Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com – A number of thousand years in the past, intensive excavations happened all through Denmark.
1000’s of holes, every 30 to 40 centimeters deep, had been dug in belts three to 6 meters large and typically a number of kilometers lengthy.
This phenomenon is named ‘gap belts.’ Through the early Iron Age (500-300 BCE), they had been primarily constructed in Denmark, particularly in Central and Western Jutland, in addition to on Funen and Lolland.
The Grønbæk gap belt in Ringkøbing-Skjern was among the many first to be discovered within the Nineteen Sixties, when archaeologists first observed this phenomenon. Credit score: Ringkøbing-Skjern Museum
To this point, practically 50 gap belts have been found in Denmark. Nonetheless, their objective stays unclear.
“The holes had been too small so that you can bury anybody in them, in order that they had been positively not burial grounds,” says Henriette Lyngstrøm, affiliate professor on the Saxo Institute on the College of Copenhagen.
“They might have served as defensive buildings or for meals storage. A number of theories exist concerning their objective, however we do not need a definitive reply.”
To review these historic gap belts, she has introduced collectively a staff of 30 archaeology college students. They are going to make instruments, dig a gap belt, and take a look at utilizing it in several methods to see what the hole belts might and couldn’t be used for.
College students are actively excavating the hole belt in entrance of the Iron Age village on the Land of Legends Lejre.
The outlet belts might have served numerous functions. It’s potential that one functioned as an Iron Age fridge. Credit score: Kasper Vegeberg / Videnskab.dk
Some use genuine wood shovels, whereas others use trendy instruments. Others observe and doc the progress.
On the fringe of the outlet belt, Angelyn Sørensen, a grasp’s scholar in prehistoric archaeology, displays a meat thermometer with a wire extending into one of many holes.
“Ceramic shards and the underside of a clay vessel have been present in a hole belt in Lystbækgård, in West Jutland,” she says.
“This may be interpreted in a number of methods. One interpretation may very well be that the holes had been used to retailer meals – a form of fridge.”
To check this, Angelyn Sørensen positioned a hen at 10 levels Celsius in a ceramic jar, lined it, and constantly monitored the temperature.
“The temperature has risen to about 12 levels throughout the day, so it is really holding the temperature pretty nicely,” she concludes.
It’s a heat Could day, with outside temperatures reaching 20 levels.
Though 12 levels isn’t supreme for storing hen, she maintains that the experiment demonstrates the perforated belt might have been used to maintain meals cool.
“It might have been seasonal, for instance within the fall, when it’s usually colder,” she assesses.
Nonetheless, they’ve additionally examined whether or not the pottery shards may very well be used to dig up soil, and, in accordance with Angelyn Sørensen, they proved to be “extraordinarily efficient” for this objective.
“I feel the outlet belts have had completely different capabilities elsewhere. The fridge perform continues to be a risk.”
On the far finish of the pit belt, graduate scholar Clara Thejls observes the excavation with a wood shovel in hand.
“Many of those wood shovels from the Iron Age have been discovered, however we do not know precisely how they had been used,” she says.
The spades are wood, flat at each ends, and have a central deal with. Clara Thejls notes that archaeologists as soon as believed they had been oars.
Nonetheless, the asymmetrical ends make them impractical for paddling in a straight line.
Soil and pebble stays discovered within the frayed ends point out they had been used for digging pits and associated duties.
That is what Clara Thejls is testing at present.
“We need to see how lengthy it takes to dig holes with wood shovels and the way a lot power it requires.”
Clara Thejls and several other classmates use wood shovels to dig holes, whereas one other group makes use of trendy shovels to measure variations in productiveness.
“It is positively tougher to work with the wood shovels, and it takes longer. Partly as a result of they should be sharpened with an axe from time to time, and steel shovels do not should.”
What’s your preliminary conclusion? Do you consider folks traditionally used these wood shovels to dig pits?
“I can think about they used them. However it’s arduous, so I perceive why folks have moved away from it.”
The method through which archaeologists recreate and check archaeological finds is named ‘experimental archaeology,’ a way strongly supported by Henriette Lyngstrøm.
“It is one thing I feel each archaeology scholar ought to do. There are belongings you simply cannot learn in a ebook or on a display screen. It’s a must to get on the market, really feel it for your self, and take a look at it out.”
For instance, in 2015, she and a bunch of scholars examined the speculation that the outlet belts had been designed to comprise cattle and sheep, as these animals sometimes keep away from crossing holes.
This speculation was disproved when the animals crossed the outlet belt with out hesitation.
Credit score: Kasper Vegeberg / Videnskab.dk
Henriette Lyngstrøm states that the experiments have already deepened her understanding of the Iron Age.
“We have already gained insights into the social buildings associated to work,” she says, as the scholars collect across the hole belt.
Henriette Lyngstrøm has gained beneficial insights from the experiment, even earlier than its completion. Credit score: Kasper Vegeberg / Videnskab.dk
“If too many individuals dig a gap, it turns into inefficient. The method requires clear management and coordination, indicating a probable hierarchical construction.”
Henriette Lyngstrøm and the scholars will publish the Lejre experiments in a forthcoming scientific article.
See additionally: Extra Archaeology Information
The undertaking continues past this level. “One speculation is that the hole belts served as defensive buildings, which we additionally intend to check.”
Afterward, Videnskab.dk spoke with Clara Thejls, who confirmed that the outcomes aligned with expectations:
“We discovered that it labored nicely for individuals who needed to defend themselves.”
“Attackers discovered it difficult to battle and keep steadiness, whereas defenders had been in a position to counterattack successfully.”
Supply: Videnskab.dk
Written by Jan Bartek – AncientPages.com Employees Author
