Abstract
This article describes evidence for contact and exchange among Mesolithic communities in Poland and Scandinavia, based on the interdisciplinary analysis of an ornamented bâton percé from Gołębiewo site 47 (Central Poland). Typological and chronological-cultural analyses show the artefact to be most likely produced in the North European Plain, during the Boreal period. Carbon-14 dating confirms the antiquity of the artefact. Ancient DNA analysis shows the artefact to be of Rangifer tarandus antler. Following this species designation, a dispersion analysis of Early-Holocene reindeer remains in Europe was conducted, showing this species to exist only in northern Scandinavia and north-western Russia in this period. Therefore, the bâton from Gołębiewo constitutes the youngest reindeer remains in the European Plain and south-western Scandinavia known to date. An attempt was made to determine the biogeographic region from which the antler used to produce the artefact originates from. To this end, comprehensive δ18O, δ13C and δ15N isotope analyses were performed. North Karelia and South Lapland were determined as the most probable regions in terms of isotopic data, results which correspond to the known distribution range of Rangifer tarandus at this time. In light of these finds, the likelihood of contact between Scandinavia and Central Europe in Early Holocene is evaluated. The bâton percé from Gołębiewo is likely key evidence for long-distance exchange during the Boreal period.
Highlights
In Prehistoric communities, exchange of gifts constituted a common element in all contacts, including both inter-personal and inter-group contacts
Considering its manufacture, its engraving and the geographic location of the Gołębiewo site, it can best be associated with early Holocene hunter-gatherer groups
The bâtons percés of the early Holocene were made in a standardised manner with antler of large deer, and by fashioning the head with a cutting edge or blade [11]
Summary
In Prehistoric communities, exchange of gifts constituted a common element in all contacts, including both inter-personal and inter-group contacts. In archaeological perspective, interpreting exchange or the phenomenon of a gift in Prehistoric communities lies in studying artefacts and raw materials, such as stone transported over substantial distances due to the technological significance, or prestigious items such as metal products, often deposited in graves. The Mesolithic style and form of the artefact gave rise to a number of questions and concerns, including species identification, antiquity, place of origin, and place of production. Considering the substantial intellectual value of the find for interpreting prehistoric exchange, to address these issues, the artefact was subjected to a multidisciplinary analysis that considered its stylistic and cultural attributes, radiocarbon dates and DNA studies to determine antiquity and species, and stable carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analysis to estimate geographic place of origin of the animal.
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