Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-tj2md Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T15:08:15.170Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Was there really a Neolithic in Norway?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Christopher Prescott*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, University of Bergen, Haakon Sheteligs plass 3, 5007 Bergen, Norway

Abstract

For temperate Europe, the transition to the Neolithic is still both defined by a shift from a hunter-gatherer to a farming economy and archaeologically recognized by its characteristic artefacts of pottery and polished-stone axes. But what should be the criteria in the far north of Nordic Europe, where the definition of a Neolithic is a less straightforward issue?

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Altkisn, M.J. 1990. Science-based dating in archaeology. London; Longman.Google Scholar
Anderson, S.H. 1973. Overgangen fra æeldre til yngre stenalder i Syd-skandinavien set fra en mcsolitisk synsvinkel, in Simonsen, & Munch, (ed.): 2644.Google Scholar
Bakka, E. 1973. Omkring problemet ora kulturdualísme i Sør-Noreg, in Simonson, & Munch, (ed.): 109-27.Google Scholar
Bakka, E. & Kaland, P.E.. 1971. Early farming in Hordaland, western Norway: problems and approaches in archaeology and pollen analysis, Norwegian Archaeological Review 4(2): 135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bakkevic, S. 1982. Makrofossilanalyse. Saltvannsflotasjon av materiale fra Rugland på Jaeren, in Lillehammer, (ed.): 4155.Google Scholar
Bakkevic, S. 1989. Funna av forhistorisk korn på Forsandmoen — er vi pâ sporet avbronsealderens julegrøt?, Fra haug okheidni 4: 321-7.Google Scholar
Becker, C.J. 1947. Mosefimdne lerkar fra yngre stenalder, Aarbogev for nordisk oldkyndighed og historie 1318.Google Scholar
Becker, C.J. 1973. Problemer om kring overgangen fra fangstkulturer til bondekulturer i Sydskandinavien, in Simonsen, & Munch, (ed.); 621.Google Scholar
Bercsvik, K.A. 1991. Ervervs- og bosetningsmønstre på kysten av Nordhordaland i steinalder, belyst ved funn fra Fosn-straumen. Unpublished manuscript, University Library, Bergen.Google Scholar
Birks, H.J.B. 1988. The past — introduction, in Birks, et al. (ed.): 177-87.Google Scholar
Birks, H.H., Birks, H.J.B., Kaland, P.E. & Moe, D. (ed.). 1988. The cultural landscape — past, present and future. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Bjerck, L.B.B. 1987. In-context pollen diagrams from 3 archaeological sites in western Norway: towards a unified model of land use in the late Mesolithic and Neolithic 1 periods. Unpublished manuscript, University Library, Bergen.Google Scholar
Bjerck, L.B.B. 1988. Remodeling the Neolithic in southern Norway: another attack on a traditional problem, Norwegian Archaeological Review 21(1): 2133.Google Scholar
Bjørco, T., Kristofeersen, S. & Prescott, C.. 1992. Arkeologisku undersøkelser i Nyset-Steggjevassdragene 1981-1987. Bergen. Arkeologiske rapporter 16.Google Scholar
Brøggek, A. W. 1925. Dei norske folk ioldtiden. Oslo: Instituttot for sammenligennendc kulturforskning.Google Scholar
Bøe, J. 1934. Boplassen i Skipshellewn på Straume i Nordhordland. Bergen. Bergen Museums Skrifter 17.Google Scholar
Cribb, R. 1991. Nomads in archaeology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engelstad, E. 1985. The Late Stone Age of Arctic: Norway, Arctic Anthropology 22(1): 7996.Google Scholar
Fischer, A. 1983. Handel med skoiœstøkser og Jandbrugets indførelse i Danmark, Aarbøger for Nordisk Oldkyndighed og Historie 1981: 516.Google Scholar
Fægri, K. & Iversen, J.. 1989. Textbook of pollen analysis. 4th edition. Chichester: John Wiley.Google Scholar
Gjkrland, B. 1989. Bronsealderbus og steinalder buplassar på Austbø, Hundvåg, Fra hang ok hedni 4: 304-11.Google Scholar
Gundersen, H. 1995. Arkeologiske undersøkelsor på Hjelle, Stryn, 1994. Unpublished report, topographic files, Department of Archaeology, University of Bergen.Google Scholar
