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From the Early Preboreal to the Subboreal period
- Current Mesolithic research in Europe
Vom frühen Präboreal bis zum Subboreal –
Aktuelle Forschungen zum Mesolithikum in
Europa
Edited by Annabell Zander & Birgit Gehlen
Annabell Zander and Birgit Gehlen
(eds.)
From the Early Preboreal to the Subboreal period
− Current Mesolithic research in Europe
Studies in honour of Bernhard Gramsch
Vom frühen Präboreal bis zum Subboreal
− Aktuelle Forschungen zum Mesolithikum in Europa
Studien zu Ehren von Bernhard Gramsch
Mesolithic Edition 5
Edition Mesolithikum
CRC 806
'Our Way
to Europe'
1
Edition Mesolithikum
Édition Mésolithique
Mesolithic Edition
5
herausgegeben von
Birgit Gehlen und Werner Schön
Welt und Erde Loogh 2020
3
Annabell Zander and Birgit Gehlen
(eds.)
From the Early Preboreal to the Subboreal period
− Current Mesolithic research in Europe
Studies in honour of Bernhard Gramsch
Vom frühen Präboreal bis zum Subboreal
− Aktuelle Forschungen zum Mesolithikum in Europa
Studien zu Ehren von Bernhard Gramsch
4
‚
ISBN 978-3-938078-26-6
Die Deutsche Bibliothek – CIP Einheitsaufnahme.
A title set for this publication is available from Die Deutsche Bibliothek
Ein Titelsa für diese Publikation ist bei der Deutschen Bibliothek erhältlich
(www.ddb.de)
Edition Mesolithikum 5 / Édition Mésolithique 5 / Mesolithic Edition 5
Annabell Zander and Birgit Gehlen (eds.)
From the Early Preboreal to the Subboreal period − Current Mesolithic research in Europe.
Studies in honour of Bernhard Gramsch.
Vom frühen Präboreal bis zum Subboreal − Aktuelle Forschungen zum Mesolithikum in Europa.
Studien zu Ehren von Bernhard Gramsch.
ISSN 1860-2665
Editing Annabell Zander (York), Birgit Gehlen (Köln)
Werner Schön (Kerpen-Loogh)
Annabell Zander (York) and authors
Annabell Zander (York) and Werner Schön (Kerpen-Loogh);
drawing (cut-out) by A. Müller/LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen
according to information from Annabell Zander
Birgit Gehlen (Köln) and Werner Schön (Kerpen-Loogh)
BoD, Books on Demand GmbH, In de Tarpen 42, DE-22848 Norderstedt
Translations
Cover design
Typesetting and layout
Production
Sale Welt und Erde Verlag, Dr. Birgit Gehlen M.A. & Dr. Werner Schön,
An der Lay 4, DE-54578 Kerpen-Loogh (Eifel); www.weltunderde.com;
Tel./Tél./Phone 0049 (0)6593 - 989642; Fax 0049 (0)6593 - 989643;
email : weltunderde.verlag@gmx.de
and BoD : https://www.bod.de
© Copyright 2020 Welt und Erde Verlag, Kerpen-Loogh
This book was published with funding from the Collaborative Research Centre 806
‚Our Way to Europe‘
– Culture-environment interaction and human mobility in the Late Quaternary
5
Bernhard Gramsch
* 11. April 1934 in Berlin
Dear Benno,
Thank you for decades of passionate Mesolithic research
and the sites of Friesack 4 and 27.
Wishing you all the best for the future !
6
Vorwort der Herausgeber der Reihe
Edition Mesolithikum
2005 haben wir die Reihe „Edition Mesolithi-
kum“ mit der Dissertation von Martin Heinen
begonnen. Bisher sind vier Bände in der Reihe
erscheinen, die dreisprachig angelegt war. Wir
sind daher sehr glücklich, dass wir mit dem vor-
liegenden Band die Reihe fortseen können.
Dies wurde nur durch die nanzielle Unter-
stützung des Sonderforschungsbereiches 806
„Our Way to Europe −− Culture-Environment
Interaction and Human Mobility in the Late
Quaternary" ermöglicht. Trotzdem gibt es leider
− anders als bei den bisherigen Bänden − keine
französischsprachigen Zusammenfassungen und
Abbildungsunterschriften. Zum einen wäre der
nanzielle Aufwand für die Überseungen und
den größeren Buchumfang für unseren kleinen
Verlag, den wir nur noch ehrenamtlich betreiben,
nicht mehr möglich gewesen, denn die verkaufs-
zahlen der Bücher gehen stetig stark zurück.
Zum anderen häe es noch mehr Zeit gekostet,
die Herstellung des Buch abzuschließen.
Wir bedanken uns bei alle Autorinnen und Auto-
ren für ihre nahezu endlose Geduld. Die aller-
meisten Beiträge waren schon vor zwei Jahren
fertig, aber die Höhen und Tiefen des Lebens
haben die Herausgeberinnen immer wieder da-
ran gehindert, den Band früher fertig zu stellen.
Besonderer Dank gebührt Robert Gramsch-
Stehfest für die Beschaffung von Bildern seines
Vaters und seinen freundlichen und immer wie-
der motivierenden Schriftwechsel.
Schon früh entstand die Idee, diesen Band unse-
rem allseits geschäten Forscherkollegen und
lieben Freund Bernhard „Benno“ Gramsch zu
widmen. Er hat über viele Jahrzehnte die Miel-
steinzeitforschung durch eigene Forschungen,
die Unterstüung des Nachwuchses und die
Vorbereitungen von wichtigen Kongressen berei-
chert und gefördert. Wir alle sind ihm zu größ-
tem Dank verpichtet.
