'Up ewig Ungedeelt!' Schleswig-Holstein 1864–1920

Abstract

The border region of present-day Denmark and Germany has had a turbulent history. This paper will discuss the different influences of both countries on the landscape and upon the local community, using a landscape biographical approach. The landscape is filled with monuments commemorating various violent events in the region. The paper analyses how the Danish minority of Germany and the small German population of Denmark reacted to these changes. It considers how these changes are marked in the landscape, looking at Schleswig-Holstein from both perspectives.     

COLOURED OPAQUE GLASS BEADS OF THE MEROVINGIANS*

Monochrome coloured opaque glass beads of the Merovingians have been examined by different analytical methods. A large number of mostly unprepared beads have been measured by X‐ray fluorescence analysis. X‐ray diffraction was used for the identification of the crystalline colouring and opacifying pigments, and electron probe micro‐analysis as well as scanning electron microscopy were applied to study the composition and the microstructure of a white, brown, green, orange and yellow glass bead. After subtracting the content of colouring oxides of the glass beads and normalizing the residual values to 100% an identical soda‐lime‐glass matrix was obtained. The origin of the colouring metal oxides is discussed.     

Osteometry as a Source of Refined Demographic Information: Sex-Ratios of Reindeer, Hunting Strategies, and Herd Control in the Late Glacial site of Stellmoor, Northern Germany

In archaeozoological investigations of sexually-dimorphic species such as Rangifer, Cervus, andBison , osteometry has a great—but as yet unexploited—potential as a source of refined demographic information. For this purpose, however, two important points must be taken into account. Firstly, the age-classes represented by different skeletal elements differ and thus sex-ratios may vary according to the anatomical element studied. Secondly, the fragments to be analysed should be chosen carefully in order to ensure that he age-class which they represent is known. A failure to do so may hinder the correct determination of sex ratios. This paper attempts to show, by means of an example, that, when these factors are considered, important demographic information and interesting insights about topics such as hunting strategies can be gained. The analysis of the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) assemblage from Stellmoor, an open-air Late Glacial site in northern Germany, revealed that male and female individuals in the different cohorts were killed in the same proportions as they occur in a typical herd, thus pointing to a non-selective hunting strategy. The results also argue against the assertion that reindeer herds were controlled by people during this period.     

INFRARED STIMULATED LUMINESCENCE DATING OF ARCHAEOSEDIMENTS

In this study the feasibility of infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) for dating loessic colluvial sediments, deposited as a result of human activity, is investigated. It is demonstrated that the ‘IRSL-clock’is reset after a few minutes of daylight exposure even under foggy weather conditions. Samples of independently known age were taken at the Neolithic Bruchsal Aue site in south-west Germany. Different laboratory procedures are tried and a method is suggested (narrow wave-length band in the blue, preheat at 220° C for 5 min) to overcome age underestimates. This laboratory technique yielded archaeologically reasonable ages for colluvial sediments and hollow fillings. The IRSL-ages demonstrate that the deposition of the colluvia is related to soil erosion triggered by human activities, such as wood clearing and agriculture. The successful dating of archaeosediments has a great potential for applications in environmental archaeology as well as in geomorphology and in particular for the reconstruction of man-landscape interactions in central Europe.     

GLASS CORROSION ACROSS THE ALPS: A SURFACE STUDY OF CHEMICAL CORROSION OF GLASSES FOUND IN MARINE AND GROUND ENVIRONMENTS*

Ancient glasses deriving from differing environments (marine and ground) and areas (Mediterranean and Continental) have been investigated to understand their weathering processes. Although the glass technologies, developed in various ways, and the differing compositions of the glasses from the two areas, have generated differing durabilities, the weathering features of both typologies of glass are identical. Therefore, the corrosion phenomena are due to the action of water, and they are not related to the sample microclimate. Data have been collected using optical microscopy, RGA and surface analysis techniques: XPS, ESEM and SIMS.