Overview

Based on the extensive collection and systematic analysis of data from a limited area in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, this book focuses on revealing the cultural development during the Neolithic period (3900-1700 BC) within this area. For each timespan, the development of the land use, ritual sphere and social structure are examined. The analysis of the collected data is undertaken in association with relevant data from other parts of South Scandinavia, to support the basis of information as well as to illuminate the connections with other areas. Based on the results obtained and in the context of the rest of South Scandinavia, a synthesis of the cultural development in the study area is presented, which also identifies relevant links to other parts of Northern Europe. The results also show, for example, how the social order collapsed during the later part of the period and a ’modern’ agricultural system emerged, in which farming was no longer adapted to the natural environment, but created its own one. Settlement-archaeological studies such as this are not common, and make a rare and ground-breaking contribution to the understanding of a subject that is enthusiastically discussed in archaeological research in both Denmark and the rest of Northern Europe.

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Torsten Madsen, born April 22, 1946, is a retired Danish archaeologist specializing in prehistoric archaeology. He earned his degree from Aarhus University in 1972, where he later became a lecturer and researcher, focusing on the early agricultural cultures of South Scandinavia and the use of information technology in archaeology. Madsen pioneered the application of IT in archaeology, organizing major international conferences and publishing extensively on the topic. He has led numerous excavations, particularly from the Early Neolithic period, and has contributed over 55 publications in archaeology and digital methodologies. Madsen retired in 2006 after a distinguished career at Aarhus University.

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