Foreword by the Editors of the
Mesolithic Edition Series
In 2005 we started the series ‘Mesolithic Edition’
with Martin Heinen’s dissertation. So far, four
volumes have appeared in the series, which was
designed to be trilingual. We are therefore very
happy to continue the series with the present
volume. This was only made possible by the
nancial support of the Collaborative Research
Centre 806 ‘Our Way to Europe − Culture-En-
vironment Interaction and Human Mobility in
the Late Quaternary’. Nevertheless, unlike the
previous volumes, there are unfortunately no
French-language summaries and gure captions.
For one thing, the nancial outlay for the trans-
lations and the larger book size would no longer
have been possible for our small publishing
house, which we now only run on a voluntary
basis, in view of declining sales numbers. On the
other hand, it would have taken a long time to
nish the book.
We would like to thank all the authors for their
almost endless patience. The vast majority of
contributions were nished two years ago, but
life’s ups and downs kept preventing the editors
from completing the volume in a more timely
manner.
Special thanks are due to Robert Gramsch-
Stehfest for obtaining pictures of his father and
for his friendly and always motivating corre-
spondence.
The idea of dedicating this volume to our uni-
versally respected research colleague and dear
friend Bernhard ‘Benno’ Gramsch arose early on.
For many decades he has enriched and promoted
Mesolithic research through his own research,
the support of young researchers and the prepa-
ration of important congresses. We are all indeb-
ted to him.
Foreword / Vorwort
Birgit Gehlen and Werner Schön
Kerpen-Loogh, December 2020
7Contents / Inhalt Contents / Inhalt
9
15
39
59
73
91
111
Introduction to this volume
Annabell Zander & Birgit Gehlen
On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
Zum Beginn des Frühmesolithikums im norddeutschen Tiefland
Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
Mørke Enge: Cutting Peat and Dating Barbed Bone Points from the Preboreal
(Svend Jørgensen in Memoriam)
Mørke Enge: Torfstechen und Datieren von Widerhakenspitzen aus dem Präboreal
(Svend Jørgensen in Memoriam)
Erik Brinch Petersen
Grenzen, Gruppe, Territorien – Einige Gedanken zum Frühmesolithikum
in Mainfranken und benachbarten Regionen
Borders, Groups, Territories – Some Thoughts on the Early Mesolithic
in Main Franconia and Neighbouring Regions
Benjamin Spies
Mesolithic sites along the Reevediep near Kampen, the Netherlands:
preliminary results of a large-scale excavation with a dwelling-structure
Mesolithische Fundplätze entlang der Reeve-Niederung nahe Kampen,
Niederlande: Vorläufige Ergebnisse einer Großgrabung mit einer
Behausungsstruktur
Marcel J.L.Th. Niekus, Roderick C.A. Geerts, Axel Müller & Femke J. Vermue
Jühnsdorf 8 und Siebenlinden K-III/3 – Langhäuser aus dem Mesolithikum
Jühnsdorf 8 and Siebenlinden K-III/3 – Longhouses from the Mesolithic
Erwin Cziesla
Grüße vom Gardasee? Die Mikrolithen der mesolithischen Fundstelle
von Sielenbach-Weinberg, Lkr. Aichach-Friedberg
Greetings from Lake Garda? The microliths of the Mesolithic site
of Sielenbach-Weinberg, district of Aichach-Friedberg
Thomas Richter, Hubert Raab & Jehanne Aolter
Hunters and Fishermen at the ‘Satrupholmer Moor‘: 131
a late Mesolithic stratied site in Northern Germany
Jäger und Fischer im “Satrupholmer Moor”:
ein spätmesolithischer stratifizierter Fundplatz in Norddeutschland
Mirjam Briel & Sönke Hartz
8Contents / Inhalt
Subsistence strategies, selement structure, and communication in the Terminal Mesolithic 151
– a new DFG-project in Kiel Bay
Subsistenzstrategien, Siedlungsstruktur und Kommunikation im Endmesolithikum
– ein neues DFG-Projekt in der Kieler Bucht
Julia Goldhammer, Annika B. Müller, Laura Brandt, Steen Wolters & Sönke Hartz
161
179
197
229
243
315
369
Inland and West coast Ertebølle culture in Schleswig-Holstein: A Survey
Die Ertebølle-Kultur des Binnenlandes und der Westküste in Schleswig-Holstein: Ein Überblick
Ann-Katrin Meyer
The Kleinwalsertal revisited: New approaches for an ‘old’ landscape
Das Kleinwalsertal in anderer Perspektive: Neue Annäherungen an eine „alte“ Landschaft
Caroline Posch
Mesolithische Großgeräte, Feuersteinlinie und der Se-Sa-Rhe-Traditionsraum
Mesolithic macro-tools, flint-line, and the Se-Sa-Rhe-tradition area
Erwin Cziesla
Some ideas on mobility and orientation in Mesolithic northwestern Germany
Einige Gedanken zu Mobilität und Orientierung im mesolithischen Nordwestdeutschland
Svea Mahlstedt
Mesolithic pits in Germany – a first compilation
Mesolithische Gruben in Deutschland – eine erste Zusammenstellung
Birgit Gehlen, Eileen Eckmeier, Klaus Gerken, Werner Schön & Annabell Zander
Typo-chronology for the Mesolithic between 9000 and 7800 cal BC in Central Europe:
a new approach to use constrained correspondence analysis (CCA) of microliths for dating
Typochronologie für das Mesolithikum zwischen 9000 und 7800 cal BC in Mitteleuropa:
ein neuer Ansatz zur Datierung unter Verwendung der kanonischen Korrespondenzanalyse
von Mikrolithen
Birgit Gehlen, Georg Roth, Nele Schneid & Annabell Zander
Publication list of Bernhard Gramsch 1957-2020
Contents / Inhalt
15On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
Abstract
Time and timing are essential to many archaeological questions, especially when dealing with archaeo-cultural borders or tran-
sitions. In this paper, we address the transition from the Final Palaeolithic to the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
with respect to chronological evidence. Based on several well-dated sites from the area, we aim to discuss preconditions and
consequences for the spreading of Early Mesolithic technocomplexes. Furthermore, we highlight which problems have to be
approached when dealing with this timeframe.
