Bronze and Iron aged plant remains from Bartholomäberg

In 1999 a prehistoric settlement was discovered near Schruns in the Montafon (Vorarlberg). The discovery is a sensation because this inner alpine valley was expected to be unsettled during prehistoric times. The dwelling place is located in 940 m above sea level on a hilltop on the south facing slope of the village Bartholomäberg. In the meantime three excavations were conducted in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002. They brought to light several building structures on artificial leveled terraces. To the North exist precise defenses in form of an 80 m long and 2 m thick stone wall. Up to now four cultural layers are detected. The lower most belongs to the early Bronze age and is superseded by a 40 cm thick layer from the middle Bronze age. During the late Bronze age the settlement seems to be abandoned and was then settled again during the early (Hallstattzeit) and late Iron ages (Latènezeit). Besides archaeological artefacts these cultural layers are rich in charred plant remains. A first investigation of a few samples from the middle Bronze age levels yielded a lot remains of cultural plants, like einkorn (Triticum monococcum), emmer (Triticum dicoccum), barley (Hordeum vulgare), horse bean (Vicia faba), and of wild plants partly gathered for nutritional purposes and partly reflecting the vegetation of the ancient fields and hedges. By the palaeoethnobotanical analysis of these charred plant remains the role of husbandry for the prehistoric settlers should be investigated. In particular the cultivated and useful plants and their importance for the economy of the prehistoric settlers during the Bronze and Iron ages should be evaluated. Furthermore the crop plants and preserved weed seeds should enable a reconstruction of the agricultural practice of the prehistoric settlers (e.g. harvesting techniques, location of the fields, soil fertility, etc.). The identified wild plants reflect partial the vegetation in the vicinity of the settlement. A main focus will be put on the existence of grasslands during the Bronze and Iron age. Additionally the preservation of several cultural layers in chronological sequence enables the record of changes in the cultivation of crop plants in this little habitation area and a comparison with the adjacent regions in the West, North and South. The investigations will improve the knowledge about the nutrition and farming practices in the inner part of the Eastern Alps, because this dwelling place will be the first palaeoethnobotanical investigated Bronze aged site north of the main alpine range, and additionally the site has an intermediate position between the localities in the South and the investigated sites in the Western Alps.