Hagen, A. 1983. Norges oldtid. Oslo: Cappelen.Google Scholar
Hagen, A. 1985. Ora ard, kornavl og bosetniagsutvikling, Viking 48 (1984): 4489.Google Scholar
Hayden, B. 1990. Nimrods, piscators, pluckers and planters: the emergence of food production, Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 9: 3169.Google Scholar
Hinsch, E. 1955. Tragtbegerkultur— Megalittkultur. Universi-tetats Oldsaksamlings Årbok 1951-53: 10177.Google Scholar
Hinsch, E. 1956. Yngre stoinulders stridsokskulturor i Norge, Universi-tetot i Bergen Årbok 1954. Historisk-Antikvarisk rekke.Google Scholar
Hjelle, K.L. 1992. Pollenanalystiske undersøkelser innenfor boplassen i Kotedalen, in Hjelle, et al. (ed): 91122.Google Scholar
Hjelle, K., Hufthammer, A.K., Kaland, P.E., Olsen, A.B., Soltvedt, E.C.. 1992a. Utnytting av naturresssusene i Kotedalen - et tverrvitenskapelig sammendrag, in Hjelle, et al. (ed.): 139-50.Google Scholar
Hjelle, K., Hufthammer, A.K., Kaland, P.E., Olsen, A.B., Soltvedt, E.C.. (Ed.). 1992b. Kotedalen — en boplass gjennom 5000 år Bind 2: Natm-vitenskapelige undersokelser. Bergen: Universitetet i Bergen.Google Scholar
Hufthammer, A.K. 1987. Det osteologiske matorialot fra Fosen-straumen, in Marstrander, S. (ed.), Ervervstrategier i Norge i yngre steinalder: 35-6. Oslo. Riksantikvarens rapporter 17.Google Scholar
Hufthammer, A.K. 1992. De osteologiske undersokelsene fra Kotedalen, in Hjelle, et al. (ed.): 964.Google Scholar
Hodder, I. 1990. The domestication of Europe. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.Google Scholar
Hultgrkn, T., Johanskn, O.S. & Lie, R.. 1985. Stiurhellcren i Rana. Dokumeritasjon av korn, busdyr og sild i yngre steinalder, Viking 48 (1984): 83102.Google Scholar
Høec, H.I. 1990. Den pollenanaiytiske undersokelsen ved Dokkfloyvatn i Gausdal og Nordre Land, Oppland. Oslo. Universitetets Oldsakssamling Varia 21.Google Scholar
Indrelid, S. 1978. Mesolithic economy and settlement patterns in Norway, in Mellars, P. (ed.). The early Postglacial settlement of northern Europe: un ecological perspective: 147-76. London: Duckworth.Google Scholar
Indrelid, S., Kaland, S. & Solbekg, B. (ed.). 1988. Festskrift til Anders Hagen. Bergen. Arkeologiske Skrifter Historisk Museum 7.Google Scholar
Indrelid, S. & Moe, D.. 1983. Februk på Hardangervidda i yngre steinalder, Viking 46 (1982): 3671.Google Scholar
Ingold, T. 1980. Hunters, pastoralisls and ranchers: reindeer economies and their transformations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jknnbert, K. 1984. Den produktiva gåvan. Tradition och innovation i Sydskandinavien för omkring 5300 år sedan. Lund: Acta Arch. Lundensia scries in 4, no. 16.Google Scholar
Johansen, O.S. 1990. Synspunkter på jernalderens jordbruks-samfunn i Nord-Norge. Tromso: Universitetet i Tromsø. ISV, Arkeologiseksjonen, Stensilserie B nr. 29.Google Scholar
Johnson, T. & Prescott, C.. 1993. Late Neolithic houses at Stokkset, Sande in Sunnniøre. in Solberg, B. (ed.), Minneskrift Egil Bakka: 7089. Bergen. Arkeologiske Skrifter Historisk museum 7.Google Scholar
Kaland, A. 1995. Naturhistoriske rapporter. Analyse av pollen-prøver fra Nilsvika, Bjorøy, in Kristoffersen, K.K. (ed.), De arkeologiske undersøkelser på; Bjorøy 1992-1994: 138-9. Bergen. Arkeologiske rapporter 20.Google Scholar
Kaland, P.E. 1986. Locality 30.4. The late Mesolithic and Neolithic dwelling place of Kå;tedalen, Straume, in Birks, H.J.B. (ed.), The cultural landscape – past, present and future: 48-9. Bergen. Botanisk institutt rapport 42.Google Scholar
Kaland, P.E. 1992. Pollenanaiytiske undersökelser utenfor boplassen i Kotedalen, in Hjelle, et al. (ed.): 6590.Google Scholar
Knutsson, K. 1988. Making and using stone tools: the analysis of the iithic assemblages from Middle Neolithic sites with flint in Västerbotten, northern Sweden. Uppsala. Aun 11.Google Scholar
