Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Complex Cattle Exchange in the Scandinavian Funnel Beaker Culture. The Case of Falbygden, Sweden

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Archaeologies of Animal Movement. Animals on the Move

Part of the book series: Themes in Contemporary Archaeology ((TCA))

Abstract

In this contribution, we highlight some of the results from analyses of cattle management at two Neolithic settlement sites in Falbygden, western Sweden. The two sites are located close to each other in the parish of Karleby in central Falbygden. Both were excavated 2012–2017 and yielded abundant animal bones, due to the calcareous bedrock. 14C datings indicate that they were both inhabited continuously during the period c. 3200–2900 BC, i.e. the Middle Neolithic Funnel Beaker (TRB) culture.

Bulk and laser ablation strontium isotope ratios in cattle teeth from these settlements suggest a complex and wide-ranging system of animal exchange in the Scandinavian Middle Neolithic. More than half of the cattle found in the Karleby settlements were born outside the Falbygden region, and laser ablation suggests variable and individual trajectories through the landscape, in some cases involving areas in eastern Sweden. Further, origins of cattle at the two settlements are only partly overlapping, suggesting independent contact networks.

We suggest an ongoing system of exchanges between settlement groups/social groups throughout Sweden to be behind this variability, rather than transhumance. This may in turn be motivated by a number of factors including biological herd viability, as well as social and economic factors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Ahlström, T. (2009). Underjordiska dödsriken - humanosteologiska undersökningar av neolitiska kollektivgravar (Coast to coast books no 18). Göteborg: Department of archaeology, Göteborg University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersson, J., Möller, C., & Johansson, L. (2002). Zircon geochronology of migmatite gneisses along the Mylonite Zone (S Sweden): A major Sveconorwegian terrane boundary in the Baltic Shield. Precambrian Research, 114(1–2), 121–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Axelsson, T. (2010). Landskap – visuella och rumsliga relationer i Falbygdens neolitikum (Coast to coast books no 19). Göteborg: Department of archaeology, Göteborg University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blank, M., Sjögren, K.-G., Knipper, C., Frei, K. M., & Storå, J. (2018). Isotope values of the bioavailable strontium in inland southwestern Sweden, a baseline for mobility studies. PLoS One, 13(10), e0204649.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, G., & Hjort, A. (1976). Having herds. Pastoral herd growth and household economy (Stockholm studies in social anthropology 2). Stockholm: Department of social anthropology, University of Stockholm.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Vries, D., Leslie, P. W., & McCabe, J. T. (2006). Livestock acquisitions dynamics in nomadic pastoralist herd demography: A case study among Ngisonyoka herders of South Turkana, Kenya. Human Ecology, 34(1), 1–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Englund, E., & Sjögren, K.-G. (1994). Karleby Logården, undersökning av neolitiska boplatser i Västergötland. Rapport från projektet “Gånggrifterna i centrala Västergötland och deras bakgrund” (GOTARC Ser D nr 26). Göteborg: Department of archaeology, Göteborg University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson, G., Frei, K. M., Howcroft, R., Gummesson, S., Molin, F., Lidén, K., Frei, R., & Hallgren, F. (2018). Diet and mobility among Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Motala (Sweden) – The isotope perspective. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 17, 904–918.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans-Pritchard, E. (1940). The Nuer. A description of the modes of livelihood and political institutions of a Nilotic people. Oxford: Clarendon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fahlander, F., & Sjögren, K.-G. (2005). Rapport. Delundersökning av neolitisk boplats 2005. Karleby 194, Falköpings kommun, Västergötland (GOTARC Serie D nr 55). Göteborg: Department of archaeology, Göteborg University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frei, K. M., & Frei, R. (2011). The geographic distribution of strontium isotopes in Danish surface waters – A base for provenance studies in archaeology, hydrology and agriculture. Applied Geochemistry, 26(2011), 326–340.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerling, C., Doppler, T., Heyd, V., Knipper, C., Kuhn, T., Lehmann, M. F., Pike, A. W. G., & Schibler, J. (2017). High-resolution isotopic evidence of specialised cattle herding in the European Neolithic. PLoS One, 12(7), e0180164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gron, K. J., Montgomery, J., Nielsen, P. O., Nowell, G. M., Peterkin, J. L., Sørensen, L., & Rowley-Conwy, P. A. (2016). Strontium isotope evidence of early Funnel Beaker Culture movement of cattle. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 6, 248–251.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoogewerff, J. A., Reimann, C., Ueckermann, H., Frei, R., Frei, K. M., van Aswegen, T., Stirling, C., Reid, M., Clayton, A., & Ladenberger, A. (2019). Bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr in European soils: A baseline for provenancing studies. Science of the Total Environment, 672, 1033–1044.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, B. R., Jr. (1999). Social networks and exchange. In M. Little & P. W. Leslie (Eds.), Turkana herders of the dry savanna (pp. 89–108). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klassen, L., Price, T. D., Sjögren, K.-G., Wincentz, L., & Philippsen, B. (2020). Strontium and lead isotope studies of faunal and human remains from Kainsbakke and Kirial Bro. In L. Klassen (Ed.), The Pitted Ware culture on Djursland. Supra-regional significance and contacts in the Middle Neolithic of southern Scandinavia (pp. 407–446). East Jutland Museum Publications (Vol. 5). Aarhus: Aarhus University Press and East Jutland Museum. 

