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Kleinmann, Angelika; Merkt, Josef; Müller, Helmut (2015): Pollen profiles from 8 sediment cores from the Degersee, Southern Germany [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835174, Supplement to: Kleinmann, A et al. (2015): Sedimente des Degersees: ein Umweltarchiv - Sedimentologie und Palynologie. In: M. Mainberger, J. Merkt und A. Kleinmann (eds.): Pfahlbausiedlungen am Degersee – Archäologische und naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen. Materialhefte zur Archäologie in Baden-Württemberg, Heft 102, Berichte zu Ufer- und Moorsiedlungen Südwestdeutschlands VI, (Theiss) Darmstadt, ISBN: 978-3-8062-2970-7, 409-471

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Abstract:
The discovery of a neolithic pile field in the shallow water near the eastern shore of the Degersee confirmed earlier palynological and sedimentological studies stating that early man was active in the region since more than 6000 years. The already available off-site data were freshly assessed, completed by additional data from old and new cores and the interpretations revised. A common time scale for the off-site data and the on-site data was obtained by AMS dating of terrestrial macro remains of the neolithic section of off-site core De_I+De_H. The ages can thus be parallelled with AMS ages of construction timber on-site. Pollen analyses from all cores provide a further time scale. The continuously and densely sampled pollen profile of the profundal zone embracing the entire Late glacial and Holocene serves as a reference. From the Boreal onwards the relative ages are transformed by AMS ages and varve counts into calibrated and absolute.
A transect cored close to the neolithic pile field across the lake marl-platform demonstrates its geological architecture in the shallow water since the Lateglacial. Studies of the microfabric of thin sections of drilled cores and of box cores from the excavations demonstrate that neolithic settlements now at 2-3,5 m water depth had been erected on lake marl freshly fallen dry, thus indicating earlier lake levels dropped by 1.5-2 m.
The neolithic section of the highly resolved off-site profile in the lake=s profundal zone has laminated and calcareous zones alternating with massive ones. Assemblages of diatoms and concentrations of trace elements changing simultaneously characterise the calcareous sections as deposits of low lake levels that lasted between some 40 and more than 300 years. The ages of discovered lake shore dwellings fall into calcareous segments with low lake levels.
From the end of the Upper Atlantic period (F VII) appear Secondary Forest Cycles in the beech forest, a man-made sequence of repeated vegetational development with an identical pattern: With a decrease of beech pollen appear pollen of grasses, herbs and cultural indicators. These are suppressed by the light demanding hazel and birch, those again by ash, and finally by the shade demanding beech forming a new pollen peak. Seven main Forest Cycles are identified In the upper Neolithic period each comprising some 250, 450 or 800 years. They are subdivided into subcycles that can be broken down by very dense sampling in even shorter cycles of decadal length. Farming settlers have caused minor patchy clearances of the beech-mixed-forest with the use of fire. The phases of clearance coincide with peaks of charcoal and low stands of the lake levels. The Secondary Forest Cycles and the continuous occurrence of charcoal prove a continued occupation of the region. Together with the repeated restoration of the beech climax forest they point to pulsating occupation probably associated with dynamic demography.
The synchronism of the many palynological, sedimentological and archaeological data point to an external forcing as the climate that affects comprehensively all these proxies. The fluctuations of the activity of the sun as manifested in the residual d14C go largely along with the proxies. The initial clearances at the begin of the forest cycles are linked to low lake levels and negative values of d14C that point to dry and warm phases of a more continental climate type. The subcycles exist independent from climatic changes, indicating that early man acted largely independent from external forces.
Related to:
Mainberger, Martin; Merkt, Josef; Schlichtherle, Helmut; Affolter, Jehanne; Baum, Tilman; Billamboz, André; Dufraisse, Alexa; Kaiser, Michael J; Kleinmann, Angelika; Maier, Ursula; Stephan, Elisabeth; Million, Sebastian; Vieth, Christina; Vogt, Richard; Wessels, Martin; Wick, Lucia (2015): Synthese. In: M. Mainberger, J. Merkt und A. Kleinmann (eds.): Pfahlbausiedlungen am Degersee – Archäologische und naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen. Materialhefte zur Archäologie in Baden-Württemberg, Heft 102, Berichte zu Ufer- und Moorsiedlungen Südwestdeutschlands VI, (Theiss) Darmstadt, ISBN: 978-3-8062-2970-7, 517-535
Coverage:
Median Latitude: 47.611933 * Median Longitude: 9.654140 * South-bound Latitude: 47.611206 * West-bound Longitude: 9.649431 * North-bound Latitude: 47.612258 * East-bound Longitude: 9.656055
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
8 datasets

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Datasets listed in this publication series

  1. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_I (27.4 cm in high resolution). https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835166
  2. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment cores De_I and De_H. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835167
  3. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_U. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835168
  4. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_V. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835169
  5. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_V1. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835170
  6. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_W. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835171
  7. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_X. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835172
  8. Kleinmann, A; Merkt, J; Müller, H (2015): Pollen profile from sediment core De_Y. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835173