The early Neolithic Volling site of Kildevang : its chronology and intra-spacial organisation

Abstract

Due to the lack of large undisturbed sites, questions relating to the early Neolithic I (ENI) transition in Scandinavia, 6,000 years ago, reapeatedly get caught up in discussions of chronology and the nature of the fragmentary and regionalized source material. This paper presents an uncontaminated ENI Volling site in Eastern Jutland, Denmark, dating to around 3800 cal BC. It outlines a high-resolution ceramics chronology by combining stylistic elements with combinations of other finds. With 35,000 square meters excavated, 40 kg of pottery and 5,983 pottery sherds recorded in high detail, this is probably one of South Scandinavia's largest and best recorded open-area excavations of an ENI, Volling site to date. The site produced 88 pits, 1 grave, 3 house structures and 2 major cultural layers from the ENI. 8 pits have been identified as ritual. Few sites of this quality, where regionality can be ruled out, have previously been analyzed in such detail revealing the intra-site organization in space and time. The analyses presented here identify 3 relative chronological phases and two major activity areas within the time frame of ENI. This pattern is reached by mutivariate analysis of stylistic elements of pottery in relation to its spatial distribution, as well as it's combinations with other find material and C-dates. For example, the two-ply cord decorative element traditionally seen as belonging to the earliest phase is here preceeded by an even earlier phase. Also the core axe with specialized edge was found here as many as five times in clear combination with Volling ceramics.