Steady transformation of primeval forest into subalpine pasture during the Late Neolithic to Early Bronze Age (2300−1700 BC) in the Silvretta Alps, Switzerland

Abstract

The question of the origin of Alpine farming and pastoral activities associated with seasonal vertical transhumance and dairy production in the Silvretta Alps (Eastern Switzerland) has recently benefitted from renewed interest. There, pastoral practises began during the Late Neolithic (2300 BC), but alpine dairy farming was directly evidenced so far only since the Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age (1300–500 BC). The vegetation development, timberline shifts at 2280 m a.s.l. and environmental conditions of the subalpine Urschai Valley (Canton of Grisons, Switzerland) were reconstructed for the small (8 m2) Plan da Mattun fen based on palynological and geochemical analyses for the last six millennia. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses are among the first ones performed on a European peatland in such altitudes. A high Rb/Sr ratio in the fen peat sediments revealed an increase in catchment erosion during the time when the forests of the Upper Urschai Valley were steadily diminished probably by fire and livestock impact (2300–1700 BC). These landscape openings were paralleled by increasing micro-charcoal influx values, suggesting that prehistoric people actively set fire on purpose. Simultaneously, palynological evidence for pastoralism was revealed, such as pollen from typical herbs indicating livestock trampling, and abundant spores from coprophilous fungi. Since then, vertical transhumance and pastoral activities remained responsible for the open subalpine landscape above 2000 m a.s.l., most probably also in the context of milk and dairy production since 1300 BC, which is characteristic for the European Alps until today.

The history of human land use activities in the Northern Alps since the Neolithic Age. A reconstruction of vegetation and fire history in the Mangfall Mountains (Bavaria, Germany)

“…This would be in agreement with many other studies, which found evidence for first pasture use at high altitudes in the Alps, beginning in the Bronze Age (e.g. Dietre et al, 2012, 2020; Drescher-Schneider, 2009; Festi et al, 2014; Mandl, 2006; Putzer et al, 2016; Walsh and Mocci, 2011; Walsh et al, 2007; Wick et al, 2003). Archaeological and dendrochronological studies from several sites in Tyrol in Austria show, that the Bronze Age was also a period of intensive copper mining in the Northern Alps (Pichler et al, 2009, 2018).…”

“…The strong decrease in Arboreal Pollen at the begin of LPAZ 2b at 750 BC indicates strong human impact on the vegetation around the peatland. The amount of Arboreal Pollen drops below 75%, which according to Magny et al (2006) and Dietre et al (2020) represents a threshold value for open landscapes. Since the peatland is situated well below the tree line, climatic factors cannot be made responsible for these changes.…”

“…During the High Middle Age, landscape openness reaches its maximum, which is reflected in very low Arboreal Pollen values below 60%. According to Magny et al (2006) and Dietre et al (2020) this is a strong indicator for open landscapes. Simultaneously pasture- and open landscape indicator pollen increase, indicating expanding pasturing activities.…”

“…More and more studies, however, reveal that human interaction with the environment and land use at high altitudes in the Alps have a much longer history than previously thought (e.g. Dietre et al, 2020; Hafner and Schwörer, 2018; Kutschera et al, 2014; Mandl, 2006; Putzer et al, 2016; Reitmaier, 2017). The use of mountain pastures enabled early farmers to expand their settlements or even produce excess food for trading purposes by reducing the pressure on the scarce agricultural land in the often-narrow alpine valleys (Reitmaier and Kruse, 2019).…”

The prehistory and early history of the Šumava Mountains (Czech Republic) as seen through anthropogenic pollen indicators and charcoal data

“…Pastoral fires are commonly used in mountainous areas of Europe where transhumance systems have developed. The intentional use of fire to maintain high-altitude pastures is clearly documented in the nearby region of the Alps from at least the Bronze Age (Gilck and Poschlod, 2019; Gobet et al, 2003) or even as early as the Neolithic (Dietre et al, 2020; Hafner and Schwörer, 2018; Pini et al, 2017). Unlike the Alps, the absence of a treeless zone in Šumava makes such activity less likely or at least limited to open vegetation on peat bogs.…”