6-12-2016 Exploitation and settlement dynamics of the Frisian coastal peat zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period Drs. ing. M. Bakker [email protected] Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 2 Contents Introduction Research • Relevance • Research history • Recent fieldwork-campaigns Settling of the peat area (source: R. van Eerden) • The onset • The character • About abandonment • The end of these reclamations Summary 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 3 Introduction: Frisian coastal peat zone 500100800 BCECE (Modified after: Vos & Knol 2013) Current area of interest 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 4 Introduction: early peat reclamations First habitation (ca. 650 BCE): • Salt marshes • Terps: artificial dwelling mounds. • Terps raised on natural ridges near creeks Colonization during Iron Age and Roman Period: • Expanding salt marshes • Reclamation of peat lands 100500100 CEBCBCE AD M. Bakker Clay-on-peat area Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 5 Introduction: “classic” terp versus single-house terp 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Arkum (source: Rug/GIA) Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 6 Introduction: “classic” terp versus single-house terp 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Arkum (source: Rug/GIA) Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 7 Introduction: Early peat reclamations Not only in the northern Netherlands! The Netherlands divided in 8 macro-regions: 1. Westergo 2. Oostergo 3. Groningen 4. Vlie estuary 5. Oer-IJ estuary 6. Rhineland 7. Meusse estuary 8. Zeeland Especially the areas of the Oer-IJ, Meusse and Zeeland have been researched by large scale fieldwork. 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 8 Relevance of the current research Archaeological research themes • Starting conditions • Reclamation strategies • The usage of the land (farming and other activities) • Connection between the reclaimed peat lands and the salt marshes • The influence of the reclamation on the environment and vice versa • Starting conditions and the character and development of the local settlements Peat oxidation threatens not only current usage of peat lands, but also the archaeological heritage contained in the peat M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 9 Relevance of the current research Archaeological research themes • Starting conditions • Reclamation strategies • The usage of the land (farming and other activities) • Connection between the reclaimed peat lands and the salt marshes • The influence of the reclamation on the environment and vice versa • Starting conditions and the character and development of the local settlements Peat oxidation threatens not only current usage of peat lands, but also the archaeological heritage contained in the peat M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 10 Research history Observations (Van Giffen, Cnossen, Santema, Halbertsma, Janssen, etc.) Excavations e.g.: 1) Wartena-Warstiens1: Wartena(Elzinga-Warstiens: 1965) 5 2) Sneek-Jachthaven (Elzinga: 1966) 1 3 3) Hempens-Teerns (GIA/ARC: 1998) 4) Sneek Stadsrondweg-Oost (ARC: 2001) 5) Leeuwarden-Bullepolder (ARC: 2001) 4 2 Various coring surveys (Aalbersberg 2006, etc.) 500100 BC AD 100 CE M. Bakker (Bewerkt naar: Vos & Knol 2013) Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 11 Research history Observations (Van Giffen, Cnossen, Santema, Halbertsma, Janssen, etc.) Excavations e.g.: 1) Wartena-Warstiens (Elzinga: 1965) 5 2) Sneek-Jachthaven (Elzinga: 1966) 1 3 3) Hempens-Teerns (GIA/ARC: 1998) 4) Sneek Stadsrondweg-Oost (ARC: 2001) 5) Leeuwarden-Bullepolder (ARC: 2001) 4 2 Various coring surveys (Aalbersberg 2006, etc.) 500100 BC AD 100 CE M. Bakker (Bewerkt naar: Vos & Knol 2013) Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 12 Research history: Wartena-Warstiens 1965 Settlement shape: (Wartena-Warstiens 1965 iconic) 1. Settling on clay-on-peat soil Mound of clay- 2. Always on small mounds and peat sods 3. Round mounds with circular ditch 4. Small farmsteads/sheds BRUINSMA, P., 1968. Enkele beschouwingen naar aanleiding M. Bakker van het onderzoek van een ondergeslibde terp bij Wartena- Warstiens, verricht 5-28 april 1965. It Beaken 30. 