Swifterbant culture

The Swifterbant culture is a spätmesolithische or Neolithic culture, including the regions between Antwerp, Belgium and Lower Saxony 5000-3400 existed in the wetlands of the Netherlands BC. The locations on the edge of the Neolithic Linear Ceramic band culture ( LBK ) show strong similarity to those of late Mesolithic Ertebolle - Ellerbeck culture. Swifterbant is a place in the municipality of Dronten, and lies in the province of Flevoland. The site was excavated by the University of Groningen.

History of Research

The Swifterbant culture is in several places ( Bergschenhoek, Brandwijk - Kerkhof, Hazendonk, Schokkerhaven, Swifterbant ) is a small camp on the dunes in the Netherlands. The sites dated 5700-4100 BC, and was inhabited during the summer in three phases each as a small seasonal fishing camp. At least two small cemeteries and evidence of cattle and pigs were detected. The bones of beaver, otter, deer and wild boar were found.

Pots and other artifacts of the material culture of the LBK were adapted from the Swifterbant - people pretty early, but the researches of Cappers and Raemaekers suggest that it lasted until about 4300 BC until the Neolithic repertoire of cereal crops has been added. The evidence for local cereal production in Swifterbant culture include pollen diagrams that contain corn pollen, and traces on flint artifacts, which were interpreted as sickle gloss. The finds include einkorn, emmer and naked barley. Opium poppy was found in Brandwijk - Kerkhof, with its exact use in the culture remained unclear.

Delay of Agriculture

Ceramics and other cultural features of the LBK came about 5300 BC in the southeast of the Netherlands ( Limburg culture). But crops were BC found on the Swifterbant courses earlier than 4370. The exact date is currently still unknown. Why Swifterbant people not adapted the achievements of the LBK and the following Neolithic cultures ( Rössen and Michel Berg), is an open question. Possible reasons are:

Successor of Swifterbant culture is the Vlaardingen culture, which also survived in the far west of the Netherlands as semimesolithische culture.