Maglemosian culture

{{Short description|Culture of the early Mesolithic period in Northern Europe}}

{{Infobox archaeological culture

|name = Maglemosian culture

|map = Baltic History 7500-BC.svg

|mapalt =

|altnames =

|horizon =

|region = Europe

|period = Mesolithic Europe

|dates = {{circa}} 9000 – {{circa}} 6000 BC

|typesite =

|majorsites =

|extra =

|precededby = Ahrensburgian
Fosna–Hensbacka culture
Swiderian culture

|followedby = Kongemose culture

}}

Maglemosian ({{circa}} 9000 – {{circa}} 6000 BC) is the name given to a culture of the early Mesolithic period in Northern Europe. In Scandinavia, the culture was succeeded by the Kongemose culture.

Environment and location

The name originates from the Danish archeological site Maglemose, situated near Gørlev and Høng on western Zealand, southwest of lake Tissø. Here the first settlement of the culture was excavated in 1900, by George Sarauw.{{cite journal | last = Sarauw | first= G. F. L. | author-link= Georg F.L. Sarauw | year= 1903 | title = En Stenaldersboplads i Maglemose ved Mullerup – sammenholdt med beslægtede fund | language = da |trans-title= A Stone Age settlement in Maglemose near Mullerup – compared with related finds. Resumé: Études sur le premier âge de la pierre du Nord de l'Europe | journal = Aarbøger for Nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie | volume= 1903 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=n5VePAAACAAJ}} A German translation appeared in Prähistorische Zeitschrift in 1911 During the following century a long series of similar settlements were excavated from England to Poland and from Skåne in Sweden to northern France.

When the Maglemosian culture flourished, sea levels were much lower than now and what is now mainland Europe and Scandinavia were linked with Britain. The cultural period overlaps the end of the last ice age,{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.quaint.2014.03.056 |title=Early Maglemosian culture in the Preboreal landscape: Archaeology and vegetation from the earliest Mesolithic site in Denmark at Lundby Mose, Sjælland |journal=Quaternary International |volume=378 |pages=73–87 |year=2015 |last1=Jessen |first1=Catherine A. |last2=Pedersen |first2=Kristoffer Buck |last3=Christensen |first3=Charlie |last4=Olsen |first4=Jesper |last5=Mortensen |first5=Morten Fischer |last6=Hansen |first6=Keld Møller |bibcode=2015QuInt.378...73J |doi-access=free }} when the ice retreated and the glaciers melted. It was a long process and sea levels in Northern Europe did not reach current levels until almost 6000 BC, by which time they had inundated large territories previously inhabited by Maglemosian people. Therefore, there is hope that the emerging discipline of underwater archaeology may reveal interesting findings related to the Maglemosian culture in the future.

Characteristics

The Maglemosian people lived in forest and wetland environments, using fishing and hunting tools made from wood, bone, and flint microliths. It appears that they had domesticated the dog.{{Cite news|url=http://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/stone-age-remains-are-britains-earliest-house/|title=Stone Age remains are Britain's earliest house|access-date=28 January 2018|language=en}} Some may have lived settled lives, but most were nomadic.{{citation needed|date=January 2008}}

Huts made of bark have been preserved, in addition to tools made of flint, bone, and horn. A characteristic feature of the culture is the sharply edged microliths of flintstone, used for spear and arrow heads.[http://www.denstoredanske.dk/Danmarks_Oldtid/Stenalder/De_vejl%C3%B8se_skove_9.500-6.400_f.Kr/Med_bue,_pil_og_fiskespyd Med bue, pil og fiskespyd] Gyldendals Open Encyclopedia {{in lang|da}}. Pictures of some Maglemosian tools. Another notable feature is the leister, a characteristic type of fishing spear, used for gigging.

Scandinavian data table

class="wikitable"
Era ! Timespan ! Climatic period ! Plantgrowth ! Mammal game ! Bird game ! Locale type
Early Maglemosian culture \| 9,000 BC – 7,800 BC \| Preboreal Epoch \| Birch-pine era \| aurochs, bison, elk, wild horse \| crane, lapwing \|
Middle Maglemosian culture \| 7,800 BC – 7,000 BC \| Boreal Epoch \| Hazel-pine era \| aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, fox, polecat, badger, wildcat \| merganser, grebe, coot, heron, crane, lapwing \| Klosterlund
Late Maglemosian culture \| 7,000 BC – 6,400 BC \| Atlantic Epoch \| Later linden era \| aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, fox, polecat, badger, wildcat \| merganser, grebe, coot, heron, crane, lapwing \|

class="wikitable"

Era

! Timespan

! Climatic period

! Plantgrowth

! Mammal game

! Bird game

! Locale type

Early Maglemosian culture

| 9,000 BC – 7,800 BC

| Preboreal Epoch

| Birch-pine era

| aurochs, bison, elk, wild horse

| crane, lapwing

Middle Maglemosian culture

| 7,800 BC – 7,000 BC

| Boreal Epoch

| Hazel-pine era

| aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, fox, polecat, badger, wildcat

| merganser, grebe, coot, heron, crane, lapwing

| Klosterlund

Late Maglemosian culture

| 7,000 BC – 6,400 BC

| Atlantic Epoch

| Later linden era

| aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, lynx, fox, polecat, badger, wildcat

| merganser, grebe, coot, heron, crane, lapwing

Genetics

References

Sources

Anders Fischer: "Submerged Stone Age – Danish Examples and North sea potential"; i: N.C.Flemming: Submarine Prehistory and Archaeology of the North Sea: research priorities and collaboration with industry. CBA Research Report 141, 2004, s. 23ff

Danish-language texts

Geoffrey Bibby: Spadens vidnedsbyrd; Wormanium 1980, {{ISBN|87-8516-071-7}} s. 109f
Gyldendal og Politikens Danmarkshistorie (red. af Olaf Olsen); Bind 1: I begyndelsen. Fra de ældste tider til ca. år 200 f.Kr. (ved Jørgen Jensen); 1988, s. 47ff
Jørgen Jensen: Danmarks Oldtid. Stenalder, 13.000–2.000 f.Kr.; Gyldendal 2001, {{ISBN|87-00-49038-5}} s. 86ff
Anders Fischer: "En håndfuld flint", Skalk nr. 5, 1973, s. 8ff
Anders Fischer: "Mennesket og havet i ældre stenalder"; i: Carin Bunte (red): Arkeologi och Naturvetenskab, Lund 2005, s. 276ff
Kim Aaris-Sørensen: "Uroksejagt", Skalk nr. 6, 1984, s. 10ff
Ole Grøn: "Teltning", Skalk nr. 1, 1988, s. 13f
Søren A. Sørensen: "Hytte ved sø", Skalk nr. 3, 1988, s. 25ff
Peter Vang Petersen: "Bjørnejagt", Skalk nr. 5, 1991, s. 3ff
Poul og Kristian Krabbe: "Vest for Valhal", Skalk nr. 6, 1995, s. 11ff
Axel Degn Johansen: "Ikke en sky og ikke en vind!", Skalk nr 2, 2008, s. 8ff