Hunting, gathering, fishing and herding: Animal exploitation in Sandy Flanders (NW Belgium) during the second half of the fifth millennium BC

Chronology of Wetland Hydrological Dynamics and the Mesolithic-Neolithic Transition along the Lower Scheldt: A Bayesian Approach

“…), allowing detailed regional paleoenvironmental reconstructions (Bastiaens et al 2005;Gelorini et al 2006;Deforce 2011;Van Neer et al 2013). Awaiting better Belgian geological nomenclature for the Antwerp peats (Bogemans 1997;Gullentops et al 2001;Baeteman 2004) and for ease of reference to older literature, the established nomenclature will be used lithostratigraphically without implying a fluctuating sea-level rise ( Figure 2).…”

Chronology of Wetland Hydrological Dynamics and the Mesolithic-Neolithic Transition along the Lower Scheldt: A Bayesian Approach

“…Finally, the near-contemporaneity of start of the (inter-)tidal influence in the region with the arrival of the Swifterbant culture at the Sector B and M sites could be proven, and further supported by tidal indications during the occupation of the sites in the archaeozoological and archaeobotanical remains (Crombé 2005;Deforce et al 2013;Van Neer et al 2013). The regional paleogroundwater model suggests that site occupation started well above groundwater and ended when the earliest peats could start to develop at the site.…”

Landscape potential for the adoption of crop cultivation: Role of local soil properties and groundwater table rise during 6000–5400 BP in Flevoland (central Netherlands)

“…In Belgium the Swifterbant sites are located on Late Glacial coversand ridges, surrounded by peatlands and tidal clay deposits (Cromb e et al, 2004Cromb e, 2005Cromb e and Sergant, 2008;Cromb e et al, 2009;Van Neer et al, 2013). In contrast to the Swifterbant occupation in the Dutch wetlands, no clear traces of local cereal cultivation have so far been found in the area (Van Neer et al, 2013).…”

“…In Belgium the Swifterbant sites are located on Late Glacial coversand ridges, surrounded by peatlands and tidal clay deposits (Cromb e et al, 2004Cromb e, 2005Cromb e and Sergant, 2008;Cromb e et al, 2009;Van Neer et al, 2013). In contrast to the Swifterbant occupation in the Dutch wetlands, no clear traces of local cereal cultivation have so far been found in the area (Van Neer et al, 2013). Although Cromb e et al (2009) argue that local cultivation is not to be expected in the area due to the small size of the ridges and the wet conditions of the surroundings, Cappers and Raemaekers (2008) have shown the agricultural potential of wetlands.…”