It is shown that the onset of the Mesolithic in the area under consideration currently appears to date not prior to the Middle
Preboreal, i.e. from ca. 9200 calBC onwards. The short cold spell, the Preboreal Oscillation, seems to coincide with a seizure
between the hunter-gatherers of the Ahrensburgian and the aforementioned Early Holocene societies. It is made clear that the
Pleistocene/Holocene border should not generally be parallelised with the Ahrensburgian/Early Mesolithic in the respective area.
Keywords
Younger Dryas, Preboreal period, Final Pleistocene, Early Holocene, Preboreal Oscillation, Ahrensburgian-Early Mesolithic
transition, chronology
Zusammenfassung
-
-
zont herausgestellt.
ca. 9200 calBC anzusetzen. Die präboreale Oszillation scheint mit einer Zäsur zwischen den Jäger-Sammler-Gesellschaften der
Schlüsselwörter
Chronologie
A. Zander & B. Gehlen (eds.), From the Early Preboreal to the Subboreal period - Current Mesolithic research in Europe.
Studies in honour of Bernhard Gramsch.
Vom frühen Präboreal bis zum Subboreal - Aktuelle Forschungen zum Mesolithikum in Europa.
Studien zu Ehren von Bernhard Gramsch.
Edition Mesolithikum / Mesolithic Edition 5 (Kerpen-Loogh 2020) 15–37
16 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
Introduction
Rapid climate change led to drastic changes in
the environment during the Early Holocene. En-
suing changes in vegetation and fauna are obser-
vable through various proxies such as macro- or
micro-botanical remains as well as animal bones.
On the North German Plain, changes in the ar-
chaeological record are associated with this pe-
riod: The transition from the Ahrensburgian to
the Early Mesolithic technocomplexes. In general,
this transition was explained by hypotheses that
suggest replacement or adaptation processes
of similar Mesolithic technocomplexes further
south led to the suggestion that the Mesolithic
arose there and spread northwards with the
expansion of forest environments (
1998, 38 f.; 1981; 2004;
2017, 166 f.;
forest expansion onto the North European Plain
replaced the tundra environments and drove
The hunter-gatherer groups associated with the
Ahrensburgian technocomplex moved further
north with this open environment and, hence,
left space for the Mesolithic people to replace
with the widely adopted distinction that the
Fig. 1 Map of the North German Plain and adjacent areas with sites and regions mentioned in the text.
Regions: KB N northern Germany, E eastern Germany. Sites: 1
2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22
23
Abb. 1
Regionen: KB N E Ostdeutschland. Fundplätze: 1
2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21
22 23
17On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
Palaeolithic ends and the Mesolithic begins with
the onset of the Holocene. In contrast, adapta-
tion hypotheses considered the development of
the Mesolithic as grounded in the Ahrensburgian
technocomplex ( 1988; 1991;
2015, 89; cf.
Using chronological data, we are going to dis-
cuss a basic fundament of the advent of the Meso-
lithic: The timing of the disappearance of the
Ahrensburgian and the appearance of the Early
Mesolithic. Approaching this point helps to ans-
wer the question how useful the distinction
along a geological, climatic, and environmental
for cultural entities/epochs as the Palaeolithic
and Mesolithic.
The area, the archaeology, and something
about humans
The North German Plain is the German part of
the North European Plain where no mid-range
or higher mountain ranges have formed (Fig. 1
-
raines and dominated by sand covers. In the
eastern part, the younger, Weichselian moraines
have formed a more unsteady relief with many
ments as well as large glacial valleys. Approxima-
tely at the borders of these two parts, between
Osnabrück and Hannover, the mid-range moun-
tains reach furthest to the north. South-west of
this northern range, the Westphalian lowlands
and the Cologne Bay cut big lowland areas into
the mid-range mountain areas. These south-wes-
tern areas are dominated by the river Rhine and
the southern Ems and their tributaries, whereas
the Elbe, Weser, and northern Ems river systems
dominate the northern lowland landscapes.
Ahrensburgian and Early Mesolithic assem-
blages can be found across the whole North
German Plain, although preservation conditions
Typically, Mesolithic traditions in the area
under consideration were discussed either to
be rooted in the Federmesser-Gruppen techno-
to be developments from the late Ahrensbur-
gian (2004, 216; cf.
Based on comparisons with the British Meso-
lithic, A.
from Final Palaeolithic to Early Mesolithic in
Westphalia with the development of `broad
blade industries‘. The FMG developed in the
Late Pleistocene during the Lateglacial Inter-
stadial (GI-1e-c [
the Late Magdalenian (2019;
1998, 273–280; et al. 2001, 375 f.; cf.
were still present during the Younger Dryas in
the mid-range mountain areas, while the North
German Plain was colonised by people that
followed a tanged point or Ahrensburgian tra-
dition (2004, 184–196; et al.
of FMG in the mid-range mountains during the
Younger Dryas is rare, while Ahrensburgian
sites can be found well into the northern
parts of this area (
and cave sites in southern Germany and eas-
tern France, such as Mannlefels, Rochedane,
Jägerhaushöhle, and Zigeunerfels with sequen-
ces from the Late Pleistocene into the Holocene,
suggest a continuous development there and,
hence, placing the FMG at the base of the Me-
solithic development. Nevertheless, an increa-
sing number of radiocarbon measurements
from these sequences indicate a gap with lack-
ing data during the Younger Dryas (
et al. 2009; 2003;
sequently, although a development from the
local FMG appears plausible, a continuous
development remains to be proven.
