Paradise Lost? Insights Into the Early Prehistory of the Netherlands from Development-Led Archaeology
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Nederlandse Archeologische Rapporten 062 Paradise lost? Insights into the early prehistory of the Netherlands from development-led archaeology J.H.M. Peeters, D.C.M. Raemaekers, I.I.J.A.L.M. Devriendt, P.W. Hoebe, M.J.L.Th. Niekus, G.R. Nobles & M. Schepers Paradise lost? Insights into the early prehistory of the Netherlands from development-led archaeology J.H.M. Peeters, D.C.M. Raemaekers, I.I.J.A.L.M. Devriendt, P.W. Hoebe, M.J.L.Th. Niekus, G.R. Nobles & M. Schepers Colophon Nederlandse Archeologische Rapporten 62 Paradise lost? Insights into the early prehistory of the Netherlands from development-led archaeology Authors: J.H.M. Peeters, D.C.M. Raemaekers, I.I.J.A.M.L. Devriendt, P.W. Hoebe, M.J.L.Th. Niekus, G.R. Nobles & M. Schepers Illustrations: P.W. Hoebe and J.H.M. Peeters unless otherwise indicated Cover image: excavations at Epse Olthof (Archeologie Deventer) Copy editor: Suzanne Needs-Howarth Authorisation manuscript: T. Terberger (Universität Götingen / Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Bodendenkmalpflege) Layout and production: Xerox/OBT, The Hague ISBN/EAN: 9789057992926 © Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, Amersfoort, 2017 Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands P.O. Box 1600 3800 BP Amersfoort www.cultureelerfgoed.nl 3 Contents — Preface 5 5 People and environment 165 5.1 Introduction 165 Summary 6 5.2 Exploitation and use of organic resources 165 5.2.1 Subsistence and food processing 166 Samenvating 12 5.2.2 Mesolithic pit hearths: wood for fuel and tar 178 5.3 Environmental dynamics and behavioural 1 Research framework 19 diversity 185 1.1 Introduction 19 5.3.1 Continuity and discontinuity of occupation 1.2 Analytical framework 20 and behaviour 186 1.2.1 People and materials 21 5.3.2 Human activity and environment 195 1.2.2 People and space 22 1.2.3 People and environment 22 6 Research agenda, fieldwork and reports 201 1.2.4 Spatio-temporal dimensions 23 6.1 Introduction 201 1.2.5 Knowledge domains 23 6.2 The research agenda: knowledge domains and 1.3 Report selection 24 research perspectives 201 1.4 Practical approach 24 6.2.1 People and Material 201 6.2.2 People and Space 205 2 Knowledge system and report assessment 25 6.2.3 People and Environment 207 2.1 Introduction 25 6.3 Connecting to development-led research 2.2 Knowledge system 25 in practice 208 2.3 Report assessment 26 6.3.1 Predictive models 209 2.3.1 Report selection and preliminary assessment 26 6.3.2 Prospection: augering depth and sampling grid 210 2.3.2 Geographical and chronological coverage 30 6.3.3 Excavation: phased strategies 212 2.4 Thematic data mining 45 6.3.4 Analysis 215 6.3.5 Reporting 218 3 People and material 51 6.4 Conclusions 218 3.1 Introduction 51 3.2 Craf activities 52 7 The national research agenda and future 3.2.1 Production, use and discard of lithic tools 52 perspectives 219 3.2.2 Organic resources for artefacts 76 7.1 Signifcance assessment and scientifc 3.3 Socio-cultural meaning 82 knowledge gain 219 3.3.1 Materiality: the meaning of objects 83 7.2 The National Archaeological Research 3.3.2 Death and ritual 86 Agenda and research questions 220 3.4 Frames of reference 89 7.3 What’s next? 224 3.4.1 Typo-chronology of the Final Palaeolithic and the 7.4 Conclusion 227 Mesolithic 89 3.4.2 Chronological and regional trends in potery Bibliography 229 production and use 104 Appendices 247 4 People and space 113 4.1 Introduction 113 4.2 Lithic resources in the landscape and mobility 113 4.2.1 Late Palaeolithic long-distance transport 115 4.2.2 The Wommersom distance-decay distribution 117 4.2.3 Newly ‘identifed’ and ‘ghost’ raw material sources 119 4.3 Place and space 125 4.3.1 In search of spatial diferentiation 126 4.3.2 Understanding fnds scaters: activity areas? 132 4.3.3 Tents, huts, houses and other built structures 146 5 Preface — This book presents the results of a synthetic P.W. Hoebe (BA) acted as database manager, analysis of archaeological reports dealing with assisted the other group members in extracting aspects of the early prehistory of the relevant data from the reports and analysed Netherlands. The reports were produced in the various aspects for the assessment of the context of development-led commercial information potential of the reports. archaeology over the past 10 to 15 years. Drs. M.J.L.Th. Niekus studied and analysed The Cultural Heritage Agency of the the reports in the context of the themes people Netherlands (Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel and materials and people and environment, but Erfgoed; RCE) commissioned a project, particularly focussed on lithic typochronology undertaken by the Groningen Institute of and Mesolithic pit hearths. Archaeology (GIA), which aims at a synthetic Dr G.R Nobles analysed the reports in the analysis of (mostly) excavation results context of people and space, with