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•Development of Eneolithic oak chronology for 3771–3330 BC in Slovenia.•Common tree-ring patterns with German/Swiss oak chronology.•First dendrochronologically dated prehistoric pile ...dwellings at Ljubljansko barje.•Improvement of dendro-archaeological investigations south and south east of the Alps.
We present dendrochronological dating of Eneolithic pile dwellings on Ljubljansko barje, Slovenia, from the 4th millennium BC, partly included on the UNESCO world heritage list in 2011. Samples of oak (Quercus sp.) timbers from the posts on which the dwellings were built have been collected over the past 20 years. They have been dendrochronologically cross-dated and (pre) dated by 14C wiggle-matching. We describe the construction of a 442-year chronology BAR-3330 based on 106 cross-dated tree-ring series of wood from six pile-dwelling sites. Comparison of BAR-3330 with reference chronologies of more than 500km distant areas north of the Alps showed that it can be teleconnected and dated with a combined German Swiss chronology. The time span of BAR-3330 was defined in this way as 3771–3330 BC. We were thus able to date exactly building activities on the pile dwellings Strojanova voda (SV), Hočevarica (HO), Maharski prekop (MP), Črešnja pri Bistri (CR), Spodnje mostišče (SM) and Stare gmajne (SG), in which early copper metallurgy played an important role. This is the first dendrochronological dating of prehistoric pile dwellings south of the Alps using reference chronologies from the north based on teleconnection. It provides an opportunity to continue filling the spatial and temporal gaps in the absolute chronology of the 4th millennium BC in the area south and south east of the Alps.
Abstract Between 1995 and 2015 the number of records of Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus in Slovenia increased drastically, especially after 2007, but the species occurred regularly every year since ...2002. Before that, the Short-eared Owl was regarded as a very rare migrant in Slovenia. Most of the observations were from wintering and migration periods, and the most important areas for the species in Slovenia were Ljubljansko barje, Lake Cerknica, surroundings of the water reservoir Medvedce and coastal wetlands. In 2008 and 2013 the Short-eared Owl occurred in large numbers, and these years were regarded as irruptive. Flocks of 2 to 8 birds were observed. At Ljubljansko barje, increased numbers of observed Short-eared Owls coincided with a large population of small mammals (species of the genus Apodemus and Microtus) and poor snow cover in 2008, and at least three communal roost sites were found that year. In the irruptive year 2013 there was a greater number of Short-eared Owls observed at the Medvedce water reservoir. On the plain at Lesce near the village of Smokuč an injured second year female was found at the end of March 2008 with a developing brood patch in its initial stage. It is likely that the female attempted to nest, which confirms the status of the species as occasional breeder in Slovenia. The last confirmed breeding in Slovenia was recorded in 1936 at Ljubljansko barje. In addition to local conditions (population of small mammals, snow cover) the frequency of occurrence of the Short-eared Owl in Slovenia is also affected by the population of development in the Boreal region and changes in migratory characteristics of the species in Europe. Therefore, an increase of the number of Short-eared Owls in Slovenia is expected in the future, as well as breeding attempts by this nomadic owl in seasons with high populations of small mammals and green winters, of course, if appropriate meadow habitat is still preserved.
We present the results of a plant macroremain study of the late Neolithic lakeshore settlement Stare gmajne (SG) at Ljubljansko barje, Slovenia, with cultural horizons that ended around 3330 and 3110 ...cal. B.C., as obtained by dendrochronological and radiocarbon dating of the most frequent construction timbers of Quercus sp. (oak) and Fraxinus sp. (ash). Fourteen systematically taken samples were investigated, using standard methods for studying waterlogged plant remains, which had been developed during lake dwelling research north of the Alps. Most of the remains were preserved in a waterlogged state, and we identified a total of 93 taxa. The most important cultivated plants were Triticum dicoccum (emmer), Hordeum vulgare (six-rowed naked barley), T. monococcum (einkorn), Linum usitatissimum (flax) and Papaver somniferum (opium poppy). The numerous possibly gathered plants also included Trapa natans (water chestnut) and Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris (wild grapevine). Chenopodium album (goosefoot) and Brassica rapa (turnip) with seeds/fruits rich in oil and starch were probably gathered as well. Comparisons of the Stare gmajne results with contemporary north Alpine sites (NA) showed, among other things, that Triticum durum/turgidum (tetraploid naked wheat), frequent at NA, was not found at SG. Trapa natans (water chestnut) was rare and Vitis (grapevine) was not found at NA. The observed differences in the wild plant spectra may have ecological causes, for example a warmer climate south of the Alps, but differences in cultivar spectra are more likely for cultural-historical reasons.
In this paper, we attempt a multiscalar analysis of the Maharski prekop archaeological site, connecting the landscape context, temporal dynamics, and spatial organisation with the composition of the ...artefact assemblage, the shapes, sizes and technological composition of the pottery, and traces of activities in the form of food residues on pottery. The pottery assemblage from Maharski prekop is characterised by a wide variation in vessels. This can be explained by the non-specialised use of vessels, where they were deliberately designed to be able to perform a series of different functions, which is supported by the technological analysis of fabrics and the wide range of identified foodstuffs.