Yet, due to the poor preservation of archaeo-
Ahrensburgian and the Early Mesolithic is com-
monly done on typological grounds (
aspects can play a supplementary role (e.g.
2004;
tive (2018; 2015;
Since both archaeological units deal with
hunter-gatherer populations and their often
ephemeral archaeological remains, a further
sought in ecological and subsistence aspects.
While the Ahrensburgian is usually seen as a
highly mobile society with a primarily meat
Mesolithic groups are characterised by limi-
ted home ranges and broadening of their diet
spectrum towards increasing vegetable and
that such a clear division can hardly be up-
held (cf. et al. 2016; 1997;
1996;
1999; et al. 2005; 2009;
18 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
that inhabit a tundra landscape, hunt herding
game, and show a more mobile behaviour
than those of the following Mesolithic that
lived in forest environments and used a broad
kept due to the focus of this paper being pri-
marily on the chronological and resulting en-
vironmental distinction of the technocom-
plexes.
the Ahrensburgian technocomplex based on
its type fossil, the Ahrensburgian tanged point.
However, W. Taute also described Ahrensbur-
gian assemblages to be characterised by nu-
merous microlithic implements, in particular
wide ones, and a rare to regular appearance
of backed implements (
assemblages the further north these assem-
blages are found.
Among the microliths, the so-called Zon-
hoven points are the most prominent and
they are also known from the Mesolithic (e.g.
end-scrapers and a dominant blade technolo-
gy are typical for the Ahrensburgian (
Stellmoor group long and very large blades
to a late Ahrensburgian and associated with
Generally, tanged points are absent from the-
se sites and microlithic Zonhoven points are
the prevailing projectile type instead. Tech-
nological studies of sites with LBT nonethe-
less show a closer relationship to the Ahrens-
burgian modes-of-production than to the
Early Mesolithic which gave reason to assig-
ning them to the Final Palaeolithic (
2009; 1998a;
Schleswig-Holstein, Ahrensburgian tanged
points were in fact found regularly on those
sites ( 1943;
The relatively clear division of the Final
Palaeolithic assemblages is contrasted by less
distinct assemblages in the Mesolithic. While
-
sils or technologies, the Early Mesolithic ap-
pears quite homogeneous over a large area in
types as well as technology. Extended analy-
ses of material culture in detail are very rare
for that period (e.g.
intra- vs. interregional comparisons become
hardly possible.
to the fact that Early Mesolithic assemblages
Secondly, many sites are subject to a common
characteristic of hunter-gatherer locales, i.e.
being a palimpsest. As a consequence, many
sites had been used as reference material
because their mixed character had not been
recognized and local variants (e.g. `Boberger
regional and chronological subdivisions.
While this is overcome nowadays, the
Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
is generally associated with the Maglemose
technocomplex (e.g.
Only very few sites provide a coherent stra-
tigraphy which render possible to properly
date and analyse the artefact assemblages
-
cal research on the North German Plain is still
lacking a solid framework for interregional
comparisons (
one of the important aspects of contempo-
rary research are to detect and understand
changes but also to gain insights into regional
changes in the archaeological and ecological
assemblages.
Still, social aspects must not be neglected
when dealing with ranges of human groups or
societies, but tracing their archaeological evi-
Early Holocene. Lithic material and ecological
aspects are usually preserved in archaeologi-
cal and palaeo-environmental proxies but read-
ing social behaviour from them is a more com-
plex endeavour. It would require a more com-
prehensive behavioural analysis studying socio-
economic developments such as resource ac-
-
cal decisions on a wide chronological and geo-
graphical scale. Based on the limited body of
-
proach, yet not impossible as has been shown
in Sandy Flanders/Belgium ( et al.
scope of this paper. Furthermore, it has to be
stressed that the comparison of wide-ranging
technocomplexes should not be confused with
19On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
such detailed analyses. Interregional and re-
step, partly already done for the Early Holo-
cene (e.g. 1999; 2004; 2015; 2003;
2007; 2009; 2001; 1973a;
1973b;
scale divisions on technological and typologi-
cal grounds, i.e. technocomplexes, are only
the basis for a second step that has to include
multi-aspect and equally balanced approaches
-
man life and identity (e.g. tools, art, and cul-
Considering one variant of the replacement
isted at the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary but
possible consequences thereof are hardly trace-
able due to the very few burials known from
that time and area (et al. 2016;
might indicate violence between humans are
anthropological evidence from this period and
area (cf. -
ther distinctions between the suggestions that
either people or only ideas moved northwards.
However, arguing along the lines of the two
general hypotheses (replacement, in situ adap-
burgian hunter-gatherers were tightly con-
nected to the tundra enviroment and, thus, a
disappearance of Ahrensburgian sites should
be connected to the disappearance of the tun-
dra that again should be closely related to the
onset of the Holocene and the appearance of
the Early Mesolithic should follow the appea-
Or alternatively, if the Ahrensburgian gave rise
to the Early Mesolithic transitional assemblages,
a co-appearance of the two technocomplexes
for some time and/or the presence of transitio-
While we are aware that this is an extremely
-
ties, already at such a low detail this adds some
complexity to the narrative. Thus, the complex
story of the assemblages and technocomplexes
are studies of their own right. Here, we concen-
trate on the detectable chronological data and
the technocomplexes assigned to the sites under
consideration.
