Towards a refined understanding of the use of coastal zones in the Mesolithic: New investigations on human–environment interactions in Telemark, southeastern Norway

Abstract

The study of the effects of human presence on vegetation in the Mesolithic has been controversial. It is often assumed that hunter-gatherers did not change or affect their environment in a way that can be detected by means of pollen analysis. In this paper, we explore potential human impact on the vegetation during the Mesolithic by comparing pollen data from a high-resolution sediment core from Lake Skogstjern with archaeological data obtained through extensive excavation and survey in Bamble, in the county of Telemark, southeastern Norway. The aim of this interdisciplinary approach is to reach a better understanding of the development and use of Mesolithic woodlands with regard to the availability of different resources, but also to put the question of human impact on Mesolithic vegetation on the agenda. Mesolithic settlement in southeastern Norway was to a very large degree shore bound, and the pollen analysis from Lake Skogstjern, situated in the coastal hinterland, allows for new perspectives on and interpretations of the use of the coastal wider landscape.