Plant economy of the northern Alpine lake dwellings — 3500–2400 cal. BC

Abstract

Considerable changes are observed in the abundance of cultivated plants in the northern Alpine foreland between 3500 and 2400 cal. BC. The importance of tetraploid naked wheat (Triticum durum Desf./turgidum L.) and opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) declines whereas that of glume wheat (mainly emmer, Triticum dicoccum Schübl.) and flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) increases progressively. The hypothesis presented here is that these developments are mainly due to changing cultural spheres of influence. Many of these changes are, however, not fully traceable due to the very heterogeneous and, in part, very poor state of research in this area.