The sites
We compared 16 archaeological assemblages
from the northern German lowlands (Fig. 1
Dryas and Preboreal, dated by radiocarbon
Epi-Ahrensburgian and/or LBT or to the Early
Mesolithic (Tab. 1
These assemblages are: Rothenklempenow 17,
Friesack 4 and 27a, and Wustermark 22 from
north-eastern Germany, Duvensee WP 8 and
9, the upper horizon of Stellmoor, Nahe LA 11
from Schleswig-Holstein, Wehldorf 7, Bierden
30 and 31, and Melbeck from Lower Saxony,
and Bedburg-Königshoven, Mönchengladbach-
Geneicken, and Dormagen-Nievenheim from
the Cologne Bay and Werl-Büderich from the
Westphalian lowlands (cf. et al. 2019a;
et al. 2019; et al. 1998;
et al. 2012; et al. 2011;
Rothenklempenow 17 is a multi-phased site in
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ranging from the
Early Mesolithic to the Neolithic. It is known
for a Late Mesolithic grave and a well pre-
1993;
The Friesack region is known for one of
the best preserved sites in Germany: Frie-
sack 4. The site was discovered by the ama-
teur archaeologist M. Schneider (
-
ons were done by Bernhard Gramsch (reca-
pitulatory:
thousands of lithic artefacts, a large number
thus, provide detailed information on Early
Mesolithic toolkits and environments. More-
over, detail-rich stratigraphies rendered dia-
chronic analyses possible. Just a few hundred
metres away the archaeologically contempo-
raneous site Friesack 27a is located (
Another important micro-region for Meso-
lithic research in Northern Germany is the an-
cient Lake Duvensee. Several sites have been
excavated here with extraordinary preserva-
tion condition (
chronology of the sites, diachronic analyses
are possible as well. The earliest sites date to
the Late Preboreal, but most sites are of Boreal
age.
20 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
Site
no. Site name Region Cultural
aliation/s Major references
1 eMeso 2015
2 eMeso
1991
3 Dormagen-Nievenheim LBT 2017
mM Ahrensburg
1996
5 mM FMG
1973
6 mM LBT
2013
7 Bierden 30 N eMeso
2011a
7 Bierden 31 N eMeso
2011b
8 Wehldorf 7 N eMeso
1999
9 NAhrensburg/
LBT
1992
10 Stellmoor, upper horizon N Ahrensburg/
LBT
11 Nahe LA 11 N Ahrensburg
et al.
d 2017
12 Ahrensburg-Pinnberg N mixed
1958
13 Duvensee WP 9 N eMeso
1991
13 Duvensee WP 8 N eMeso
et al. 1981
N eMeso
1961
15 E eMeso
2001
16 E eMeso
2017
16 E eMeso
2002
17 E eMeso
et al. 2010
18 E eMeso
1961
19 E Ahrensburg
1999
20 mM FP
et al. 2016
21 «Hohler Stein» at
mM Ahrensburg
1996
22 mM eMeso
2016
23 mM eMeso
et al. 2012
Tab. 1 Sites considered in the study with their regional and chronological attribution.
Regions: E N KB
mM Aliation: eMeso LBT FP
Ahrensburg FMG – Federmesser-Gruppen.
Tab. 1 In der Studie betrachtete Fundplätze mit ihrer regionalen und chronologischen Zuordnung.
RegionenE N
KB mM Zugehörigkeit: eMeso LBT FP –
Ahrensburg FMG – Federmesser-Gruppen.
21On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
The most prominent Ahrensburgian site
remains Stellmoor where numerous Ahrens-
burgian tanged points and other lithic mate-
rial were collected on a hill in a glacial tunnel
valley north-east of Hamburg. In particular,
the rich faunal assemblage, largly dominated
by reindeer excavated from the sediments of
a former lake at the foot of this hill, and the
thus far oldest wooden arrow shafts among
these remains ( et al. 2019;
make Stellmoor still a very important point
of research. The faunal material probably re-
sulted from several hunting episodes at a
A similar situation was found at the site of
Nahe LA 11 only some 20 km north of Stell-
moor. In regular surveys, a large Ahrensbur-
gian assemblage was collected and in sub-
sequent excavations mainly reindeer remains
were found in the wetlands at the foot of the
hill ( et al. 2011;
Wehldorf 7 was found during a systematic
survey and was excavated between 1996 and
1999. Due to the local geomorphology no or-
sible that some organogenic layers are pre-
served adjacent to the site. Of special interest
here is the artefact assemblage which can be
connected to the Ahrensburgian and Early
Mesolithic. It is yet unclear if the assemblage
Close to Bremen, the sites of Bierden 30
and 31 were recognised underneath a Bronze
archaeological work on a gas pipeline con-
struction. The two isolated and mainly undis-
turbed Early Mesolithic concentrations with
some fragments of backed blades represent
waste, one fragment was found that appears
to be a remnant of a backed point and there-
fore indicates producing or reworking of
such armatures. Some cremated animal bones
and charcoal fragments were preserved, the
bon measurements. Furthermore, a retoucher
made of sandstone and engraved with a plau-
for the Mesolithic in the area. Retouchers
with engravings are generally rare but at the
Ahrensburgian site in Geldrop / North Bra-
bant a retoucher with a very similar fron-
Collections and a small excavation revea-
led small knapping spots associated with
LBT but no retouched artefacts on the ceme-
tery of Melbeck (
Bedburg-Königshoven, the most southern
site under consideration in this study, was lo-
cated in a former river bed of the Erft and
yielded an archaeological assemblage inclu-
ding lithic material as well as faunal remains
(
production and microlithic inventory were
comparable to Final Palaeolithic traditions,
even if the “closest technological parallels […]
are to be found in the northern European Early
Mesolithic tradition”
the so-called antler frontlets establish a close
connection to northern Mesolithic sites such
as Star Carr. Several new dates indicate that
the site might well date back to the Early
Preboreal (
Mönchengladbach-Geneicken, just some
10 km north of Bedburg-Königshoven, reveal-
ed besides several concentrations of the FMG,
also two Mesolithic campsites and remains of
a slaughtered aurochs that were dated to the
Early to Middle Preboreal (2014;
2015; et al. 2015, 473 f.;
Dormagen-Nievenheim is located about
25 km north-east of Bedburg-Königshoven,
near the Rhine that is widely meandering
in this area. Two concentrations with LBT,
Zonhoven points, and some very narrow
backed implements (possibly pointes des
Blanchères, cf.
there during test pit surveys for a late Bronze
transition (
lithic material, few burnt bones, some retou-
chers, and a possible shaft smoother frag-
ment were found. Some raw materials (e.g.
these assemblages to regions in the northern
North German Plain.
