Palaeoenvironmental research of the Schwarzenberg Lake, southern Bohemia, and exploratory excavations of this key Mesolithic archaeological area

0373409 - ARÚ 2012 RIV CZ eng J - Journal Article
Pokorný, Petr - Šída, P. - Chvojka, O. - Žáčková, P. - Kuneš, P. - Světlík, Ivo - Veselý, J.
Palaeoenvironmental research of the Schwarzenberg Lake, southern Bohemia, and exploratory excavations of this key Mesolithic archaeological area.
Památky archeologické. Roč. 101, - (2010), s. 5-38. ISSN 0031-0506
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAAX00020701
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508; CEZ:AV0Z10480505
Keywords : Mesolithic * palaeoecology * environmental archaeology
Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

Investigations of the Schwarzenberg Lake constantly bring important data on vegetation, landscape development, and human occupation since the end of the Last Glacial Maximum. Great scientific potential of the area base on conditions suitable for both palaeoenvironmental and archaeological research. This article is an attempt to summarize current state of knowledge on this important palaeoecological and archaeological area. Since the discovery in 1996, sediments of the extinct Schwarzenberg Lake represent the most complex archive of palaeoenvironmental information in the territory of the Czech Republic. Based on the results of pollen and other microfossils analyses, hypothesis on intensive occupation of the area in Mesolithic times was given. This hypothesis was largely supported by later archaeological survey and excavations. Eight Mesolithic archaeological sites were so far identified in the SE shore of the former lake. In the peninsula that protrudes to it, undisturbed dry archaeological site was discovered. In wet shoreline areas, excavated by test pitting, organic strata transformed by humans were found together with wooden artifacts. Their radiocarbon dating confirmed Early Holocene (Preboreal) age. Questions on human influence on environment and on occupation continuity since Late Glacial to Middle Holocene are the main concern in the present paper and also for future research.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0206516