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An integrated analysis of Maglemose bone points reframes the Early Mesolithic of Southern Scandinavia

Jensen, Theis Zetner Trolle ; Sjöström, Arne LU ; Fischer, Anders ; Rosengren, Erika LU orcid ; Lanigan, Liam Thomas ; Bennike, Ole ; Richter, Kristine Korzow ; Gron, Kurt Joseph ; Mackie, Meaghan and Mortensen, Morten Fischer , et al. (2020) In Scientific Reports 10(1).
Abstract

The extensive peat bogs of Southern Scandinavia have yielded rich Mesolithic archaeological assemblages, with one of the most iconic artefacts being the bone point. Although great in number they remain understudied. Here we present a combined investigation of the typology, protein-based species composition, and absolute chronology of Maglemosian bone points. The majority of the bone points are made from cervids and bovines. However, changes both in species composition and barb morphology can be directly linked to a paucity of finds lasting nearly 600 years in Southern Scandinavia around 10,300 cal BP. We hypothesize that this hiatus was climate-driven and forced hunter-gatherers to abandon the lakes. Furthermore, the marked change in... (More)

The extensive peat bogs of Southern Scandinavia have yielded rich Mesolithic archaeological assemblages, with one of the most iconic artefacts being the bone point. Although great in number they remain understudied. Here we present a combined investigation of the typology, protein-based species composition, and absolute chronology of Maglemosian bone points. The majority of the bone points are made from cervids and bovines. However, changes both in species composition and barb morphology can be directly linked to a paucity of finds lasting nearly 600 years in Southern Scandinavia around 10,300 cal BP. We hypothesize that this hiatus was climate-driven and forced hunter-gatherers to abandon the lakes. Furthermore, the marked change in bone points coincides with a change in lithic technology. We, therefore, propose that the Maglemose culture in Southern Scandinavia is fundamentally divided into an Early Complex and a Late Complex.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Scientific Reports
volume
10
issue
1
article number
17244
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:33057088
  • scopus:85092593961
ISSN
2045-2322
DOI
10.1038/s41598-020-74258-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cbc2911a-c6d8-4552-81ae-0524529f7f6f
date added to LUP
2020-10-24 13:07:54
date last changed
2024-04-17 17:50:28
@article{cbc2911a-c6d8-4552-81ae-0524529f7f6f,
  abstract     = {{<p>The extensive peat bogs of Southern Scandinavia have yielded rich Mesolithic archaeological assemblages, with one of the most iconic artefacts being the bone point. Although great in number they remain understudied. Here we present a combined investigation of the typology, protein-based species composition, and absolute chronology of Maglemosian bone points. The majority of the bone points are made from cervids and bovines. However, changes both in species composition and barb morphology can be directly linked to a paucity of finds lasting nearly 600 years in Southern Scandinavia around 10,300 cal BP. We hypothesize that this hiatus was climate-driven and forced hunter-gatherers to abandon the lakes. Furthermore, the marked change in bone points coincides with a change in lithic technology. We, therefore, propose that the Maglemose culture in Southern Scandinavia is fundamentally divided into an Early Complex and a Late Complex.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jensen, Theis Zetner Trolle and Sjöström, Arne and Fischer, Anders and Rosengren, Erika and Lanigan, Liam Thomas and Bennike, Ole and Richter, Kristine Korzow and Gron, Kurt Joseph and Mackie, Meaghan and Mortensen, Morten Fischer and Sørensen, Lasse and Chivall, David and Iversen, Katrine Højholt and Taurozzi, Alberto John and Olsen, Jesper and Schroeder, Hannes and Milner, Nicky and Sørensen, Mikkel and Collins, Matthew James}},
  issn         = {{2045-2322}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Scientific Reports}},
  title        = {{An integrated analysis of Maglemose bone points reframes the Early Mesolithic of Southern Scandinavia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74258-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41598-020-74258-8}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}