Evidence of Woodland Management at the Eneolithic Pile Dwellings (3700–2400 BCE) in the Ljubljansko Barje, Slovenia?

Abstract

It is assumed that people practiced woodland management, i.e., coppicing and pollarding, in prehistory, but details are poorly known. This study aims for a better understanding of woodland exploitation through time in the wetland basin of the Ljubljansko barje, Slovenia, from 3700–2400 BCE (Before Common Era). To do so, uncarbonized, waterlogged wood from 16 Eneolithic pile dwellings situated in two geographical clusters that cover a time span of c. 1300 years were subjected to age/diameter analysis. It is the first time that age/diameter analysis has been applied to multiple sites from the same region. The investigated posts represent a wide range of taxa, but oak (Quercus sp.) and ash (Fraxinus sp.) represent 75% of the total, indicating selective use of wood for this purpose. Diameter selection of ash may have taken place as well. At both site clusters, the age/diameter data do not reveal any unequivocal evidence for woodland management. Only at the youngest sites do the data possibly show some gradually changing practices. The outcomes are discussed within the framework of recent discussions about woodland management in Europe.

Verd – novoodkrito kolišče iz 5. tisočletja pr. Kr. na Ljubljanskem barju

“…V primerjavi s prostorsko najbližjimi arheobotanično raziskanimi kolišči, kot sta Stare gmajne in Hočevarica (slika 1, 2; prim., Velušček, ur., 2004Velušček, ur., , 2009Out et al, 2023), je bilo naselje Verd umeščeno v bolj naravno, vodnato okolje, v katerem je zaznati šibek antropogeni vpliv, kar ponovno daje slutiti, da imamo opravka s koliščem višje starosti.…”

“…1; cf. Out et al, 2023), Verd was located in a more natural and water/lakeshore environment where a weak anthropogenic influence is noticeable. This also suggests that we are dealing with an older settlement.…”

“…Kr. Med razlogi za to je predvsem manjše število ostankov kolišč in uporaba gradbenega lesa, ki je manj primeren za dendrokronološko analizo, kar lahko trdimo predvsem za 5. tisočletje (npr., Čufar & Korenčič, 2006;Čufar et al, 2022;Out et al, 2023).…”