Articles

The submerged pre-Drouwen TRB settlement site Wetsingermaar, c. 3500 cal. BC (province of Groningen, the Netherlands)

Authors

  • D.C.M. Raemaekers
  • Y.I. Aalders
  • S.M. Beckerman
  • D.C. Brinkhuizen
  • I. Devriendt
  • H. Huisman
  • M. de Jong
  • H.M. Molthof
  • W. Prummel
  • M.J.L.Th. Niekus
  • M. van der Wal

Abstract

This article presents the results of an extensive coring programme and a test excavation at Wetsingermaar (province of Groningen, the Netherlands). The corings made clear that the archaeological site spans over 1.5 ha and islocated on the waterfront of a submerged Pleistocene ridge. The test excavation yielded ceramics, flints and other stone material, and archaeozoological remains. On the basis of its cultural remains it is concluded that Wetsingermaar constitutes an early site of the Funnel Beaker Culture (Trichterbecherkultur, TRB), predating the Horizon 1 of Drouwen TRB as defined by Brindley (1988b). This early phase is termed pre-Drouwen TRB (cf. Bakker, 1979: 115). The flint industry is similar to younger TRB assemblages, while the ceramic and archaeozoological evidence is difficult to interpret as a result of the fragmentary condition of the finds and the near absence of contemporaneous sites.

Published

2012-12-15

Issue

Section

Articles