The Transformation of Neolithic Societies An Eastern Danish Perspective on the 3rd Millennium BC Iversen, Rune Publication date: 2015 Document version Other version Citation for published version (APA): Iversen, R. (2015). The Transformation of Neolithic Societies: An Eastern Danish Perspective on the 3rd Millennium BC. Jysk Arkaeologisk Selskab. Jysk Arkæologisk Selskabs Skrifter Vol. 88 Download date: 27. sep.. 2021 The Transformaion of Neolithic Socieies An Eastern Danish Perspecive on the 3rd Millennium BC Rune Iversen The Transformaion of Neolithic Socieies 1 The Transformaion of Neolithic Socieies An Eastern Danish Perspecive on the 3rd Millennium BC Rune Iversen Jutland Archaeological Society 3 The Transformaion of Neolithic Socieies An Eastern Danish Perspecive on the 3rd Millennium BC Rune Iversen © The author and Jutland Archaeological Society 2015 ISBN 978-87-88415-99-5 ISSN 0107-2854 Jutland Archaeological Society Publicaions vol. 88 Layout and cover: Louise Hilmar English revision: Anne Bloch and David Earle Robinson Printed by Narayana Press Paper: BVS mat, 130 g Published by: Jutland Archaeological Society Moesgaard DK-8270 Højbjerg Distributed by: Aarhus University Press Langelandsgade 177 DK-8200 Aarhus N Published with inancial support from: Dronning Margrethe II’s Arkæologiske Fond Farumgaard-Fonden and Lillian og Dan Finks Fond Cover: The Stuehøj (Harpagers Høj) passage grave, Ølstykke, Zealand Photo by: Jesper Donnis 4 Contents Preface ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7 1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2. Background ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 A review of Danish research history ............................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Setting the scene – Europe in the 3rd millennium BC ............................................................................................................................... 15 3. Chronology ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 The chronology of the Middle Neolithic ..................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Chronological issues ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 From Funnel Beakers to Corded Ware – transitory shift or lengthy overlap? ................................................................................................... 21 The Middle Neolithic chronology – revised ............................................................................................................................................................................ 24 The transition to the Late Neolithic ................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 The end of the Neolithic ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 29 4. The late Funnel Beaker period and beyond – entering the late Middle Neolithic ...................................................................................................................................................... 33 Material transformations – late Middle Neolithic artefacts ................................................................................................................ 33 Heavy thick-butted int axes ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 33 Medium-bladed and thin-bladed int axes .............................................................................................................................................................................. 38 Adzes ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 39 Chisels ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41 Tanged arrowheads .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 42 Stone artefacts .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 44 Battle-axes ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Pottery ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Amber and bone ornaments ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 62 Conclusion: Material continuity ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 Structural changes? Settlements, graves and hoards .................................................................................................................................. 65 Settlement pattern and subsistence economy ......................................................................................................................................................................... 65 Late Middle Neolithic burial customs ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 73 Hoards and deposition practices ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 82 Change, continuity and contact networks during the late Middle Neolithic ................................................................ 88 Change versus continuity .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 88 Late Middle Neolithic contact networks .................................................................................................................................................................................... 92 5. Reintroduction of metal and the Late Neolithic ................................................................................................................ 97 Late Neolithic artefacts: New weapons, int techniques and raw materials ................................................................. 97 Flint daggers ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 97 Other pressure-aked objects .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 102 Flint axes and chisels ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................