Land Use in the Eastern Alps During the Bronze Age—an Archaeobotanical Case Study of a Hilltop Settlement in the Montafon (Western Austria)*

Schmidl, Alexandra; Kofler, Werner; Oeggl‐Wahlmüller, N.; Oeggl, Klaus

doi:10.1111/j.1475-4754.2005.00213.x

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Already in the late Neolithic the use of fire to open up new pastures has been documented (eg, Kaufmann and Demetz, 2004). Other studies in nearby Alpine and sub-Alpine sites in Trentino and in Austria reported an increase in agricultural and pastoral practices in valleys during that time (Cucina et al, 1999;Schmidl et al, 2005). The first clearances were carried out in deciduous forests of the valley bottoms and indicate the location of settlements in the surroundings.…”

Section: Fire Regimes and Human Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…BC, Schmidl et al, 2005). Only few recent charcoal fragments (Modern history) were found in the top horizons.…”

Section: Charcoal Identification and Agementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The treeline reached an altitude similar to the present (around 2100 m a.s.l.). In addition, human impact has increasingly influenced the treeline since that period (Di Benedetto et al, 2000;Schmidl et al, 2005). Compared with the Neolithic, later human impact on the landscape became more intense, with more extensive cultivation and animal husbandry, accompanied by a development towards more complex societies (Castelletti et al, 2001).…”

Section: (2) Copper Bronze and Early Iron Agementioning

confidence: 99%

“…), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), pine (Pinus) and larch (Larix) shows an opening-up of the forests for timber, firewood and agricultural use. The beginning of the human activity is indicated by the first occurrence of ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata type) and juniper (Juniperus communis) (Schmidl et al, 2005), species common nowadays in the subAlpine and Alpine altitudinal range (Carnelli et al, 2004b). In the Copper Age, Alpine passes were intensively used to transport merchandise (eg, painted pottery) to Middle Europe (Pedrotti and Demetz, 1997).…”

Section: Fire Regimes and Human Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Archaeological studies have demonstrated the continuous presence of complex human societies in these valleys from the Mesolithic period (c. 8000-4500 cal. BP) until modern history (eg, Cucina et al, 1999;Schmidl et al, 2005;Valsecchi et al, 2006). This study focuses on the identification and dating of charcoal fragments extracted from nine Alpine and sub-Alpine soils.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Charcoal fragments of Alpine soils as an indicator of landscape evolution during the Holocene in Val di Sole (Trentino, Italy)

et al. 2009

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Subalpine and Alpine soils in Val di Sole (Trentino, Italy) have been investigated in order to reconstruct vegetation changes and human impact during the Holocene period. Archaeological findings have demonstrated that Alpine sites have been populated since pre-historical times. Humans have had a great impact on the natural landscape evolution. One of the most-used tools has been fire. The use of fire has enabled the landscape to be cleared to provide new pastures for grazing and also to allow it to be used for agricultural purposes. The 14C dating of charcoal fragments found in subalpine and Alpine soils provide information about the type of vegetation, fires, human impact and soil formation throughout the Holocene. The degree of podzolisation indicates weathering effects and provides information about the stability of the surfaces. According to our results, a quick forest expansion establishment phase must have occurred shortly after the Lateglacial around 10 500 cal. BP. Pinus sylvestris, Pinus mugo as well as Larix decidua established in the investigation area in that period. Picea abies had not yet migrated into this region at the transition to the Boreal (around 9000 cal. BP). The vegetation of the investigated area has not substantially changed during the last 10 000 years. Pinus mugo was more widespread in some areas during the Older Atlanticum, and the treeline was about 150 m higher at the end of the Younger Dryas than today. Some other sites were most probably used as pasture during the Bronze Age and later abandoned, leading to a natural reforestation. In the investigated area 13 fire events in the past 10 700 years have been recognised, and seven of them can reasonably be attributed to human origin.

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Section: Fire Regimes and Human Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…BC, Schmidl et al, 2005). Only few recent charcoal fragments (Modern history) were found in the top horizons.…”

Section: Charcoal Identification and Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: (2) Copper Bronze and Early Iron Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Fire Regimes and Human Impactmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Charcoal fragments of Alpine soils as an indicator of landscape evolution during the Holocene in Val di Sole (Trentino, Italy)

et al. 2009

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Stable isotope evidence for the consumption of millet and other plants in Bronze Age Italy

Tafuri

Craig

Canci

2008

American J Phys Anthropol

153

154

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Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was carried out on human and animal bones from four inland Early and Middle Bronze Age sites in Northern and Southern Italy. The main aims of the investigation were to explore the contribution of plant foods to the human diet and to examine any dietary differences between and within each of the sites. At two of the sites in Northern Italy, human and animal bones were significantly enriched in 13C. This finding was attributed to the consumption of domestic millets (Panicum miliaceum and/or Setaria italica), which are C4 pathway plants. Conversely, individuals from the two Bronze Age sites in Southern Italy were significantly depleted in 13C compared to those from the north. Here, millet was absent from the diet, and protein from C3 plants made a much greater dietary contribution than animal protein. This finding highlights the importance of cereal cultivation, most likely of wheat and barley, in the south of Italy during the Bronze Age. Overall, our results support the idea that the widespread cultivation of millet first occurred in Northern Italy, following its introduction from across the Alps in Central Europe. Finally, we found no significant differences in the stable isotope values between individuals at each site, when grouped by their sex or presence of grave goods. This leads to the conclusion that any status difference that may have existed is not reflected in the long-term dietary record, or at least not as measurable by stable isotope analysis.

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Vegetation change during the Bronze Age studied in a multi-proxy approach: use of wood linked to charcoal analysis

Schwarz

Oeggl

2013

Veget Hist Archaeobot

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Land Use in the Eastern Alps During the Bronze Age—an Archaeobotanical Case Study of a Hilltop Settlement in the Montafon (Western Austria)*

Cited by 19 publications

References 2 publications

Charcoal fragments of Alpine soils as an indicator of landscape evolution during the Holocene in Val di Sole (Trentino, Italy)

Charcoal fragments of Alpine soils as an indicator of landscape evolution during the Holocene in Val di Sole (Trentino, Italy)

Stable isotope evidence for the consumption of millet and other plants in Bronze Age Italy

Vegetation change during the Bronze Age studied in a multi-proxy approach: use of wood linked to charcoal analysis

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