Philippe Crombé

Wear Analysis on Early Mesolithic Microliths from the Verrebroek Site, East Flanders, Belgium

Abstract This paper discusses the results of recent wear analysis on a series of 467 microliths excavated at the early Mesolithic (8410–7930 cal B.C.) site of Verrebroek in Belgium. Based on both macro-fractures (bending fractures and spin-offs) and traces of microscopic linear impact a distinction could be made between non-geometric microliths used as tips and geometric microliths mainly used as barbs. During the Pre-boreal the latter occur in large numbers and in various forms (triangles, crescents) that are used in mutually exclusive ways. At the transition from the Pre-boreal to the Boreal, almost simultaneously with the disappearance of bone and antler points from the Mesolithic tool kit there is a considerable increase in microlith tips. In this paper several possible explanations for this change are discussed.

The Mesolithic–Neolithic transition in the sandy lowlands of Belgium: new evidence

The site of Doel lies beside the Schelde, close to Antwerp. Excavations have uncovered the remains of two prehistoric zones, one from the Final Mesolithic and one from the Neolithic. Preliminary study suggests that current theories of the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in northern Belgium require revision.

Wood charcoal and seeds as indicators for animal husbandry in a wetland site during the late mesolithic–early neolithic transition period (Swifterbant culture, ca. 4600–4000 b.c.) in NW Belgium

Analysis of wood charcoal and seeds from ‘Doel sector M’, a Swifterbant site (ca. 4600–4000 b.c.) from NW Belgium, provides information on the environment, plant food subsistence, animal husbandry practices and seasonality of this wetland camp site during the mesolithic–neolithic transition period. The results of the analyses of both charcoal and seeds show that the site was located on the top of a sand ridge covered by an upper riverbank forest with Quercus sp., Tilia sp., Ulmus sp. and Fraxinus excelsior, and surrounded by Alnus woodland. Seeds and fruits of Quercus sp., Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Malus sylvestris and Prunus spinosa probably represent food plants. High numbers of Viscum album charcoal fragments and Hedera helix seeds suggest the use of these plants as leaf fodder, and thus animal husbandry at the site. In terms of seasonality, the use of both Viscum album and Hedera helix is a strong indication that these wetland campsites were occupied during winter/early spring.

The timing of aeolian events near archaeological settlements around Heidebos (Moervaart area, N Belgium)

At the locality of Heidebos (Moervaart area, N Flanders, Belgium), a sedimentary core was taken in the Maldegem-Stekene coversand ridge and dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The study aimed at contributing to an improved understanding of the evolution of the physical landscape around archaeological settlements in this area. The core comprised a 7 m thick series of laminated and massive aeolian sands, in which several organic layers were intercalated. From this sequence, 11 samples were collected for quartz-based SAR-OSL dating; an internally consistent dataset was obtained. The ages of the lowermost 1 m of the sedimentary sequence (15.5±1.1 ka and 17.3±1.3 ka) imply that these sediments may represent the time-equivalent deposit of a deflation phase that occurred during the Late Pleniglacial and led to the formation of a widespread desert pavement, regionally known as the Beuningen Gravel Bed. However, a significant part of the sediments (at least 4 m) was deposited later, i.e. during the Allerod and/or the Late Dryas. As such, the results allow establishing the genesis of the coversand ridge at the Heidebos locality on the basis of direct age information. The relatively high sedimentation rate and the absence of extensive soil formation in the record reflect periods of pronounced aeolian activity and landscape instability during the Late Glacial, which provides part of the environmental framework for human occupation in the area.

The Potenza Valley Survey: Preliminary Report on Field Campaign 2002

This contribution presents the fourth report about the on-going survey project of Ghent University in the Adriatic valley of the River Potenza (Marches, Italy). The project investigates the settlement history of the valley, essentially between 1000 BC and AD 1000. In 2003 substantial results in the middle and lower valley have been obtained with the help of remote sensing techniques, while the field surveys, geo-archaeological operations and study of surface finds have focussed on the protohistoric and Roman occupation of the coastal area. Quite spectacular were survey results on and around three Roman towns in the valley, contributing to the topographical knowledge of urbanisation in this part of Italy.

