Sebastian Schultrich | Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (original) (raw)

Papers by Sebastian Schultrich

The European Archaeologist (TEA), 2024

This paper is intended to provide a brief introduction to information about a newly found wheel f... more This paper is intended to provide a brief introduction to information about a newly found wheel
fragment (possibly connected to a wagon model) in the Vučedol site of Szilvás, Hungary. The find is
exciting given the importance and attention paid to such 3rd millennium BC technological innovations
by European prehistoric research. Over the course of their collaboration, Kiel University and the Janus
Pannonius Museum organized a field campaign in Baranya County, southeast Transdanubia in March
2024. The main goal was to measure enclosure ditches and study how these ditches were related to
prehistoric settlement structures with particular attention to the Late Neolithic period. We combined
geomagnetic surveys and surface find-collecting activities in order to be able to study the spatial and
temporal dimensions of these enclosed ditch sites. See Figure 19. Altogether, two Late Neolithic
rondel sites (Zengővárkony and Vokány, both associated with the Lengyel Culture, c. 5th millennium
BCE) and one Early Bronze Age site (at Szilvás-Ó-szeg) were studied during surveys south of Pécs during
the spring of 2024. Here we present the first results from the Szilvás site, where some promising
anomalies within the settlement structures and pottery material were discovered.

K. Massy, J.-H. Bunnefeld and C.Horn (eds.), Soziale Hierarchien zwischen Tradition und Innovation in der Bronzezeit Europas. Beier & Beran. Archäologische Fachliteratur (Langenweissbach 2023), 2023

In this paper, published in German, an analysis of early copper and bronze artefacts from Schlesw... more In this paper, published in German, an analysis of early copper and bronze artefacts from Schleswig-Holstein (2250-1700 BCE) revealed an astonishing phenomenon. In the eastern region of the state, the artefacts are exclusively documented as hoards and individual finds, whereas in the western region they are primarily recovered from burial contexts. This bipolarity is also evident in the contemporaneous flint daggers. While this bipolarity diminishes during the Bronze Age, it can be observed in the opposite manner during the Final Neolithic period (Corded Ware context). The bipolarity may be interpreted as an expression of disparate social groups with diverging perceptions of the collective or the individual in the burial ritual. This persistent contrast indicate that distinct traditions emerged in a restricted area and were maintained for a considerable length of time.

Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2024

For many years, scholars consistently dated cup marks - shallow depressions found on both portabl... more For many years, scholars consistently dated cup marks - shallow depressions found on both portable and immovable stones - of northern Germany and southern Scandinavia to the Bronze Age. Novel findings trace them back to at least as far as the Late Neolithic period (LN, c. 2350 BC). Recently, portable cup marked stones belonging to a late Funnel Beaker context (c. 2800 BC) have been found. There are even indications of cup marks dating back to the 4th millennium BC. At present, a gap exists in the knowledge of cup marks and non-figurative art in general during the Younger Neolithic (YN) Corded Ware Culture (CWC) (c. 2800-2250 BC). This paper establishes the significance of three related types of secondary treatments of battle axe fragments, namely the addition of (hourglass shaped) unfinished shaft holes, deep pecking holes, and shallow cup marks. The argument put forward is that they were present in small numbers in the 4th millennium BC, becoming increasingly common during the proposed 'gap phase' in the context of CWC societies. The late 3rd millennium is a period of enormous social change. During this period, of the three types of secondary treatment only cup marks persist, while the potential media on which such cup marks are applied diversifies, with them appearing on objects and items other than battle axe fragments. It is proposed that this development is related to the social changes that characterise the onset of the LN. Finally, it is suggested that the LN and Bronze Age cup mark tradition is based on an earlier tradition initially associated with battle axes.

OFFA, 2023

In the Late Neolithic of north-central Europe, the emergence of magnificent flint daggers, richly... more In the Late Neolithic of north-central Europe, the emergence of magnificent flint daggers, richly deco rated bell beakers, and shiny metal artifacts attests to transregional networks that reached a new qualitative and quantitative scale. These artifacts are generally associated with an increasing complexity of social systems. However, already in the Younger Neolithic we grasp both social transformations and a restructuring of transregional networks. The transformation is demonstrated by the process of an increasingly ambiguous meaning of the local primary status symbols of battle axes and flint daggers. Straight-walled beakers, which occur earlier than bell beakers in Central Germany, Bohemia, parts of Poland, and in Jutland, demonstrate the intensification of transregional networks. Furthermore, Younger Neolithic flint axes of southern Scandinavian typology appear on the British Islands. Thus, we can reconstruct the beginning of the specific network between Jutland, the British Islands and Central Germany before the circulation of bronze. Many decisive changes took place during the late Younger Neolithic and paved the way for the Bronze Age societies.