In Werl-Büderich a small Mesolithic assem-
blage (
during pre-road construction surveys. The
over 2,000 faunal remains that were deter-
mined as red deer, roe deer, and wild boar
(
22 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
these remains, the radiocarbon measurement
was taken on charcoal from deciduous wood
and resulted in the oldest Mesolithic date for
this region (
charcoal came from a possible hearth (
cause wood charcoal dates are prone to the
human use of it up to some hundred years. In
times of high-resolution dating and well-
not necessarily covered by the standard de-
viation anymore.
Further sites that need mentioning but that are
not included in the study for various rea-
sons are Kartstein, `Hohler Stein‘ at Rüthen-
kappeln, Groß Lieskow, Ahrensburg-Pinnberg,
Bergholz-Rehbrücke, and Hohen Viecheln.
A well-known Ahrensburgian assemblage
was found at the rockshelter Kartstein that is
located only some 60 km south of Bedburg-
Königshoven but already in the mid-range
mountain area (
a mixed climate environment but with a do-
minance of tundra/open landscape elements
(
`Hohler Stein‘ at Rüthen-Kallenhardt was ex-
cavated in the 1920s/1930s and provided an
Ahrensburgian assemblage comprising lithics
and organic remains. Zooarchaeological inves-
tigations showed that the site was used for
reindeer hunting in spring, according to radio-
carbon dates during the late Younger Dryas
(1996;
In the northern limits of the mid-range
mountains towards the southern Westphalian
excavated since 2006. Besides Neolithic and
Mesolithic human remains, an important Meso-
lithic sequence has been uncovered outside
the cave, currently reaching to the Pleistocene/
Holocene transition ( et al. 2017; cf.
et al. 2012;
Mesolithic human remains were dated to the
Late Preboreal/Early Boreal and, hence, are of
no importance for this study. From the up-most
Pleistocene horizon a small lithic blade assem-
blage with various backed and a possible small
tanged point were excavated thus far and the
Preboreal lithic assemblage resembles the mate-
rial from Werl-Büderich (
A human skull was also recovered in Rhün-
da, approximately 30 km south of Kassel in the
mid-range mountain area but no archaeologi-
cal material was associated with this specimen.
It was dated to the Younger Dryas but the iso-
topic analysis suggested a high value of fresh-
that can result in too old dates (`freshwater
Another skull from Friesack 4 was equally
dated to the Younger Dryas but similarly con-
hence, dated too old (T et al. 2012;
cf. -
mens were probably of Mesolithic age, only
a few, undated remains from Remouchamps
(Belgium, cf. -
man material possibly associated with the
Ahrensburgian.
Westerkappeln is located at the border be-
tween the North German Plain and the Teuto-
burg forest. At the Westerkappeln site A
was found in an Allerød layer (
yet radiocarbon dating of a charcoal sample
from the cultural horizon resulted in a mid-
Younger Dryas age. This date can probably be
discarded based on contextual and stratigraph-
ic issues.
Nevertheless, an assemblage with LBT was
recovered 7.5 km south-east at Westerkappeln-
Brennesch (
of late Ahrensburgian groups in this region.
Comparably, pieces of charcoal found in
a sandy layer from which also FMG material
was recovered were dated to the late Allerød to
mid-Younger Dryas at Groß Lieskow, Bran-
denburg (
burgian material was also collected in the area
but it came from disturbed sands (
Hence, the association of the dated material
with the events of interest is again not given
A long-debated site about the Palaeolithic/
Mesolithic transition is Ahrensburg-Pinnberg,
located north-east of Hamburg in the Ahrens-
burg tunnel valley, 3 km north of Stellmoor.
Back in the 1930s, A. Rust excavated a large area
and revealed several thousands of artefacts from
material was obviously multi-phased, it was
also taken as spurious reference for the earliest
Mesolithic in
Germany (e.g. B 1971, 26;
1960, 63;
1995, 38;
1961, 34; 1968, 214;
23On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
Site name Chrono-/
Biozone Radiocarbon dates (in BP) Reference
Early Preboreal
1991
cf.
1993
Bierden 30 Late Preboreal 2011a
Dormagen-Nievenheim Dryas 3 10136 ± 76 (KIA-51665) 2017
Duvensee 8 Late Preboreal
et al. 1981
Duvensee 9 Late Preboreal
1991
earliest phase Late Preboreal
Subcomplex I-1
2012
Subcomplex I-2
Subcomplex I-3
Tab. 2a
Tab. 2a
24 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
Site name Chrono-/
Biozone Radiocarbon dates (in BP) Reference
Early Preboreal
et al., in print
Nahe LA 11 Dryas 3
et al. 2011
Preboreal–
Atlantic
et al. 2003
Stellmoor, Upper layer Dryas 3
1956
et al. 1993
1986
2008
et al. 2016
Late Preboreal 2001
Tab. 2b
Tab. 2b
25On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
has
never been dated according to modern stan-
dards. A re-evaluation of this material showed
that it has to be treated as a mixed assemblage
and, therefore, the chronological subdivision
proposed by the excavator has to be rejected
(
Of equal interest is the site Bergholz-Reh-
brücke (
the earliest Mesolithic according to the assem-
blage, but it is not excavated yet.
