Sarup. Neolithic causewayed-camps and their background

                     Sarup. Neolithic Causewayed - camps and their Background Excavations have been carried out at Sarup (fig. 2) since 1971 (5). The aim of the excavations has been to expose as large an area as possible of a causewayed-camp belonging to the Middle Neolithic funnel beaker culture. It has proved possible to examine 1500 m2 per week using earth-moving machinery (fig. 3) and skilled personnel; 50,000 m2 have now been examined from a total area of 90,000 m2 Sieving (fig. 4) and flotation (fig. 5) are carried out continuously in order to gain as much information as possible about the neolithic occupation. The finds (numbering some 210,000 items) are recorded ready for computer analysis. Several cases of stratigraphic association -several layers in ditches, pits which cut into each other- have permitted a division of the occupation into 11 phases (10). Five of these derive from the Middle Neolithic funnel beaker culture, two of them being causewayed camps. These five phases will be described together with a discussion of neolithic settlement in the southwestern part of Fyn (fig. 1), which is included in order to facilitate an interpretation of the causewayed camps at Sarup and of the settlement pattern as a whole. The elder of the Sarup causewayed-camps was constructed in the Fuchsberg phase (12), radiocarbon dated to 2630±90 bc (13). It consists of a long palisade trench (fig. 6), in which were positioned oak posts (fig. 7). Jutting out from this palisade were a series of square extensions. In front of and in between these extensions was a double row of ditches, interrupted by numerous causeways. Only a few finds were made in the bottom of the ditches (fig. 9) (15); these included whole pots and parts of human jaws, and in two cases evidence of considerable burning was noted in the ditches (16). It is characteristic of all the ditches that they were quickly and deliberately backfilled (19, 20). This elder system enclosed an area of some 90,000 m2. The younger causewayed-camp was constructed about 100 years later, in the Middle Neolithic Ib phase, dated to 2530± 90 bc (47). This is rather smaller than its predecessor (fig. 21), and enclosed an area of some 30,000 m2 It also consists of a double row of ditches, within which was a palisade. This palisade consisted of individual small posts, hammered down into the soil. The ditches (fig. 22) are smaller than those of the earlier phase and do not seem to have been deliberately backfilled. Some of the younger ditches were surrounded by heavy posts (fig. 8) (48). The younger causewayed-camp was apparently invested with the same significance as the elder, but certain functional differences can be seen between the two. The areas enclosed by the two causewayed-camps have been almost completely excavated. Only a few features have been found relating to the elder causewayed-camp; these include pits with settlement debris as well as some containing complete pots (21) -the latter presumably ceremonial in nature. Many pits have been found belonging to the younger causewayed-camp, some containing settlement debris (fig. 23), many, however, with a distinctive content of complete pots or axes or both (fig. 24). These pits sometimes occur in groups, for example inside the palisade and near two crescentic ditches. It thus seems that some of the ceremonial events connected with the younger causewayed-camp were moved to or near the pits on the flat area enclosed. Both causewayed-camps are interpreted as places for the ceremonial gathering of the scattered population of a wider area. The three later occupations of Sarup did not take the form of causewayed-camps, but rather of regular settlements, of which that from the MN II phase was quite extensive. Most of the pits contain ordinary refuse, but the appearance of pits with complete pots or axes does suggest that these phases (especially MN II) did also see the continuation of ceremonial events on the site. From the last Middle Neolithic phase (MN V) only a few features are known. This suggests some slight settlement activity. No house remains have been found which can definitely be ascribed to the Middle Neolithic funnel beaker culture; but large quantities of clay daub -particularly from the later settlement phases- suggests that there were most probably houses on the site. Sarup has yielded a great number of finds, which have not all been completely analysed. Decorated pottery is the easiest type to date, and provides clear evidence of changing styles. The funnel beaker of the earliest phase has a markedly flared neck and rim (fig. 10a­d); in later phases this flaring is diminished (fig. 25a-b, 27a), leading finally to a more shapeless vessel (fig. 30c). The eldest beakers are ornamented with horizontal rows of vertical strokes or zigzag lines near the rim, and groups of vertical strokes on the belly. Rim ornamentation changes to pits and rows of chevrons, and the strokes on the belly become shorter. In MN II the funnel beaker is only decorated at the widest point of the belly, and in late MN II there are few or no strokes on the upper part of the belly. The open bowls of the Fuchsberg phase have convex sides (fig. 10e); these flare more in MN Ib (fig. 25e-f), arid by MN II (fig. 27d, 28) the sides are straight, so that the diameter of the rim is about three times that of the base. The motifs are to start with zones of corded chevrons, which are later replaced by vertical zones of regular type, consisting of tripartite zones of which the central one is of »zipper« type. During MN II decoration consists of single, vertical zones. The Fuchsberg phase has also yielded lugged beakers and lugged flasks (fig. 10), the MN Ib phase clay spoons, and MN Ib and II footed bowls, later versions of which have convex sides. Bucket shaped vessels made of coarse clay derive from the final phase, MN V (fig. 3I); these may be decorated with a horizontal row of finger marks. Clay discs start in the earliest phase by being thin and having a distinct edge (fig. 10g); the edge may be decorated with vertical strokes. Later they become thicker and have pits along the edge (fig. 25c og 27e); in later phases they may be perforated, and in the final phase may have horizontal finger strokes on the edge (fig. 27). Few characteristic types appear in the flint inventory, denticulates being known only from the Fuchsberg phase (fig. 11) and flake knives only from the MN Ib phase (fig. 26). Flint axes develop from the thin-butted to the thick-butted type. Many samples of carbonized seeds and cereals from the site have been analysed (22, 57). The analyses show that emmer wheat was virtually the only crop during the Fuchsberg and MN II phases, while in the later phases barley becomes more common. Hazel nuts, apples and various weeds were also collected. Large concentrations of marine molluscs show that these were collected. The species involved are cockle, mussel, oyster and Littorina littorea. Many animal bones have been identified from the MN II and late MN II phases (58). Analysis shows that cattle were the most important domestic animal, their bones provideing 48-60% of the total (fig. 29), pig providing 14-44% and sheep/goat 5-6%. Red deer, roe deer, otter, beaver and hedgehog are also represented. As Sarup must have had a function of greater importance than the purely local, the middle neolithic occupation of the area around Helnæs bay has been included in the investigation. Many settlements can be dated to the same phases as those represented at Sarup. Locational analysis reveals that these may be divided into three types, i.e. settlements on or near clay, those with marine orientation, and those with access to clay and sand soils as well as water meadow and the sea (fig. 16-20). Analysis of the contemporary graves -the megaliths- shows that a great many dolmens were erected in the Fuchsberg phase, and that these seem to cluster within areas of approximately uniform size -about 6 km2 (fig. 12, 13). As well as being graves for certain selected people, these dolmens are also regarded as being ceremonial centres (37, 38, 39 and 40). Passage graves were built contemporary with the younger causewayed-camp at Sarup (fig. 14); there are only a few of them in the area, but excavations at some dolmens have shown that these continued in use through this phase. One of these dolmens (32) -Sarupgård yielded pottery from the MN II and MN V phases, suggesting continued use through these phases also. The above discussion indicates how the different phases at Sarup, their artifactual content, their function and their relationships with comtemporary settlement of the area are viewed today. When the site is completely excavated and all the material has been analysed, a more definite and varied view will be obtained of a 500 year developmental sequence from southwestern Fyn 5000 years ago. Niels H. Anderse