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The impact of prehistoric mining activities on the environment: a multidisciplinary study at the fen Schwarzenbergmoos (Brixlegg, Tyrol, Austria)

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany volume 22, pages 351–366 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

The exploitation of copper ore deposits of the northern Greywacke Zone was initiated by the implementation of metallurgic technologies in the Eastern Alps thousands of years ago. This multi-proxy study aimed to detect prehistoric mining phases in the vicinity of a prominent copper ore deposit in the Lower Inn Valley. Therefore we studied a peat core from a fen using pollen, micro charcoal and geochemical analyses. In the same fen, an archaeological investigation revealed an ore beneficiation site, well dated by dendrochronological analysis to the Late Bronze Age (9th century b.c.). First hints of mining activities reflected by the occurrence of anthropogenic indicators in the pollen diagram, associated with elevated metal values, at the beginning of the Bronze Age might result from early mineral prospecting and metallurgical experiments around the use of fahlore. The local ore deposit was then abandoned until during the Bronze Age mining activities started to increase. This is reflected by an expansion of the pioneer species Pinus and Larix on mine spoil heaps in the proximity. Concomitantly metal ratios and micro charcoal increase. From about 1000 to 850 b.c. a strong impact of mining activities is displayed in the multi-proxy data. The local forest was partly cleared on and in the vicinity of the fen. According to dendrochronological data the ore beneficiation plant was in use from about 900 to 870 b.c. Until about 700 b.c. another period with moderate impact by mining activities in the further vicinity of the fen shows up.

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Acknowledgments

This study was conducted in the framework of the special research program HiMAT (The History of Mining Activities in the Tyrol and Adjacent Areas—Impact on Environment & Human Societies) with financial support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF (grant no.: F3111-G02). We would like to thank M. Brauns, B. Höppner and T. Schifer, Curt-Engelhorn-Centre for Archaeometry, Mannheim, for carrying out the NAA and ICP analyses and for comments on the geochemical discussion. We would also like to thank E.M. Wild, VERA laboratory, Vienna, for her kind cooperation in AMS dating and G. Hiebel for his help with the general map in 3D.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, University of Innsbruck, Sternwartestraße 15, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Elisabeth Breitenlechner & Klaus Oeggl

  2. Institute of Archaeology, University of Innsbruck, Langer Weg 11, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Gert Goldenberg

  3. Curt-Engelhorn-Centre for Archaeometry gGmbH, D6, 3, 68159, Mannheim, Germany

    Joachim Lutz

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  1. Elisabeth Breitenlechner
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  2. Gert Goldenberg
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  3. Joachim Lutz
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  4. Klaus Oeggl
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Correspondence to Elisabeth Breitenlechner.

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Communicated by K.-E. Behre.

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Breitenlechner, E., Goldenberg, G., Lutz, J. et al. The impact of prehistoric mining activities on the environment: a multidisciplinary study at the fen Schwarzenbergmoos (Brixlegg, Tyrol, Austria). Veget Hist Archaeobot 22, 351–366 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-012-0379-6

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Keywords

  • Prehistoric mining
  • Pollen analysis
  • Geochemical analysis
  • Multi-proxy
  • Bronze Age
  • Austria