Groenewoudt, B.J. 2014: Flesh on the Bones. The landscape archaeological benefits of integrating data from poorly preserved dryland sites and alluvial wetland contexts using a LLAND diagram. (original) (raw)

Detailed historical reconstructions require high-quality data. In the traditionally densely settled higher and drier Pleistocene sandy areas (‘drylands’) of the North European Plain (the European aeolian sand belt) and comparable regions elsewhere evidence-based reconstructions are hampered by poor preservation of archaeological remains, especially organic materials. This problem can be partially solved by combining, on a microregional level, dryland data with data from nearby wetland pockets (‘wetlands’), in particular stream valleys. This asks for a systematic inventory of all available data. For this purpose an instrument was developed: the Landscape-Land use Diagram (LLAND). Data from dry and wet contexts whilst fundamentally different in nature, are also supplementary to each other. The collection and analysis of wetland data proves to be essential for an assessment of the impact of human actions on the landscape (in particular vegetation), and for obtaining information on the full range of economic and ritual practices. However, even high-quality wetland data contain gaps. This is demonstrated by research carried out in the valley of the small river Regge (the Netherlands), the results of which are being treated as a stratified landscape-archaeological sample. This paper does not focus on cultural interpretation but on methodology, specifically the potential of the data and the benefits of an integrated approach.