The 3-D reconstruction of medieval wetland reclamation through electromagnetic induction survey

Studies of past human-landscape interactions rely upon the integration of archaeological, biological and geological information within their geographical context. However, detecting the often ephemeral traces of human activities at a landscape scale remains difficult with conventional archaeological field survey. Geophysical methods offer a solution by bridging the gap between point finds and the surrounding landscape, but these surveys often solely target archaeological features. Here we show how simultaneous mapping of multiple physical soil properties with a high resolution multi-receiver electromagnetic induction (EMI) survey permits a reconstruction of the three-dimensional layout and pedological setting of a medieval reclaimed landscape in Flanders (Belgium). Combined with limited and directed excavations, the results offer a unique insight into the way such marginal landscapes were reclaimed and occupied during the Middle Ages. This approach provides a robust foundation for unravelling complex historical landscapes and will enhance our understanding of past human-landscape interactions.

Hunting, gathering, fishing and herding: Animal exploitation in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium) during the second half of the fifth millennium BC

Abstract At Doel, in the lower basin of the river Scheldt, excavations have revealed camp sites of the Swifterbant culture dating back to the second half of the fifth millennium BC. They document the transition period from the Late Mesolithic to the Early Neolithic in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium). The sites were situated on the top of sandy ridges which were covered with an alluvial hardwood forest vegetation and surrounded by wetlands. Only burnt animal remains survived at the sites, illustrating (seasonal) fishing and hunting. In addition, botanical evidence indicates the herding of domestic mammals. The finds are of importance for the reconstruction of the chronological development of the food economy of the Swifterbant culture.

Chronology of Wetland Hydrological Dynamics and the Mesolithic-Neolithic Transition along the Lower Scheldt: A Bayesian Approach

The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the wetland margins of the southern North Sea basin occurred well over a millennium after the transition in neighboring loess regions. This article investigates the possible role of hydrological dynamics in the presence of the last hunter-gatherer-fishermen in these wetland regions. A Bayesian modeling approach is used to integrate stratigraphic information and radiocarbon dates both from accurately datable archaeological remains and key horizons in peat sequences in the Scheldt floodplain of northwestern Belgium. This study tests whether the Swifterbant occupation of the study area was contemporaneous with hiatuses in peat growth caused by organic clastic sedimentation due to increased tidal influences and local groundwater rise. The results suggest that the appearance of this culture followed shortly after the emergence of a brackish tidal mudflat landscape replacing a freshwater marsh.

Middle-Holocene alluvial forests and associated fluvial environments: A multi-proxy reconstruction from the lower Scheldt, N Belgium

Analyses of pollen, plant macrofossils (seeds, fruits, wood and mosses), molluscs, diatoms and vertebrate (mainly fish) remains allowed a detailed reconstruction of a middle-Holocene alluvial forest and its associated hydrological conditions. The use of multiple proxies resulted in a taxonomically more detailed and environmentally more comprehensive understanding of terrestrial as well as aquatic habitats. The results demonstrate possible biases in palaeoecological reconstructions of alluvial and estuarine environments drawn from single proxies. Many locally occurring woody taxa were underrepresented or remained undetected by pollen analyses. Seeds and fruits also proved to be inadequate to detect several locally important taxa, such as Ulmus and Hedera helix. Apparently brackish conditions inferred from diatoms, pollen and other microfossils conflicted strikingly with the evidence from molluscs, fish bones and botanical macroremains which suggest a freshwater environment. Brackish sediment (and the microfossil indicators) is likely to have been deposited during spring tides or storm surges, when estuarine waters penetrated more inland than usual. Despite the reworking and deposition of estuarine and saltmarsh sediment well above the tidal node at such events, local salinity levels largely remained unaffected.

Lithic Technology and the Cultural Identity of Early Mesolithic Groups

Until now the assignment of Mesolithic sites to specific assemblage types has been largely based on their microliths, although these tools form less than 3% of the total number of artifacts. A redefinition of Mesolithic assemblage types based on the typological and technological characteristics of the entire industry has been tested on a number of assemblages from Sandy Flanders (Belgium) that are representative of the four typological groups currently identified in the Early Mesolithic of northwestern Europe. The results of these analyses provide new insights into the lithic technology and allow a reassessment of these typological groups. The use of an extensive dating strategy in combination with technological analysis makes it possible to interpret the assemblages both chronologically and functionally and to identify cultural differences among them.