Wetland life : Exploring Mesolithic Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher socioecologies using high-resolution palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of pollen and NPP at Dagsmosse, Sweden
Blaesild, Paulina LU ; Sjöström, Arne LU ; Hallgren, Fredrik ; Hinders, Nathalie ; Plikk, Anna ; Roalkvam, Isak and Nielsen, Anne Birgitte LU
(2026)
In Quaternary Science Reviews
388.
- Abstract
At Dagsmosse in south-central Sweden, evidence from well-preserved Mesolithic wetland sites (10,200–7000 cal a BP) demonstrates occupation continuity among Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher (HGF) communities in wetland areas. This study presents detailed environmental reconstructions of the Dagsmosse basin, where Mesolithic fishing and dwelling activities were recorded. Focusing on the Preboreal–Boreal biozones (11,700–7800 cal a BP), we present a high-resolution palaeoecological record from pollen, micro-charcoal, macro-fossil and Non-Pollen Palynomorph (NPP) analyses. The local palaeoecological dataset shows HGF niche construction and socioecological change throughout Boreal 1 and 2 (10,200–8100 cal a BP). The dataset supports claims that HGF... (More)
At Dagsmosse in south-central Sweden, evidence from well-preserved Mesolithic wetland sites (10,200–7000 cal a BP) demonstrates occupation continuity among Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher (HGF) communities in wetland areas. This study presents detailed environmental reconstructions of the Dagsmosse basin, where Mesolithic fishing and dwelling activities were recorded. Focusing on the Preboreal–Boreal biozones (11,700–7800 cal a BP), we present a high-resolution palaeoecological record from pollen, micro-charcoal, macro-fossil and Non-Pollen Palynomorph (NPP) analyses. The local palaeoecological dataset shows HGF niche construction and socioecological change throughout Boreal 1 and 2 (10,200–8100 cal a BP). The dataset supports claims that HGF activities followed both general and intrinsic ecological shifts within the basin. Human-environment interactions were classified into three phases by correlating archaeological data with trophic lake changes, water-level fluctuations and autochthonous variation in bio-production. Hunting of large herbivores by the palaeolake margins is the main socioecological characteristic of phase 1. Lake trophy, flora and microbiota attracted fish populations, facilitating fishing and dwelling during phase 2. The appearance of fishing with stationary traps in phase 3 is explained by changes in water conditions and aquatic fauna. Rates of micro-charcoal and carbonicolous fungi suggest that humans affected wetland regrowth until settlement abandonment around 8200 cal a BP.
(Less)
- author
- Blaesild, Paulina
LU
; Sjöström, Arne
LU
; Hallgren, Fredrik
; Hinders, Nathalie
; Plikk, Anna
; Roalkvam, Isak
and Nielsen, Anne Birgitte
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-09-15
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Human–environment interactions, Hunter gatherer Fisher archaeology, Mesolithic, Palaeoecology, Socioecology, Wetland archaeology
- in
- Quaternary Science Reviews
- volume
- 388
- article number
- 110079
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105039872345
- ISSN
- 0277-3791
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.110079
- project
- Human-Environmental Interactions in Wetlands: Mesolithic Landscape Development Studies through Palynology, Stable Isotope and SedDNA Analyses at Dagsmosse, Östergötland, Sweden
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Authors.
- id
- ed8884cc-86f5-4779-b71f-321e605349ab
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-01 13:28:30
- date last changed
- 2026-06-02 02:51:12
@article{ed8884cc-86f5-4779-b71f-321e605349ab,
abstract = {{<p>At Dagsmosse in south-central Sweden, evidence from well-preserved Mesolithic wetland sites (10,200–7000 cal a BP) demonstrates occupation continuity among Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher (HGF) communities in wetland areas. This study presents detailed environmental reconstructions of the Dagsmosse basin, where Mesolithic fishing and dwelling activities were recorded. Focusing on the Preboreal–Boreal biozones (11,700–7800 cal a BP), we present a high-resolution palaeoecological record from pollen, micro-charcoal, macro-fossil and Non-Pollen Palynomorph (NPP) analyses. The local palaeoecological dataset shows HGF niche construction and socioecological change throughout Boreal 1 and 2 (10,200–8100 cal a BP). The dataset supports claims that HGF activities followed both general and intrinsic ecological shifts within the basin. Human-environment interactions were classified into three phases by correlating archaeological data with trophic lake changes, water-level fluctuations and autochthonous variation in bio-production. Hunting of large herbivores by the palaeolake margins is the main socioecological characteristic of phase 1. Lake trophy, flora and microbiota attracted fish populations, facilitating fishing and dwelling during phase 2. The appearance of fishing with stationary traps in phase 3 is explained by changes in water conditions and aquatic fauna. Rates of micro-charcoal and carbonicolous fungi suggest that humans affected wetland regrowth until settlement abandonment around 8200 cal a BP.</p>}},
author = {{Blaesild, Paulina and Sjöström, Arne and Hallgren, Fredrik and Hinders, Nathalie and Plikk, Anna and Roalkvam, Isak and Nielsen, Anne Birgitte}},
issn = {{0277-3791}},
keywords = {{Human–environment interactions; Hunter gatherer Fisher archaeology; Mesolithic; Palaeoecology; Socioecology; Wetland archaeology}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{09}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Quaternary Science Reviews}},
title = {{Wetland life : Exploring Mesolithic Hunter-Gatherer-Fisher socioecologies using high-resolution palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of pollen and NPP at Dagsmosse, Sweden}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.110079}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.quascirev.2026.110079}},
volume = {{388}},
year = {{2026}},
}