Alvastra pile-dwelling

The Stilt Alvastra is in the Dag Mosse, a bog near the ruins of the monastery Alvastra in the community Ödeshög in Östergötland in Sweden. It belongs to Grübchenkeramischen culture and is dated to 3000 BC. The stilt house is unique in Scandinavia. The site has been studied to some extent in the early 20th century.

Description

In contrast to the open coastal settlements of the living space was on the moor. Lands led to the shore. The 1000 m² platform was used during the summer months. At the edge of the swamp, a layer had been laid from birch and pine logs on the Kalkgyttja, stood on the little huts. On the wooden floors were stone aggregate fireplaces. Objects made ​​of organic material remained circumferential than in other Swedish Stone Age settlements obtained.

Finds

There are grains of pearl barley, (Hordeum vulgare f hexastichon ), wood, other vegetables and animal bones have been found. The bones were from cattle, sheep / goat, pig, dog and bear, elk, rabbit, deer and red deer.

Unique is an amber bead in the form of a double ax of the symmetric type, which occurs in passage tombs. The larger devices, such as thick -necked axes are made of greenstone. A large number of semi-finished and polished double-edged ax of rock prove the local production of this Axttyps. One of the axes was salvaged with the wooden shaft. From flint drill, arrowheads, scraper, cross -edged arrowheads and windscreen scraper. In addition, bone tools: chisels, awls and tube beads, and pierced animal teeth and some ceramics in Sater II and Sater III style.

Alvastra is also an important location of Early Neolithic pottery.

Classification

Farming, husbandry, double-edged axes and organized settlement patterns indicate the inland settlement of a peasant culture. The ceramic is, however grubenkeramisch. It is therefore possible that the users of the square of this culture belonged, which was largely neolithisiert. They probably came from the south, through one of the smäländischen river valleys to the sump. This assumption is supported by a pit ceramic settlement with schnurkeramischem impact on Gisebo / Skärstad on the southern shore of Lake Vättern.