an emphasis concerning early prehistory (here defned as the on spatial analysis at the intra-site scale and Palaeolithic to the Middle Neolithic). The project various methodological issues regarding is part of the RCE’s Valleta harvest (Oogst voor feldwork strategies. Malta) project, which resides under the Dr M. Schepers analysed the reports in the ‘archaeological knowledge kit’ programme context of the themes people and materials and (Kenniskaart Archeologie). The aim of the people and environment, with an emphasis on programme is to develop tools or utilities to the use of organic materials, and aspects of support heritage management decision making environmental dynamics. from a national perspective. The book has greatly profted from The book is the result of a joint efort by the comments on various drafs by Dr Luc Amkreutz authors. Although we each made our own (National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden) and specifc contribution, none of the chapters is Dr Bjørn Smit and Dr Eelco Rensink (Cultural authored by a single contributor. In order to Heritage Agency, Amersfoort). Prof. Thomas account for the work done by each one of us, we Terberger (Universität Götingen; wish to provide a broad outline of who did what. Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Denkmalpfege, Dr J.H.M. Peeters acted as project leader Hannover) peer-reviewed and accepted the and wrote the running text on the basis of input manuscript in terms of its scientifc contents. (rough drafs, lists, tables, graphs and maps) Dr Suzanne Needs-Howarth (Toronto) thoroughly provided by the other project members and copy edited the text and improved it through her expanded on many topics throughout the book. critical comments and queries for clarifcation. Prof. D.C.M. Raemaekers acted as co- Furthermore, several individuals and project leader; he also studied and analysed the archaeological frms took the trouble to provide reports in the context of the theme people and us with high-resolution images from their reports: materials, with an emphasis on ceramics. Günther Noens (Genth), Archol BV (Leiden), ADC Dr I.I.J.A.L.M. Devriendt also studied and BV (Amersfoort), BAAC BV (‘s-Hertogenbosch), analysed the reports in the context of the theme RAAP BV (Amsterdam), and BOOR (Municipality people and materials, but particularly focussed of Roterdam). The authors want to thank all for on lithic technology (production, raw materials their work and their willingness to cooperate. Any and tool use); jewellery; and burial. mistakes and omissions remain our responsibility. 6 — Summary Aim 2014. The results of our study will feed in to an Archaeological heritage is important. This notion evaluation of the national research agenda and has led the Dutch government to create will eventually help inform a proposal for legislation in order to protect archaeological changes to the research questions for NOaA 2.0, values. Since 2007, the Dutch heritage legislation which has recently been launched. is part of the so-called Malta legislation, which represents the implementation of the Valleta Approach Convention (1992). The 2007 law states that the We have approached the analysis in a way that ‘disturber’ has the obligation to investigate the permits to simultaneously broaden and deepen (potential) presence of archaeological remains insights under three overarching diachronic prior to the planned disturbance, and to themes, each of which, in turn, can be subsequently take measures to safeguard this approached from four analytical spatio- heritage, either in situ or ex situ. Archaeological temporal dimensions: (a) local and short-term, heritage is primarily the responsibility of (b) local and long-term, (c) regional and short- municipal or other local authorities. Hence, term, and (d) regional and long-term. The there is no nation-wide policy on how to deal overarching themes connect to three broad with the legislative obligations. In the context of arrays of the ‘human realm of existence’: people signifcance assessment and subsequent and materials, people and space, and people selection of which sites to excavate, version 1.0 and environment. All three themes have a direct of the national archaeological research agenda bearing on the study of human behaviour in the (Nationale Onderzoeksagenda Archeologie; past on the basis of archaeologically recorded NOaA; 2006) was intended to serve as a national data and subsequent interpretation of the scientifc reference framework for decision paterning found within. making and a starting point for research design. In order to enable structured searching of A recently conducted evaluation of the reports, it was necessary to build a fexible efectiveness of the heritage management cycle database structure which allowed for the under the Malta legislation has revealed that selection of reports concerning sites that reports resulting from development-led potentially provide information on particular research lag behind with respect to the topics.