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STONE-PAVED CELLARS IN THE STONE AGE? ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FOR A NEOLITHIC SUBTERRANEAN CONSTRUCTION FROM NYGÅRDSVEJ 3, FALSTER, DENMARK

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2024

Marie Brinch*
Affiliation:
Museum Lolland-Falster, Frisegade 40 Nykøbing, Nykobing Falster 4800, Denmark
Bente Philippsen
Affiliation:
Museum Lolland-Falster, Frisegade 40 Nykøbing, Nykobing Falster 4800, Denmark NTNU Vitenskapsmuseet - Nasjonallaboratoriene for datering, Trondheim, Norway
Daniel Groß
Affiliation:
Museum Lolland-Falster, Frisegade 40 Nykøbing, Nykobing Falster 4800, Denmark
Marie Kanstrup
Affiliation:
Aarhus University – Aarhus AMS Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Aarhus, Denmark
*
*Corresponding author. Email: mb@museumlollandfalster.dk
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Abstract

We present the excavation results from a Middle Neolithic site associated with the Funnel Beaker Culture. Within two overlying house phases, a recessed area was recorded, which had been constructed using different sized pebbles. The arrangement and form of the feature clearly indicated anthropogenic origin and is understood as belonging to one of the house phases. Consequently, it is interpreted as a cellar. Several pits and post holes are additional features that were recorded at the site and indicate the presence of a fence structure with up to seven parallel courses. In this paper, we present radiocarbon dates from the features and an age model for the construction and use of the cellar as well as the fences. Moreover, the site Nygårdsvej 3 will be placed in its regional archaeological landscape.

Information

Type
Conference Paper
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of University of Arizona
Figure 0

Figure 1 (a) Location of the site (orange triangle), other Neolithic settlements (black squares) and graves (blue crosses). The heights are marked in blue for lower and yellow for higher areas, ranging from ca. –5 to 50 m asl. Note that the DHM shows the modern surface and therefore contains anthropogenic features like railroads and streets, as visible northwest of the site. (b) Nygårdsvej 3 in its surrounding landscape. Valleys and basins are filled to highlight the potential situation during the occupation period. Black squares: Neolithic settlement sites; blue crosses: Neolithic graves.

Figure 1

Figure 2 (a) Overview over the excavation. The northern trench (trench 2) and the southern trench (trench 1) are marked with rectangles. (b) Trench 2 with pits and palisade lines 1-7. Dated features are shaded and indicated by their feature-numbers. (c) Trench 1 with the two house phases. K1 is displayed in red, K2 in blue. The separated house outlines show the compacted loam floors (orange shading). In the drawing of the stone paved feature, stones located in a lower position (presumably the cellar floor) are displayed in a lighter color.

Figure 2

Figure 3 (a) Reconstruction drawing of the house. (b) Overview photo of the cellar feature (seen from the east, about the same orientation as the reconstruction drawing). (c) Detail photo of the cellar wall, marked by red lines, seen from the west. Drawing and photos: Museum Lolland-Falster.

Figure 3

Table 1 Radiocarbon dates from Nygårdsvej 3 (MLF01848).

Figure 4

Figure 4 Calibration results of the radiocarbon dates.