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<p>During the late La Tène period the Celtic <i>oppidum</i> at Altenburg-Rheinau was established on two peninsulas protruding into the river Rhine in Germany and Switzerland close to the Rheinfall (Rhine Falls) near Schaffhausen (CH). Due to its strategic and favourable position for trade, the <i>oppidum</i> is interpreted as a Celtic commercial metropolis. In this time of innovation, changes in population density accompanied by urbanisation and increasing human impact on the landscape, analysis of botanical macro remains is a promising way of finding out about the plant economy on an important Iron Age trade route, as well as changes to the surrounding landscape and everyday life in an <i>oppidum</i> of the 2nd to 1st century <span>bce</span>. In this paper, the seeds, fruits as well as wood charcoal from pits within the excavated settlement structures are discussed. The recovered charred botanical macro-remains provide evidence of various activities such as crop storage, food processing, waste disposal and use of firewood. The main staple crops at Altenburg-Rheinau, <i>Hordeum vulgare</i> (barley) and <i>Triticum spelta</i> (spelt wheat), are accompanied by <i>Panicum miliaceum</i> (broomcorn millet), <i>Triticum aestivum</i> s.l./<i>durum</i>/<i>turgidum</i> (bread wheats) together with some <i>Triticum dicoccum</i> (emmer wheat)<i>.</i> Combined with the recorded weedy taxa, they provide evidence of a complex agricultural system involving winter and summer crops as well as grassland fallow. The wood charcoal assemblages which are dominated by <i>Quercus</i> sp. (oak) and <i>Fagus sylvatica</i> (beech) suggest a good firewood supply at the <i>oppidum</i>. A comparison of the plant economy of Altenburg-Rheinau with archaeobotanical assemblages from ten contemporary sites in the region of Baden-Württemberg, reveals an overall similar trend of increasing crop diversity during the La Tène period.</p>

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Exploring the Celtic plant economy in a regional context: archaeobotanical assemblages from pit deposits at the oppidum of Altenburg-Rheinau, southwestern Germany

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月28日

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  • Lisa Holler,
  • Elena Marinova,
  • Oliver Nelle,
  • René Wollenweber,
  • Martin Bartelheim,
  • Günther Wieland

摘要

During the late La Tène period the Celtic oppidum at Altenburg-Rheinau was established on two peninsulas protruding into the river Rhine in Germany and Switzerland close to the Rheinfall (Rhine Falls) near Schaffhausen (CH). Due to its strategic and favourable position for trade, the oppidum is interpreted as a Celtic commercial metropolis. In this time of innovation, changes in population density accompanied by urbanisation and increasing human impact on the landscape, analysis of botanical macro remains is a promising way of finding out about the plant economy on an important Iron Age trade route, as well as changes to the surrounding landscape and everyday life in an oppidum of the 2nd to 1st century bce. In this paper, the seeds, fruits as well as wood charcoal from pits within the excavated settlement structures are discussed. The recovered charred botanical macro-remains provide evidence of various activities such as crop storage, food processing, waste disposal and use of firewood. The main staple crops at Altenburg-Rheinau, Hordeum vulgare (barley) and Triticum spelta (spelt wheat), are accompanied by Panicum miliaceum (broomcorn millet), Triticum aestivum s.l./durum/turgidum (bread wheats) together with some Triticum dicoccum (emmer wheat). Combined with the recorded weedy taxa, they provide evidence of a complex agricultural system involving winter and summer crops as well as grassland fallow. The wood charcoal assemblages which are dominated by Quercus sp. (oak) and Fagus sylvatica (beech) suggest a good firewood supply at the oppidum. A comparison of the plant economy of Altenburg-Rheinau with archaeobotanical assemblages from ten contemporary sites in the region of Baden-Württemberg, reveals an overall similar trend of increasing crop diversity during the La Tène period.