Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark
With the discovery of peat and gyttja deposits containing archaeological remains, sealed below colluvium, at Fuglsøgaard in eastern Jutland came a rare opportunity to investigate an Iron Age votive bog with abundant traces of peat cutting and subsequent ritual deposition. Pollen analyses show that...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Editorial Board of DJA
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Danish Journal of Archaeology |
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| Online Access: | https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/116377 |
| _version_ | 1797600450075164672 |
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| author | Morten Fischer Mortensen Charlie Christensen Karin Johannesen Ernst Stidsing Reno Fiedel Jesper Olsen |
| author_facet | Morten Fischer Mortensen Charlie Christensen Karin Johannesen Ernst Stidsing Reno Fiedel Jesper Olsen |
| author_sort | Morten Fischer Mortensen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
With the discovery of peat and gyttja deposits containing archaeological remains, sealed below colluvium, at Fuglsøgaard in eastern Jutland came a rare opportunity to investigate an Iron Age votive bog with abundant traces of peat cutting and subsequent ritual deposition. Pollen analyses show that before, during and after the votive phase, the bog lay in an open cultural landscape surrounded by arable fields and pastures. Around 180 BC, extensive peat extraction commenced in the bog, targeting the well-humified wood peat that could be found in the deeper layers. It is estimated that 250-500 m2 of peat was removed, leaving the bog with numerous small water-filled pits, i.e. peat cuts. These water-filled peat cuts then had a secondary role as elements in votive activities in which ritual depositions were made of pottery vessels, parts of domestic animals, wooden objects, bundles of flax, quantities of white/light-coloured stones etc. More than 130 pottery vessels from period II of the Pre-Roman Iron Age (250-1 BC) have been excavated at the site. All the depositions included white/light-coloured stones, and these appear to have been a general feature of many ritual depositions in votive bogs at this time.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:48:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0309e5e0860c4594acaa3a17a30aa9cc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2166-2290 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:48:17Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Editorial Board of DJA |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Danish Journal of Archaeology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0309e5e0860c4594acaa3a17a30aa9cc2023-11-18T01:03:17ZengEditorial Board of DJADanish Journal of Archaeology2166-22902020-12-01910.7146/dja.v9i0.116377Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, DenmarkMorten Fischer Mortensen0Charlie Christensen1Karin Johannesen2Ernst Stidsing3Reno Fiedel4Jesper Olsen5The National Museum of Denmark, Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, I.C. Modewegsvej, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, DenmarkThe National Museum of Denmark, Environmental Archaeology and Materials Science, I.C. Modewegsvej, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.Nordjyllands Kulturhistoriske Museum, Algade 48, 8000 AalborgMuseum Østjylland, Stemannsgade 2, 8900 Randers, DenmarkIndependent researcherAMS 14C Dating Centre, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Ny Munkegade 120, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark With the discovery of peat and gyttja deposits containing archaeological remains, sealed below colluvium, at Fuglsøgaard in eastern Jutland came a rare opportunity to investigate an Iron Age votive bog with abundant traces of peat cutting and subsequent ritual deposition. Pollen analyses show that before, during and after the votive phase, the bog lay in an open cultural landscape surrounded by arable fields and pastures. Around 180 BC, extensive peat extraction commenced in the bog, targeting the well-humified wood peat that could be found in the deeper layers. It is estimated that 250-500 m2 of peat was removed, leaving the bog with numerous small water-filled pits, i.e. peat cuts. These water-filled peat cuts then had a secondary role as elements in votive activities in which ritual depositions were made of pottery vessels, parts of domestic animals, wooden objects, bundles of flax, quantities of white/light-coloured stones etc. More than 130 pottery vessels from period II of the Pre-Roman Iron Age (250-1 BC) have been excavated at the site. All the depositions included white/light-coloured stones, and these appear to have been a general feature of many ritual depositions in votive bogs at this time. https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/116377Prehistoric peat cuttingwetland archaeologyritual depositionvotive offeringPre-Roman Iron Agepollen analysis |
| spellingShingle | Morten Fischer Mortensen Charlie Christensen Karin Johannesen Ernst Stidsing Reno Fiedel Jesper Olsen Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark Danish Journal of Archaeology Prehistoric peat cutting wetland archaeology ritual deposition votive offering Pre-Roman Iron Age pollen analysis |
| title | Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark |
| title_full | Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark |
| title_fullStr | Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark |
| title_full_unstemmed | Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark |
| title_short | Iron Age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs – new evidence from Fuglsøgaard Mose, Denmark |
| title_sort | iron age peat cutting and ritual depositions in bogs new evidence from fuglsogaard mose denmark |
| topic | Prehistoric peat cutting wetland archaeology ritual deposition votive offering Pre-Roman Iron Age pollen analysis |
| url | https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/116377 |
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