V članku obravnavamo rezultate arheoloških raziskav na najdiščih Črnelnik in Devce na Ljubljanskem barju v letu 2014. Gre za dve novoodkriti najdišči iz obdobja, ko so na Ljubljanskem barju živeli ...koliščarji. Na podlagi interdisciplinarnih analiz uvrščamo kolišče na Črnelniku na začetek 4. tisočletja pr. Kr. Manj podatkov je pridobljenih z najdišča Devce, zato njegov značaj še ni ugotovljen. Postavljamo ga v čas med 4. in 2. tisočletjem pr. Kr.
We present absolute dates of seven late Neolithic pile-dwellings on Ljubljansko barje, Slovenia. They were settled from ca. 3600 to 3332 (±10) and from 3160 to 3071 (±14) cal BC, as shown by ...investigations of wood using dendrochronology and radiocarbon wiggle-matching. We defined eleven periods of intensive tree felling (and building activities) and one major settlement gap (when no trees were felled) from 3332 to 3160 cal BC. A major settlement gap presumably also followed after 3071 cal BC (i.e., after the end date of the investigated sites). Our investigations included over 2500 pieces of wood, mainly from the piles on which the dwellings were built. Among important wooden artefacts were a wheel with axle (one of the oldest preserved wheels in the world) and two dugout canoes, all from the settlement phase from 3160 to 3100 cal BC. As shown by parallel studies, the economy in the sites was characterized by copper metallurgy, skilful wood processing and use, cultivation of domestic plants, gathering of wild plants, animal husbandry, hunting and fishing. The settlements were contemporaneous with a number of sites in the north of the Alps, the younger ones coincided with the lifetime of the Neolithic Iceman (Ötzi). Since Ljubljansko barje has a strategic position at the crossroads between western central and (south) eastern Europe the presented absolute dates provide a basis for their comparison with other dated contemporaneous sites (in the west), to revise the chronology of similar sites in the (south) east (which are not yet exactly dated), and to evaluate their interconnection and roles in cultural development in prehistory.
Prispevek obravnava fenomen nenavadno velikega števila najdb srednjeveških mečev iz reke Ljubljanice na Ljubljanskem barju. Odsotnost ali pomanjkljivost najdiščnih podatkov, ki zaznamuje večino od ...več kot 56 odkritih primerkov, narekuje poglobljeno obravnavo t. i. notranjih pokazateljev posameznih najdb. Ti vključujejo stanje meča ob odkritju, sledove poškodb in manipulacij ter prisotnost ali odsotnost ostankov nožnice. Preučitev in upoštevanje tovrstnih dejavnikov nadgrajuje analizo tipološko-kronoloških značilnosti orožja, delno blaži izpad arheoloških podatkov o kontekstu in lahko do določene mere celo prispeva k osredotočanju interpretativnih nastavkov oziroma hipotez o okoliščinah in vzrokih potopitve. Kronološka strukturiranost mečev z vrhuncem med 12. in sredino 14. st. ter slabše oprijemljivim številom poznejših najdb, relativna maloštevilnost najdb sočasnega orožja na drogu ter konjske in konjeniške opreme, ki bi dokazovala intenzivnejše premike v obrečnem prostoru, nadalje zgoščeno pojavljanje mečev na določenih odsekih reke in končno omejena, iz okolja izvirajoča tveganja za naključne izgube v veliki meri izključujejo možnost ponavljajočih se dejanj iz trenutnih vzgibov in podpirajo domnevo, da je potopitev pomembnega dela obravnavanega orožja rezultat zavestnih odločitev oziroma namere.
V prispevku je kritično ovrednoten članek Houses, pots and food: the pottery from Maharski prekop in context, avtorjev Dimitrija Mlekuža, Andreje Žibrat Gašparič, Milene Horvat in Mihaela Budja, ki ...je izšel leta 2012 v reviji Documenta Praehistorica 39.
Abstract In 2015, we used the same method as in the 1989-1996 period to count calling males of the Common Quail Coturnix coturnix in selected 1x1 km squares of Ljubljansko barje (central Slovenia). ...We counted 39 males, which is 87% less compared to the survey 20 years ago. Quails were found in 56% fewer squares. Since Quail populations are known to fluctuate greatly between years, we think that the most realistic long-term estimate for population decline would be somewhere between 50 to 90%. We detected that within only one week males stopped calling in some squares, while in others they began calling although they had not been detected there before, indicating possible relocations. This dynamics should be considered when designing a population monitoring protocol for the Quail.
In this article, we discuss the role of pottery in food-related practices at the Resnikov prekop site on Ljubljansko barje (Ljubljana Marshes). We integrate chemical analyses of organic food residues ...with typological, technological and functional analyses of pottery. The vessels from Resnikov prekop reveal a broad range of sizes, forms and fabrics, as demonstrated by our analyses. The lipid residue analysis demonstrate that vessels from Resnikov prekop were mostly used for storing and serving different foods derived from terrestrial animals, mostly ruminants.
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