Danish Journal of Archaeology

https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/issue/feed Danish Journal of Archaeology 2024-12-18T18:31:17+01:00 Rune Iversen runeiversen@hum.ku.dk Open Journal Systems The Danish Journal of Archaeology is dedicated to the presentation, discussion and interpretation of the archaeological record of southern Scandinavia in its international, regional and local context https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/137091 Middle Neolithic trackway A20 at Kastbjerg Å 2023-05-23T13:56:03+02:00 Jesper Olsen jesper.olsen@phys.au.dk Bo Madsen blademaker51@gmail.com Marie Kanstrup maka@phys.au.dk Carsten Korthauer ck@museumoj.dk Lutz Klassen lk@museumoj.dk

In 2015-2017, East Jutland Museum excavated a series of well-preserved prehistoric and early historic trackways at Kastbjerg Å in the Kastbjerg Å river valley (eastern Jutland, Denmark). In this article, we will present the earliest of the in situ preserved structures, the Middle Neolithic trackway A20, and the high-precision dating of this structure. Dendrochronological dating of wood sequences provides very precise ages for archaeological timbers from buildings or structures, such as bridges or ships. This is not possible, however, when the dendrochronological samples lack sapwood, if the wood sequence has too few rings to provide definite placement on the dendrochronological master curve, if the wood sequence falls outside the range of the master curves or if the species of wood is not suitable for dendrochronological analysis. Here, we date a wood sequence of an alder tree from trackway A20 using the radiocarbon wiggle-match method to 2911 ±5 BC. The function of the trackway and the significance of the Neolithic river crossing at the Kastbjerg Å site are discussed in the light of European parallels and the regional cultural context.

2024-01-29T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Jesper Olsen, Bo Madsen, Marie Kanstrup, Carsten Korthauer, Lutz Klassen https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/141566 Hafting of a Neolithic leister: Identification of adhesives from Lolland (Denmark) 2023-11-29T10:46:09+01:00 Tabea Joanna Koch tabeakoch@palaeome.org Daniel Groß dag@museumlollandfalster.dk Bjørnar Tved Måge bjm@museumlollandfalster.dk Aimée Little aimee.little@york.ac.uk

Birch tar has been identified as the predominant adhesive used for hafting purposes in the European Mesolithic and Neolithic. Its role in the manufacture of composite tools and weapons comprising wooden, bone and flint components attests its importance during these periods. The discovery of birch tar lumps, some bearing tooth imprints, suggests a broader range of functions beyond its adhesive properties. In this study, we present an analysis of five residues from two sites (Syltholm II and Strandholm I) that have been excavated through the Femern project, with the aim to shed light on the adhesives used in relation to their functions. Through chemical analyses, we show that birch tar constitutes the main component of two lumps and one chewed piece. We also found that birch tar served to haft a bone point within leister prongs, providing new information on its previously unknown role in composite fishing tool technology. These findings have significant implications for our understanding of the functional role and performance of birch tar in aquatic environments.

2024-01-19T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Tabea Joanna Koch, Daniel Groß, Bjørnar Tved Måge, Aimée Little https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/141323 Iron Age Fur Skin Tanning – a Sustainable Practice? 2023-11-06T21:21:30+01:00 René Larsen rl@bsjl.dk Anne Lisbeth Schmidt anne.lisbeth.schmidt@natmus.dk Martin N. Mortensen martin.n.mortensen@natmus.dk Yvonne Shashoua yvonne.shashoua@natmus.dk Dorte Vestergaard Poulsen Sommer dvpsommer@gmail.com Jane Richter jr@kglakademi.dk

Tanning is among the most polluting industries in the world. Industrial-produced hides and skins are fully or pre-tanned with highly polluting chromium salts. The purpose of the study was to gain new knowledge about Iron Age tanning methods to clarify whether sustainable tanning methods can be developed based on this. Fur skin capes, uncovered in Jutland bogs, from Baunsø Mose (20-220 AD), Borremose I (365-116 BC), Huldremose I (1-174 AD) and Vindum Mose (386-203 BC) were analysed by Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and morphological assessment of the skin fibres to identify tanning substances and material condition. Analyses were supplemented with source studies of previous visual assessment of the capes and measured shrinkage temperature of leather and skins excavated from bogs. Our results show that only the samples from Baunsø Mose, Borremose I and Huldremose I contain vegetable tannins. Furthermore, Baunsø Mose contains cow fat and Borremose I, Huldremose I and Vindum sheep fat. All contain indications of the presence of aluminum and iron compounds. The samples are decomposed to varying extents. Remnants from conservation were detected on Huldremose I, Baunsø Mose and Vindum Mose.