The site Hohen Viecheln is known for the vast
(S
by pollen analysis and two not contextualized
14C-dates (
radiocarbon datings place it into a Preboreal to
Boreal/Atlantic context (
The dates
Firstly, we present the dates (Tab. 2a, b
will then compare the dating of the sites (Fig. 2
traditions with respect to their chronological
position (Fig. 3
latest contextualised dates for Late Pleistocene
sites and the earliest contextualised dates for
Early Holocene sites, respectively. However, the
reporting of the radiocarbon dates is primarily
position of each site and to provide a basis for
the subsequent discussion. Nevertheless, some
dates will be excluded from the analysis becau-
se they do not help dating the archaeological
event in focus (i.e. technically unreliable dates,
contextually uncertain provenance of material,
cf.
Mesolithic traditions, which were suggested to
belong to the early Preboreal did not stand up
to a technical and/or contextual re-evaluation
(cf. et al. 2003;
Comparing the dates
information on the dating were included in the
analysis. Therefore, several dates had to be ex-
cluded due to lacking contexts, doubtful sam-
nical protocols. It is striking that most of the
Mesolithic sites under consideration do not
provide dates that fall into the period between
the onset of the Holocene and the Preboreal
Figs. 1–2
early Preboreal as the phase until the Preboreal
Oscillation, which represents the middle Pre-
boreal. The late Preboreal ranges from the PBO
until the onset of the Boreal around 8700 calBC
( 2017, 76 f.;
When addressing the chronological timescale,
we already see that the ‘traditional border’ can-
not be maintained: where absolute chronolo-
gical data is available it shows that late or
Epi-Ahrensburgian traditions dating into the
Early Holocene is a common phenomenon.
Furthermore, the appearance of Mesolithic
traditions cannot yet be proven for the Earliest
Holocene, i.e. the early Preboreal, for most
parts of the North German Plain. However,
an initial Mesolithic as seen in Bedburg-
Königshoven appears already at the very be-
ginning of the Holocene but a general Meso-
lithic expansion only happens during or af-
ter the PBO. Assuming that there is no lack
of Mesolithic sites from the earlier phases of
the Preboreal in the wider area of the North
European Plain due to research biases (cf.
Preboreal is an interesting aspect to investigate
with respect to chronology and transitions/
transformations and, thus, the disappearance
of the Ahrensburgian and appearance of Early
Mesolithic traditions (cf.
is not yet overcome: dates between ca. 9700–
-
lems of chronological imprecision due to two
plateaus in the calibration curve. And the
number of reliably dated Ahrensburgian sites
is very limited, too, so studies dealing with
the Ahrensburgian/Mesolithic transition are
based on a slim basis anyway. Therefore, it is
even more important to use the data available.
At the famous Ahrensburgian site Stellmoor
as well as the close-by site of Nahe LA 11 ra-
diocarbon dates made on reindeer material
placed the sites to the Pleistocene/Holocene
transition and possibly into the beginning of
the Holocene (
to the excavator, a radiocarbon date from the
LBT site at Dormagen-Nievenheim falls to the
Pleistocene/Holocene boundary and, thus, is
26 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
in accordance with the stratigraphy (
birch charcoal from the centre of one of the
artefact concentrations (
Dates from Kartstein also suggest an Ahrens-
burgian presence in the northern mid-range
mountains during the late Younger Dryas and
the early Preboreal. Environmental indicators
dra/open landscape elements (
These mixed indicators could be interpreted as
-
saic landscape in the mid-range mountain area.
For Northern Germany the site Friesack 27a,
which provided a sample of 9900 BP from earlier
samples (
to begin between 9472–9162 calBC (2017,
as out of context. The recent study shows that
Fig. 2 2017,
Abb. 2 2017,
27On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
it is even more probable that the onset of the
occupation at the site dates after 9250 calBC (cf.
Further indications for the presence of the
Mesolithic at the Pleistocene/Holocene border
came from Brandenburg where a decorated elk
antler tool was excavated in Wustermark 22. It
and was also dated to the early Preboreal
(
features may indicate a connection to Early
Mesolithic technocomplexes but foremost pro-
vide further arguments for elks having been
present also during the Younger Dryas on the
North European Plain (
on the Jutland peninsula during this period
(
In this context, it might be considered that
the Preboreal Oscillation in particular might
Holocene landscape ( et al. 2014;
est coverage might thus have been one of the
reasons why the Mesolithic technocomplexes
did not expand further than to the Cologne
Bay at the very beginning of the Holocene. This
would explain why there was such a backlog
with respect to the spreading of these techno-
complexes, as it would not have been an ac-
tive colonisation but a successive expansion.
