Neolithic human impact on landscapes related to megalithic structures: palaeoecological evidence from the Krähenberg, northern Germany

Abstract

New aspects of prehistoric forest use and human activities around megalithic graves were inferred from a palaeoecological study at Krähenberg, northern Germany. Five megalithic graves of the Funnel Beaker Culture are located very close, i.e. ca. 100 m south-west of a small mire which was investigated for pollen and charcoal records. This unique situation provides a detailed reconstruction of the local vegetation development and fire history for the area surrounding the megalithic graves, by investigating a peat core sequence, and backed by 11 AMS 14C measurements and archaeological data. The deciduous forests experienced a slight reduction in the canopy around 3500 cal. BC, suggesting an increased but weak human impact, possibly associated with the construction of the megalithic graves. Following the period of anthropogenic activity, forest recovery occurred over a period of about 400 years. Our results suggest that the designated site was isolated from settlements and arable fields during the Neolithic period. The graves were imbedded in a woodland landscape. Although forest disturbance occurred during the Neolithic period, intense human impact associated with arable farming first commenced during the Bronze Age.