The use of space on two Early Iron Age house sites in South-West Jutland, South Scandinavia: A geoarchaeological multiproxy approach

Abstract

This paper describes analyses for understanding the general use of space on two Early Iron Age house sites on the site of Sønderris in South-West Jutland (South Scandinavia). The main method consists of the geoarchaeological techniques of soil P analysis by citric acid extraction, low frequency magnetic susceptibility analysis, and measurement of the soils organic content by loss-on-ignition. The results of these analyses are, moreover, interpreted alongside artefact distribution data, data on the dispersal of plant macrofossils, and an evaluation of the architectural details of the sites.At both house sites, the geoarchaeological data shows patterning indicative of human activities. The main achievements are inference of outdoor areas which may have contained pyres or kilns, delineation of yard spaces with refuse deposition, and the characterisation of functional aspects of two small outbuildings. In general, the geoarchaeological results are consistent with the inferences attained from non-geoarchaeological sources. A notable exception is that few clear traces of stalling were identified in the geoarchaeological record, despite the presence of animal booth partition walls indicating the presence of byres in the longhouses. Possible reasons for this are discussed.Overall, this study demonstrates the continued usefulness of long-established geoarchaeological methods for gaining insights about the nature, extent, and orientation of activities on prehistoric house sites. A key take-away from the study is that the potential of any individual method for reading activities (geoarchaeological or otherwise), increases when several techniques with overlapping, but not identical, scope for inferring activities are integrated. The resulting multiproxy analysis is, as a whole, more useful than the sum of its constituent parts.