points to a former delimitation. A rising number of finds directly inside the border of a concentration of artefacts, connected with a clear drop of the find numbers outside, both demanded by Stapert (1992) for proof of the barrier effect, represents only a special case as an indication of the delimitation of a settlement structure. Whether a find concentration is clearly limited can be demonstrated particularly clearly if one represents the find quantity per unit of area (here quarter square meters) by isopachs (find density lines). 2. If the connecting lines of refitted artefacts often run along the border of a concentration or end there, where a clear decrease of the find numbers is registered, this is likewise a indication of an obsta- cle, which prevented a diffuse distribution of the finds. 3. In evident dwelling structures retouched arte- facts are essentially limited to the extent of the concentration. Cores are rather found at the edge of the concentration or beyond of it. In some cases tools also concentrate at the edge of the find concentration. 4. Larger boulders and faunal remains lie at the edge of a concentration or outside it, so that the concen- tration of the distribution is, to a large extent, left empty of this type of finds. 2. Niederbieber – Area IV The Late Palaeolithic Site of Niederbieber Fig. 1 — Position of the Sites of Niederbieber and (Neuwied Basin, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany) was Andernach within the Middle Rhine Valley and the discovered during industrial pumice quarrying in Position of Berlin-Tegel. 1980. The pumice came from the huge eruption of Latent dwelling structures in the Final Palaeolithic: Niederbieber IV 71 the Laacher See volcano which is dated quite precisely Faunal remains are distributed in two larger to about 10.966 cal. BC. The Late Palaeolithic zones at the southwest and northeast of the excava- Allerød surface was covered and also well preserved tion surface. They almost align with the distribution during the following millennia by the erupted pumice. of the pebbles but they are slightly more diffuse. In Niederbieber is, with an excavated surface of more any case, they are distributed outside the find con- than 930 m², one of the best examined sites of the centration shown by the isopachs (fig. 2b). Refitting Late Palaeolithic Federmessergruppen in Central Eu- lines show that activities have obviously taken place rope (e.g. M. Bolus, 1992; M. Baales, 2001, 2002). within the find scatter. They often run along the Together with the sites of Rekem (Belgium) and Le edges of the concentration, ending there and Closeau (France), Niederbieber offers unique insights demarcating its boundary (fig. 2c). into settlement patterns during the Allerød warm The arguments specified before permit a re- period at the end of the Pleistocene. Evaluations so construction of the features of Niederbieber IV as a far show 17 clear find concentrations of different polygonal floor plan of a former dwelling. Particularly shape and density (F. Gelhausen, in prep.). Of special remarkable is the relatively sudden change from high interest are the concentrations of Areas I and IV. to low find density at the edges of the find scatter These two concentrations reveal hearths at their (fig. 2c). Particularly the heavier objects, such as centre not only because of burnt artefacts but also cores and pebbles are deposited here. The conjoining because of changes in colour of the underlying lines also point to a barrier at the edges of the find sediment.

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