Maglemosian ( 9000 BC – 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. A German translation appeared in Prähistorische Zeitschrift in 1911
When the Maglemosian culture flourished, sea levels were much lower than now and what is now mainland Europe and Scandinavia were linked with Britain through the region known as Doggerland, now submerged beneath the North Sea. The cultural period overlaps the end of the last ice age.
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. Some may have lived settled lives, but most were nomadic, though it is speculated that single families sometimes built seasonal huts to hunt.
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.Med bue, pil og fiskespyd Gyldendals Open Encyclopedia . Pictures of some Maglemosian tools. Another notable feature is the leister, a characteristic type of fishing spear, used for gigging.
Scandinavian data table
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
See also Ahrensburg culture Deepcar Doggerland Koelbjerg Man Last Glacial Period Georg F.L. Sarauw Star Carr Thatcham
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, 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, 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