Kvamme, M., Berge, J. & Kaland, P.E.. 1992. Vegetasjonshistoriske undersokelser i Nyset-Steggjevassdragene. Bergen. Arkeologiske rapporter 1 7.Google Scholar
Lee, B. 1979. The !Kung San: men, women and work in a foraging society. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Lie, R.W. 1992. Ostoobgisk materiale, in Bjorgo, et al. (ed.): 329-27.Google Scholar
Lillehammer, A. (ed.). 1982. Fuggrenser brytes. Stavanger: Arkelogisk Museum i Stavanger. Skrifter 9.Google Scholar
Lindblom, I. 1982. Økologi og økonomi for deler av Sør-Jaæren i sen-neolitikum. Del 1. Rugland – en sen-neolittisk boplass på Jæren, Sørvest-Norge, in Lillehammer, (ed.): 1532.Google Scholar
LøKen, T. 1989. Forsand utgravningene etter 10 år, Fra haug ok heidni 4:313-20.Google Scholar
Madsen, T. 1985. Comments on early agriculture in Scandinavia, Norwegian Archaeological Review 18(1-2): 91-3.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mikkelsen, E. 1989. Fra jeger til bonde. Utviklingen avjordbruks-samfunn i Telemark i steinalder og bronsealder. Oslo. Universitetets Oldsaksamlings Skrifter 11.Google Scholar
Næroy, A.J. 1993. Chronological and technological changes in western Norway 6000-3800 BP, Acta Archaeologica 63: 7795. Copenhagen.Google Scholar
Næroy, A.J. 1994. Troil-prosjektet. arkeologiske undersøkelsev på Kollsenes, Øygarden k. Hordaland, 1989-1992. Bergen. Arkeologiske rapporter 19.Google Scholar
Nielsen, P.O. 1993. The Neolithic, in Hvass, S. & Storgaard, B. (ed.), Digging into the past: 25 years of archaeology in Denmark: 84-7. Aarhus: Universitetsforlag.Google Scholar
Nygaard, S. 1988. Too many people, ritual porridge eating or was Hinsch right after all, in Indrelid, et al. (ed.): 147-55.Google Scholar
Nygaard, S. 1989. The Stone Age of northern Scandinavia: a review, Journal of World Prehistory 3(1): 71116.Google Scholar
Olsen, A.B. 1988. ØOkonomisk tilpasning i vestnorsk yngre steinalder: Status og perspektiver, in Indrelid, et al. (ed.): 242-51.Google Scholar
Olsen, A.B. 1992. Kotedalen - en boplass gjennom 5000 år. Bergen: Universitetet i Bergen.Google Scholar
Olsen, B. 1988. Interaction between hunter-gatherers and farmers: ethnographical and archaeological perspectives. Archeologia Polskl 33(2): 425-33.Google Scholar
Olsen, H. 1976. Skipshelleren. Osteologisk materiale. Bergen: Stencil, Zoologisk museum.Google Scholar
Prescott, C. 1991. Late Neolithic and Bronze Age developments on the periphery of southern Scandinavia, Norwegian Archaeological Review 24(1): 3548.Google Scholar
Prescott, C. 1993. Rapport fra Periferien. Nyere Undersøkelser fra Sogn, in Forsberg, L. & Larsson, T.B. (ed.), Ekonomi och Näringsformer i Nordisk Bronsålder: 151-61. Umeå. Studia Archaeologica Universitatis Umensis 3.Google Scholar
Prescott, C. 1995. From Stone Age to Iron Age: a study from Sogn, western Norway. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. International series S603.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prescott, C. & Walderhaug, E.M.. In press. Tin; last frontier? Processes of Indo—Europeanization in northern Europe: the Norwegian case, Journal of Indo-European Studies.Google Scholar
Renouf, M.A.P. 1989. Prehistoric hunter-fishers of Vamngcrfjord, northeastern Norway: reconstruction of settlement and subsistence during the Younger Stone Age. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports. International series S487.Google Scholar
Rowley-Conwy, P. 1985. The origin of agriculture in Denmark: a review of some theories, Journal of Danish Archaeology 4: 188-95.Google Scholar
Rowley-Conwy, P. 1995. Making first farmers younger: the west European evidence. Current Anthropology 36(2): 346-53.Google Scholar
Shekratt, A. 1991. Sacred and profane substances: the ritual use of narcotics in later Neolithic Europe, in Garwood, P. et al. (ed.), Sacred and profane: proceedings of a conference on archaeology, ritual and religion. Oxford, 1989: 5064. Oxford: Oxford University Committee for Archaeology. Monograph 32.Google Scholar