Generally, we see the spread of Mesolithic
traditions, judging from the present evidences,
as a result of the reforestation in the North
German Plain. An explanation could be that a
stable and considerably similar biotope com-
to be established. Thus, from a chronological
perspective, the regarded sites provide good
arguments for an expansion of the Mesolithic
technocomplexes from the Rhineland onto
the North German Plain. But in contrast to
this, there are indications that such a straight-
forward model is too simplistic as sites like
Discussion
It still remains unclear why the PBO seems to
form such a manifest gap for the expansion
considered plausible at this point in time
(Tab. 3-
Fig. 32017,
Abb. 3 2017,
28 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
le: What the data suggests is real and, hence,
there was no expansion to northern Germa-
an establishment of the Early Mesolithic in
-
nario indications can be found outside our
study area. The site Lundby Mose on Sjæl-
Holocene Mesolithic and reliably dated to
the Early Preboreal (
depositions of elk were found related with
butchering waste comprising interglacial
fauna ( et al. 2015; 2014;
Mesolithic was solely based on two artefacts:
one tip of a shot-in microlith and an elk ant-
ler axe (
Since elk antler axes are commonly identi-
from Lundby Mose as well as Wustermark,
traditions, the Palaeolithic/Mesolithic transi-
Scenarios Reasons Explanation Archaeological
consequences
There was an Early Meso-
lithic expansion to Northern
in the archaeological record
prior to the PBO
Taphonomic bias
limited organic preservation
-
tation of material reduced
permafrost
extended surveys in close
excavation and dating pro-
grammes to identify post-
depositional biases
Survey relic
limited number of distinct
artefact types and still un-
sure relation between the
precise cultural associa-
extended surveys for new
and relevant assemblages
have to be reviewed
There was no Early Meso-
lithic expansion to northern
Europe prior to the PBO
Ecological
restrains
ecological conditions pre-
vented organic preserva-
conditions were not yet
given, hence, new ideas
not adapted or available
areas not settled
detailed site-associated
environmental reconstruc-
tions
Metaphysical res-
trictions/taboos
traditional restriction to
zone
comparison to identify
common practises bet-
ween sites in combination
with above
Population growth
gradual increase of popu-
lation resulted in a slow
expansion, hence, pure
coincidence with PBO
the number of sites
should increase north-
wards and with time
Tab. 3
Tab. 3
29On the onset of the Early Mesolithic on the North German Plain
tion is very likely contemporaneous with the
Pleistocene/Holocene border on the Danish is-
lands as well as in eastern Germany. In this case,
the scenario that sites of the Early Mesolithic are
not preserved in northern Germany becomes
more likely. But it has to be kept in mind that
Lundby Mose is a site of special character, per-
haps even cultic, and in Wustermark 22 the
artefacts come from refuse layers, so that a clear
-
ry cannot directly be drawn. Also, if all known
-
fore the late Preboreal, it can either be assumed
that respective sites are not yet found or that the
pear in older cultural complexes (cf. et
al. 2010, 116;
Something similar has been shown by E.
and P.
the Duvensee-type. With respect to unexpected
old radiocarbon ages they have already dis-
cussed the research bias regarding the Pleisto-
cene/Holocene border. Dealing with bone and
antler points as well as harpoons, they provide
arguments for disentangling the Palaeolithic
/ Mesolithic transition and geochronological
Pleistocene/Holocene border (cf.
2004; 1998;
thermore, while the assumption that the dated
event is similar to the event of interest is most
likely for butchered material, it does not need to
be true for material used as resource for artefact
production.
Another important aspect can be summarised
as `lack of sites‘ as there are very few reliably
dated sites from the Early Holocene and the
Late Pleistocene in the area under considera-
this is the fact that many sites of the period of
interest are found by collectors and rarely in a
systematic context and often the chronology of
these sites is vague (cf.
sites, like Dormagen-Nievenheim or Bierden 30
and 31 were excavated in the context of system-
atic, pre-building surveys ( 2011a; 2011b;
due to external factors, i.e. infrastructural acti-
vities, rather than subject to systematic survey.
However, the more prominent sites were the
result of systematic surveys and excavations
such as Stellmoor (
(
Hence, to prevent depending on pure coinci-
dental recoveries for the acquisition of new
data, systematic surveys such as in the Vale
of Pickering, England, (e.g.
more solid base for Final Palaeolithic/Early
Mesolithic research and render possible to spe-
possible explanatory power. This is even more
Holocene ways-of-life more reliably, as eco-
nomic interpretations could be based on sev-
eral sites so that exceptions from the ordinary
Conclusions
sites it can be argued that the spread of Meso-
lithic traditions onto the North German Plain
starts in the south and slowly moved towards
peninsula.
Regarding the environmental development, it
is worth stressing that the vegetation seems
to have already been established before hu-
mans with a Mesolithic tradition entered
these areas. Generally, we see the spread of
Mesolithic traditions, judging from the pres-
ent evidences, as connected with the refor-
estation on the North German Plain, even
though both might not be directly depending
on each other. If it was, an explanation could
be that a stable and considerably similar bio-
tope compared to the origin of these groups
-
plain why there was such a backlog with
respect to the spreading of these technocom-
plexes, as it would not have been an active
colonisation but a successive expansion. In
this context, it might be considered that espe-
impact on the Early Holocene vegetation in
the northern regions. A resulting decreasing
forest coverage might thus have been one of
the reasons why the Mesolithic technocom-
plexes did not expand further than to the Co-
logne Bay. Consequently, further research fo-
cus should be laid upon the PBO. This short
climatic event might have had a relevant im-
pact on the people with Ahrensburgian tradi-
tion on the one hand and the spreading of
Mesolithic traditions on the other hand. The
30 Sonja B. Grimm, Daniel Groß, Klaus Gerken & Mara-Julia Weber
able to understand what led to the disappear-
ance of the Ahrensburgian and the appear-
ance of Mesolithic traditions on the North
German Plain.
Acknowledgments
We much appreciate the support and suggestions of
Birgit Gehlen to improve this manuscript. We also
thank Felix Riede for his helpful comments on an
earlier draft of this paper. SBG and DG are members
of the Collaborative Research Centre 1266 `Scales of
Transformation. Human-Environmental Interaction
in Prehistoric and Archaic Societies‘ funded by the
German Research Foundation (DFG, German Research
.
For the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeolo-
framework of the Strategic Research Theme ‘Man and
Environment’.
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Sonja B. Grimm
sonja.grimm@zbsa.eu
Daniel Groß
(corresponding author)
daniel.gross@zbsa.eu
Mara-Julia Weber
mara.weber@zbsa.eu
Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology
Foundation Schleswig-Holsteinische Landesmuseen
Schlossinsel
DE-24837 Schleswig
Klaus Gerken
klaus@gerken-archaeologie.de
Gerken Archäologie
Hohes Ufer 10
DE-31353 Neustadt am Rübenberge
