A Mid-Holocene reindeer antler from Regstrup, Sjælland, Denmark

A small, shed antler fragment of a reindeer from Sjælland, Denmark has been dated to the Mid-Holocene, ca., 4700 cal B.C. Reindeer was an important component of the Lateglacial fauna in Denmark, and the species survived for ca. 1400 years into the Holocene. However, we consider it highly unlikely th...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bennike, Ole, Jensen, Theis Zetner Trolle, Taurozzi, Alberto John, Mackie, Meaghan, Claudi-Hansen, Lone, Magnussen, Betina
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Editorial Board of Danish Journal of Archaeology 2021
Subjects:
Reindeer
Rangifer tarandus
Ertebølle Culture
Stone age
trade
Denmark
Flint
Norway
Online Access:https://tidsskrift.dk/dja/article/view/125068
Description
Summary:A small, shed antler fragment of a reindeer from Sjælland, Denmark has been dated to the Mid-Holocene, ca., 4700 cal B.C. Reindeer was an important component of the Lateglacial fauna in Denmark, and the species survived for ca. 1400 years into the Holocene. However, we consider it highly unlikely that this species inhabited Denmark during the Mid-Holocene, when dense forests characterized the vegetation and summer temperatures were somewhat higher than at present. We suggest that the reindeer antler came to Sjælland from Norway or Sweden as a result of trade, perhaps involving flint.

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