Shktelig, H. 1925. Norges Forhistorie. Problemer og resultater i norsk arkæologi. Oslo: Instituttet for sammenlignende kulturforskning.Google Scholar
Simonsen, P. & Munch, G.S. (ed.). 1973. Bonde — Veidemann Bofast — Ikke Bofast i Nordisk Forhistorie. Tromsø. Tromsø Museums skrifter XIV.Google Scholar
Sjøvold, T. (ed.). 1982. Introduksjonen av jordbruk i Norden. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget.Google Scholar
Skiølsvold, A. 1977. Slettabøboplassen. Stavanger: Arkelogisk Museum i Stavanger. Skrifter 2.Google Scholar
Solberg, B. 1989. The Neolithic transition in southern Scandinavia: internal development or migration, Oxford Journal of Archaeology 8(3): 261-96.Google Scholar
Soltvedt, E.C. 1991. Makrofossiler fro Skrivarhelleron, in Prescott, (ed.), Kulturhistoriske undersøkelser i Skrivar-helleren: 130-32. Bergen. Arkeologiske rapporter 14.Google Scholar
Soltvedt, E.C. 1992. MakrofossiIundersøkelsene fra Kotedalen, in Hjelle, et al. (ed.): 123-37.Google Scholar
Soltvedt, E.C. 1994. Hvilke planter sanket og utnyttet mennesken på Kollsnes i forhistorisk tid? in Næroy, (ed.): 219-37.Google Scholar
Soltvedt, E.C. 1995. Makrofossilanalyse av planterester i prøver fra Hjelle, Stryn, Sogn og Fjordane. Unpublished report, Bergen Museum, University of Bergen.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. & Reimer, P.J.. 1993. Radiocarbon calibration Program Rev 3.0.3c, Radiocarbon 35: 215-30.Google Scholar
Thomas, J. 1988. Neolithic explanations revisited: the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in Britain and south Scandinavia, Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 54: 5966.Google Scholar
Thomas, J. 1991. Rethinking the Neolithic. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Thomas, J. 1993. Discourse, totalization and ‘the Neolithic’, in Tilley, C. (ed.), Interpretative archaeology: 357-94. Providence (RI): Berg.Google Scholar
Troels-Smith, J. 1982. Vegetationshistoriske vidnesbyrd om skovrydninger, planteavl og husdyrhold i Europa, specielt Skandinavien, in Sjøvold, (ed.): 3962.Google Scholar
Vorren, K.-D. & Nilssen, E.. 1982. Det eldste jordbruk i Nord-Norge, en palaeoøkologisk oversikt, in Sjøvold, (ed.): 173208.Google Scholar
Welinder, S. 1985. Comments on early agriculture in Scandinavia, Norwegian Archaeological Review 18(1-2): 94-6.Google Scholar
Welinder, S. 1987. Kommentar, in Marstrander, L. (ed.), Ervervstrategier i Sorge i yngre steinalder. 3739. Oslo. Riksantikvarens rapporter 17.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M. 1986. Mesolithic prelude and Neolithic: revolution, in Zvelehil, M. (ed.), Ilunters in transition: Mesolithic societies of temperate Eurasia and their transition to fanning: 515. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M. 1992. Fear of flying, or how to save your own paradigm. Antiquity 66: 811-14.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M. 1993. Hunters or farmers? The Neolithic and Bronze Ago societies of northeast Europe, in Chapman, J. & Dolukhanov, P. (ed.), Cultural transformations and interactions in eastern Europe: 146-62. Aldershot: Avebury.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M. & Dolukhanov, P.. 1991. The transition to farming in eastern and northern Europe, Journal of World Prehistory 5(3): 233-78.Google Scholar
Zvelebil, M., & Rowlky-Conwy, P.. 1984. Transition to farming in northern Europe: a hunter-gatherer perspective, Norwegian Archaeological Review 17(2): 104-28.Google Scholar
ØStmo, F. 1984. Auve. Noen inntrykk fra en mellomneoliltisk kystboplass i Vestfold, Viking 47: 4265.Google Scholar
ØStmo, F. 1988. Etableringen av jordbrukskulturen i Østfold i steinalderen. Oslo. Universitetets Oldsaksamlings Skrifter nr. 10.Google Scholar
ØStmo, F. 1993. Auve i Sandefjord — sanddynen, snorstempel-keramikken og 14C-dateringene, Viking 56: 3764. Oslo.Google Scholar