2024-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2024 René Larsen, Anne Lisbeth Schmidt, Martin N. Mortensen, Yvonne Shashoua, Henning Matthiesen, Dorte Vestergaard Poulsen Sommer, Jane Richter https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/148522 From Landing site to Local Centre 2024-10-02T09:30:23+02:00 Jette Linaa jl@cas.au.dk

The Viking Age represents a period of significant dynamism, during which local centres and urban sites participated to varying extents in maritime networks. This paper investigates the development, activities, and maritime engagement of the Danish town of Aarhus, located on the East Coast of Jutland, during the Viking Age. In previous research, Aarhus has been portrayed as a prominent town founded in the 8th century with substantial ties to maritime networks. However, this study challenges that narrative through a comparative analysis of structures and 16,000 from 20 excavations—contextualised alongside findings from Ribe, Hedeby, and Kaupang. The analysis indicates that 8th- and 9th-century Aarhus was primarily an agrarian settlement focused on exploiting coastal resources and exhibiting weak maritime connections. Despite the site's fortification in the early 10th century, the town's activities remained unchanged. It was not until the late 10th century that Aarhus began to develop characteristics of a town, marked by local trade, denser settlement and specialised crafts, yet significant maritime contacts were still absent. Consequently, Aarhus did not emerge as a key hub in Viking Age maritime networks, and its strategic geographic position between the Baltic and the North Sea remained unrealised until the Middle Ages.

2024-12-19T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Jette Linaa https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/138710 Experiments on reconstructing and using T-shaped wooden Spades 2023-09-26T11:53:55+02:00 Henriette Lyngstrøm lyngst@hum.ku.dk Martin Winther Olesen mwo@museummidtjylland.dk Lucas Overvad lgo@sagnlandet.dk

Abstract This article summarizes an attempt at reconstructing and using T-shaped wooden spades as well as reflecting on the connection between structures and resource use around Knudmosen near Herning. However, an important limitation on this process is that very few spades are dated. The conclusion is that the spades are relatively easy to produce and well suited to digging peat.

2024-05-29T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Henriette Lyngstrøm, Martin Winther Olesen, Lucas Overvad https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/145009 Denmarks Not-So-Oldest Sheep 2024-08-07T14:54:26+02:00 Daniel Groß dag@museumlollandfalster.dk Samantha Presslee sam.presslee@york.ac.uk Ulrich Schmölcke ulrich.schmoelcke@leiza.de Elena A. Nikulina elena.nikulina@zbsa.eu Jessica Hendy jessica.hendy@york.ac.uk

Sheep and goats are often considered to be the oldest livestock animals in Denmark. In this contribution, we present the results of ZooMS measurements from seven ovicaprid bones from the Femern project, an excavation in the area of the former Syltholm Fjord (Lolland, Denmark). The bones were morphologically identified as sheep or goats and represented the oldest dated remains of both species in Denmark. However, the ZooMS analysis showed that more than half of the morphological identifications were incorrect. For the other samples, we refined the identifications. Hence, our study confirms that indications of sheep and goat husbandry based on bone morphology alone should be treated with caution. The probability of misidentification in our case was high, even in the case of well-preserved bones.

2024-11-28T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Daniel Groß, Samantha Presslee, Ulrich Schmölcke, Elena A. Nikulina, Jessica Hendy https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/144041 The call for a responsive approach in Danish field archaeology 2024-03-14T14:29:26+01:00 Simon Kjær Nielsen skn@vmus.dk Johan Sandvang Larsen jslarsen@cas.au.dk

This article advocates for the formal adoption of a responsive approach in Danish field archae- ology, utilising a recent case study to exemplify its practical application. In contrast to adhering strictly to predetermined strategies, responsive archaeology underscores the importance of ongoing evaluation and prioritisation during fieldwork to optimise knowledge acquisition and research potential. Despite the informal practice of a responsive approach in many museums within Danish field archaeology, it lacks formal recognition as a legitimate working approach. To accommodate the continual assessment of features, structures, and contexts throughout excavation, guiding methodological choices and preferences, the proposed solution recommends incorporating a prioritisation field into our on-site recordings and then transferring these entries into our archaeological databases and GIS repositories. This would allow archaeologists to self-assess and document the priority assigned to each target during fieldwork, for better post-excavation analysis. This adaptive approach aims to empower excavation teams, enhance transparency, and unlock new potential for future research and excavation strategies.

2024-10-23T00:00:00+02:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Simon Kjær Nielsen, Johan Sandvang Larsen https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/152346 Editorial 2024-12-18T18:31:17+01:00 Rune Iversen runeiversen@hum.ku.dk Xenia Pauli Jensen xpj@moesgaardmuseum.dk Thomas Grane Thomas.Grane@natmus.dk Helene Aggerskov Rose helene.agerskov.rose@gu.se Sarah Croix marksc@cas.au.dk Lasse Vilien Sørensen Lasse.Sorensen@natmus.dk 2024-12-19T00:00:00+01:00 Copyright (c) 2024 Rune Iversen, Xenia Pauli Jensen, Thomas Grane, Helene Aggerskov Rose, Sarah Croix, Lasse Vilien Sørensen