Excavating a dendrochronologicaly dated “Lusatian” stronghold in the middle Elbe valley. A Polish-German cooperation project in Kemberg, Wittenberg county, Saxony-Anhalt
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L_D_Nebelsick_A_Swieder_K_Zeman_Wisniews.pdf (2.22 MB)
Date
2018
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University of Hradec Králové
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Abstract
In September 2014 an excavation with Polish and German researchers and students took place at the stronghold of Kemberg near Wittenberg in Saxony-Anhalt. In a three week campaign, a trench was excavated on the boggy margins of this Late Bronze/Early Iron Age swamp fort, which is the most northwestern example of its type. We discovered an excellently preserved multilayered platform structure made of wooden boards and beams located at the base of the rampart. This may have either served as the foundation of the rampart or reinforced the berm just in front of it. Posts rammed into the sandy subsoil in front of this structure may indicate the presence of a fence or palisade. Preliminary results of dendrochronological and radiocarbon analyses date platform to the mid 9th century BC, the putative palisade may date to the later 10th century BC. Late Bronze Age channelled “Lusatian” pottery conventionally dated from 1000–800 BC rested directly on this wooden structure. The layer above it was filled with sherds belonging to the most western variant of the Early Iron Age Bialowice pottery which was in use in the 7th century BC and early 6th century BC in an area stretching from Glogów in the south-east to Wittenberg in the north-west. Large quantities of high-quality pottery, a bird-shaped rattle, and animal bones were also found in the moist sediments at the foot of the rampart. Massive layers of charcoal and a large charred beam in the layers documented above point to a violent end to this swamp fort, perhaps some time during the early 6th century BC.Thus, the Kemberg rampart will play a crucial role in understanding the relative sequence and absolute chronology of late prehistoric defended settlements between the Elbe and Vistula valleys.
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L.D. Nebelsick, A. Swieder, K. Zeman-Wiśniewska 2018, Excavating a dendrochronologicaly dated “Lusatian” stronghold in the middle Elbe valley. A Polish-German cooperation project in Kemberg, Wittenberg county, Saxony-Anhalt, in: M. Trefný (ed.), 'The Early Iron Age in Central Europe. Proceedings of the conference held on the 2nd–4th of July 2015 in Hradec Králové, Czech Republic', Philosophical Faculty, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové 2018, p. 60-76