Brozio, J.P., Stos-Gale, Z., Müller, J., Müller-Scheeßel, N., Schultrich, S., Fritsch, B., Jürgen... more Brozio, J.P., Stos-Gale, Z., Müller, J., Müller-Scheeßel, N., Schultrich, S., Fritsch, B., Jürgens, F. and Skorna, H. (2023) 'The origin of Neolithic copper on the central Northern European plain and in Southern Scandinavia: Connectivities on a European scale' PloS ONE 18(5) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0283007

The production, distribution and use of copper objects and the development of metallurgical skills in Neolithic Northern Central Europe and Southern Scandinavia are linked to early centres of copper metallurgy of South East Central Europe and Southeast Europe. A total of 45 Neolithic copper objects, until now the largest sample of Early Neolithic objects from the Northern Central European Plain and Southern Scandinavia, were selected for new lead isotope analyses. They aided in the identification of the origin of the copper: These new analyses indicate that the copper ore deposits in Southeastern Europe, especially from the Serbian mining areas, were used for the Early Neolithic northern artefacts (ca. 4100-3300 BC). The most likely sources of copper for the few Middle Neolithic artefacts (ca. 3300-2800 BC) seem to be from the Slovak Ore Mountains, the Serbian mining areas and the Eastern Alps, whereas deposits of the Slovak Ore Mountains and the Alpine region were used for the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2300-1700 BC) artefacts. For the artefacts dated after 2000 BC, the Great Orme mine in Wales also appears to have been the source of copper for the analysed metals. The use of copper from different regions of Europe probably reflects changing social and cultural connectivities on a European scale and the changing chronology of copper exploitation.

Steppe Transmission. B. Preda-Bălănică and M. Ahola (eds.) , 2023

Advances in biochemical studies have revived old narratives for the emergence of the Corded Ware ... more Advances in biochemical studies have revived old narratives for the emergence of the Corded Ware Culture in the early 3rd millennium BC. The studies offer only simple and monocausal explanations for the transformations. Fundamental is the assumption that a cultural break occurred with the onset of this archaeological culture. However, in northern Central Europe, many cultural continuities appear that contest these simple explanations. From the local perspective of northernmost Germany, the land use remained stable, many megaliths were re-used regularly and even a causewayed enclosure was reused. Furthermore, a regional perspective shows that other supposed Corded Ware features are already present in the Late Neolithic. In addition to individual graves, we can identify individualised burials within collective graves as well as a war-like social identity already. Moreover, there was a supraregional consensus concerning the battle-axe idea. The number of battle-axes from burials increases significantly during the Late Neolithic and thus before the onset of the Corded Ware Culture. From a northern German perspective, we cannot identify a cultural break that indicates a new ideology or even a new population. Already existing super-regional networks and identities during the Late Neolithic facilitated the expansion of Corded Ware symbols and new ancestries at the onset of the Final Neolithic.

PLOS ONE, 2023

The production, distribution and use of copper objects and the development of metallurgical skill... more The production, distribution and use of copper objects and the development of metallurgical skills in Neolithic Northern Central Europe and Southern Scandinavia are linked to early centres of copper metallurgy of South East Central Europe and Southeast Europe. A total of 45 Neolithic copper objects, until now the largest sample of Early Neolithic objects from the Northern Central European Plain and Southern Scandinavia, were selected for new lead isotope analyses. They aided in the identification of the origin of the copper: These new analyses indicate that the copper ore deposits in Southeastern Europe, especially from the Serbian mining areas, were used for the Early Neolithic northern artefacts (ca. 4100-3300 BC). The most likely sources of copper for the few Middle Neolithic artefacts (ca. 3300-2800 BC) seem to be from the Slovak Ore Mountains, the Serbian mining areas and the Eastern Alps, whereas deposits of the Slovak Ore Mountains and the Alpine region were used for the Late Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2300-1700 BC) artefacts. For the artefacts dated after 2000 BC, the Great Orme mine in Wales also appears to have been the source of copper for the analysed metals. The use of copper from different regions of Europe probably reflects changing social and cultural connectivities on a European scale and the changing chronology of copper exploitation.