165-184. (Wartena-Noord 2013) Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 13 (Sneek-Harinxmaland 2014) Recent fieldwork-campaigns Excavation campaigns: 1. Arkum (2012) 2. Wartena-Noord (2013) 3. Sneek-Harinxmaland (2014) Leeuwarden- 4. Leeuwarden-Bullepolder (2015) L’wardenBullepolder-Bullepolder Wartena-Noord Wartena-Noord Locations based on: - Importance for research - Permission Sneek-Harinxmaland Sneek-Harinxmaland Arkum Arkum Besides excavations, also additional coring surveys are carried out and other kinds of 500100 BC AD fieldwork. 100100 AD AD = New excavations = Important old excavations Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 14 Settling the peat area: the onset Not only on clay-on-peat! MA-Rec Also on fen peat: ROM • Arkum (150 BCE ± 50) • Wartena (70 CE ± 25) M-ROM Phase 2 Even on raised bogs: • Sneek-Harinxmaland (0 CE ± 25) NAT Phase 1 • Leeuwarden-Bullepolder (350 BCE ± 50) NAT Phase 0 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 15 Settling the peat area: the onset Not only on clay-on-peat! MA-Rec Also on fen peat: ROM • Arkum (150 BCE ± 50) • Wartena (70 CE ± 25) M-ROM Phase 2 Even on raised bogs: • Sneek-Harinxmaland (0 CE ± 25) NAT Phase 1 • Leeuwarden-Bullepolder (350 BCE ± 50) NAT Phase 0 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 16 Settling the peat area: the settlement character In the reclaimed peat lands: • Single farmsteads • High density: 5-6 sites per square km Type of peat • Bog peat initially no mound (flachsiedlung) • Fen peat Early sites initially no mound (Arkum); younger sites seem always on a mound (area around Wartena) Dwelling mounds: Initially also rectangular farm yards 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Wartena-Warstiens 1965 vs Wartena-Noord 2013 Wartena-Noord (2013) Wartena-Warstiens (1965) Also Wartena-Warstiens 1965 was rectangular Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 18 Settling the peat area: about abandonment In general, settlements seem to be abandoned after about 4 generations • Most likely cause: drainage problems due to continuing subsidence of peat land • After abandonment , the peat land became backwater swamp or marsh (clay-on-peat) Where do they go? • Not all reclamations date from the same period • Younger reclamations lay deeper in the peat area People move on to new stretches of peat land 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 19 Settling the peat area: temporary abandonment Initial abandonment, but not neccesarily the end: Later silting up and medieval usage After some time sites were Middle-Roman Period often reused for habitation or other activities Peat growth & silting up Arkum is a good example Early Roman Period Peat regrowth Late Iron Age 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 20 Settling the peat area: temporary abandonment Roman Period Some sites even transformed in Radial ditch Circular ditch moderate terps Excavation 2001 (ARC) Excavation 2015 (GIA) Ditch Circular ditch Leeuwarden-Bullepolder Iron Age: Water well • Started in the 4th century BCE as a farmhouse on a reclaimed bog peat • Linear ditch pattern Leeuwarden-Bullepolder Roman Period: • Reoccupied now clay-on-peat • In the 3th century CE it was a terp 500100 BC AD of c. 2 ha with a radial allotment 0 10 20 40 60 80 100 Meters Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 21 The end of these reclamations Like a large part of the Frisian salt marshes: • Most reclamations stop during the 3rd century CE • The last settlements were likely abandoned in the early 4th century CE (Sneek- Jachthaven) After abandonment: • Often renewed peat growth in the abandoned peat lands (Tinga-complex) • And/or silting up with marine clays 500100 BC AD M. Bakker Exploitation & Settlement Dynamics of the Frisian Coastal Peat Zone during the Iron Age and Roman Period 6-12-2016 | 22 Summary • The early Frisian peat reclamations started (at least) around the 4th century BCE and took place as well on fen-peat as on bog-peat. • Individual farmsteads (einzelhöfe), but high density (5-6 per sq. Km) and initially not always a dwelling mound younger fen-peat reclamations always a mound, like the area of Wartena. • The initial shape of a mound always rectangular and never round (later caused by trampling, terp expansion and silting up of clay. • After time abandonment (due to problems with water table) reclamation of new stretches of peat land youngest reclamations are positioned the furthest in the peat area • When balance was restored in abandoned reclamations renewed interest, even re-habitation and expansion of former terp settlements • The early Frisian peat reclamations end in the 3rd and early 4th century CE.