The Late Mesolithic Bark Floor of the Wetland Site of Rüde 2, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Abstract

While organic constructions from the Neolithic and later periods are more common, sites from the Mesolithic that have yielded large wooden sub-structures are rare. Only a few examples have been found and many undiscovered sites may be endangered by the draining of bogs and the reclaiming of land. This paper discusses a wooden structure found at the northern German site of Rüde LA2. This site, located within a favoured Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic settlement area, was excavated during an extensive wetland research programme in the 1950s. Artefacts associated with fishing and hunting as well as early pottery were recovered from this dwelling site as well.