Archäologische Nachrichten Schleswig-Holstein, 2019

Flint and Bronze in Late Neolithic Schleswig-Holstein: Distribution, contexts and meanings, 2018

This paper presents the first comprehensive compilation of Late Neolithic (c. 2350 – 1700 BC) met... more This paper presents the first comprehensive compilation of Late
Neolithic (c. 2350 – 1700 BC) metal artefacts found in modern-day
Schleswig-Holstein. In addition, flint hoards and burials with flint
daggers have been examined in order to investigate the meaning
of certain objects which are considered to be connected with status.
It has been demonstrated that the area of Schleswig-Holstein was
of importance for Late Neolithic and Bronze Age exchange between
central Europe and southern Scandinavia. It has also been argued
that certain objects had different meanings depending on choice of
material, shape, and context. For example, a bronze dagger is recognized
as being essentially different than a flint dagger and, even
within the objects class of flint daggers, different meanings and
functions were present.
Generally, metal objects were deposited in Late Neolithic southern
Scandinavian and central European burials infrequently. However, in
southwestern Schleswig-Holstein, burials are the predominant context
in which early metal objects appear. Late Neolithic flint daggers
and Younger Neolithic battle axes share this property. Whereas these
objects appear in great numbers as single finds everywhere in the investigation
area, their frequency in burial contexts varies greatly between
sub-regions of Schleswig-Holstein. In the southwest, they are
common components in graves; in the easternmost areas they are almost
completely absent in burials. This bipolar situation is very clearly
pronounced during the Late Neolithic period in Schleswig-Holstein.
A closer look at northeastern Germany and Jutland suggests
that similar differences existed in other regions as well, although less
conspicuously. The similar distribution patterns of metal artefacts,
flint daggers and battle axes furthermore demonstrate that geographically
distinctive treatments of Late Neolithic status artefacts
can be traced back to the Younger Neolithic. Different land use strategies,
moreover, were presumably already established in the Middle
Neolithic. This indicates that these differences, which might be
linked to distinctive perceptions of the collective and the individual
sphere, seemingly derived from Middle Neolithic or even earlier traditions.

Books by Sebastian Schultrich

Mit dem Ausgangspunkt, die französischen Streitäxte aufzuarbeiten, wurde das jung- bis endneolith... more Mit dem Ausgangspunkt, die französischen Streitäxte aufzuarbeiten, wurde das jung- bis endneolithische Streitaxtphänomen West- und Mitteleuropas neubewertet. Dies dient als Grundlage dazu, Kontinuitäten und Diskontinuitäten in räumlichen und zeitlichen Kommunikations- und Sozialstrukturen aufzudecken und zu evaluieren. Dies geschieht aus zahlreichen regionalen bottom-up Perspektiven. Hiermit wird der vermeintliche Kontrast von spät- und endneolithischen Phänomenen kritisch beleuchtet. Eine objektive Beurteilung dieser Transformation leistet einen Beitrag zum rezenten Diskurs, der durch die vermehrte Anwendung biochemischer Verfahren angestoßen wurde und durch bestehende oder wiederaufgegriffene Narrative verzerrt ist. In dieser Studie wird demonstriert, dass viele dem Endneolithikum zugeschriebene Phänomene auf Entwicklungen des Jung- und Spätneolithikums beruhen.

Scales of Transformation in Prehistoric and Archaic Societies, 2018

This book offers a comprehensive study of the Younger Neolithic period ([YN], c. 2850 – 2250 BC)... more This book offers a comprehensive study of the Younger Neolithic period ([YN],
c. 2850 – 2250 BC) of Schleswig-Holstein (SH). Apart from presenting all currently
known artefacts and contexts of that period in detail, a particular focus was
placed on the examination of YN battle axes. They appear to be the most common
artefact that is preserved from the YN, and they are very well suited for investigating
social phenomena. These artefacts furthermore changed diachronically.
While battle axes of the early stage are shaped more or less equally elaborately,
late specimens exhibit significant morphological variation and difference, as some
specimens were shaped very elaborately whereas others were quite simple. The
same difference has been observed for the subsequently used flint daggers. It is
suggested that this difference reflects the emergence of a more stratified society.
Many battle axes appear to have been deposited as broken pieces. As the ratio
of cutting edges to butt ends is unequal (2:1) both in SH and in a wider region
and as many pieces have “decorations” (Applikationen, pars pro toto shaft holes),
battle axes are regarded as intentionally deposited. Accordingly, a large proportion
of single finds are regarded as intentional depositions. Another focus was set
on examining the transition to the YN. It is argued that many aspects that are said
to characterize the YN are rooted in the preceding Middle Neolithic. A novelty is
that social role becomes marked in funerary contexts. Thus, the transformation
to the YN marks a certain point where already initiated societal changes become
visible for first time. The examination of certain attributes revealed furthermore
that there are differences between western and eastern SH which are not determined
by chronological changes only. Rather, general differences appear between
western and eastern regions, an in a wider geographical as well as temporal frame,
which might be linked to different social orientations – either collectively or individually acting groups.

AG Bronzezeit by Sebastian Schultrich