    Google Scholar 

  • Knipper, C. (2011). Die räumliche Organisation der linearbandkeramischen Rinderhaltung: naturwissenschaftliche und archäologische Untersuchungen (BAR international series 2305). Oxford: Archeopress.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsson, S. Å., & Tullborg, E.-L. (2015). Sveriges berggrund, en geologisk skapelseberättelse. Uddevalla: Risbergs Information & Media.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindström, M., Lundqvist, J., & Lundqvist, T. (2000). Sveriges geologi från urtid till nutid. Lund: Studentlitteratur.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loberg, B. (1999). Geologi. Material, processer och Sveriges berggrund (6th ed.). Stockholm: Prisma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Löfvendahl, R., Åberg, G., & Hamilton, P. J. (1990). Strontium in rivers of the Baltic Basin. Aquatic Sciences, 52(4), 315–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Madgwick, R., Lamb, A. L., Sloane, H., Nederbragt, A. J., Albarella, U., Parker Pearson, M., & Evans, J. A. (2019). Multi-isotope analysis reveals that feasts in the Stonehenge environs and across Wessex drew people and animals from throughout Britain. Science Advances, 2019(5), eaau6078.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myrdal, J., & Söderberg, J. (1991). Kontinuitetens dynamik. Agrar ekonomi i 1500-talets Sverige (Acta Universitatis Stockholmiensis, Stockholm studies in economic history 15). Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Påsse, T., & Pile, O. (2016). Beskrivning till jordartskartorna 8D Skara NV, NO, SV och SO och 9D Mariestad SV (Sveriges geologiska undersökning, K 534–538). Uppsala: Sveriges geologiska undersökning.

    Google Scholar 

  • Persson, P., & Sjögren, K.-G. (2001). Falbygdens gånggrifter, del 1. Undersökningar 1985–1998 (GOTARC Ser C nr 34). Göteborg: Department of archaeology, Göteborg University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Price, T. D., Frei, R., Bäckström, Y., Frei, K. M., & Ingvarsson-Sundström, A. (2017). Origins of inhabitants from the 16th century Sala (Sweden) silver mine cemetery – A lead isotope perspective. Journal of Archaeological Science, 80, 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Price, T. D., Arcini, C., Gustin, I., Drenzel, L., & Kalmring, S. (2018). Isotopes and human burials at viking age Birka and the Mälaren region, East Central Sweden. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 49, 19–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rascovan, N., Sjögren, K.-G., Kristiansen, K., Nielsen, R., Willerslev, E., Desnues, C., & Rasmussen, S. (2018). Emergence and spread of basal lineages of Yersinia pestis during the Neolithic decline. Cell, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2018.11.005.

  • Sjögren, K.-G. (2003). “Mångfalldige uhrminnes grafvar…” Megalitgravar och samhälle i Västsverige (GOTARC serie B nr 24). Göteborg: Department of archaeology, Göteborg University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G. (2007). Karleby Godagården. Undersökningar av en neolitisk boplats 2006 (Rapport 2007:17). Skara: Västergötlands museum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G. (2008). Fragment av ordning. Undersökning av överplöjda megalitgravar vid Frälsegården, Gökhems socken, Västergötland, 1999–2001 (GOTARC Serie D nr 62, Västergötlands museum Rapport 2008–23). Göteborg/Skara: Institutionen för arkeologi och Antikens historia, Gothenburg university/Västergötlands museum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G. (2015). News from Frälsegården. Aspects on Neolithic burial practices. In K. Brink, S. Hydén, K. Jennbert, L. Larsson, & D. Olausson (Eds.), Neolithic diversities. Perspectives from a conference in Lund, Sweden (Acta Archaeologica Lundensia, series in 8o, no. 65) (pp. 200–210). Lund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G. (2017). Modeling Middle Neolithic Funnel Beaker diet on Falbygden, Sweden. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 12, 295–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G. & Axelsson, T. Neolithic lifeways. Investigations of Neolithic economy in Falbygden, Sweden. Unpublished manuscript in the possession of the authors.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G., & Price, T. D. (2013). A complex neolithic economy. Isotope evidence for the circulation of cattle and sheep in the TRB of western Sweden. Journal of Archaeological Science, 40, 690–704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G., Price, T. D., & Ahlström, T. (2009). Megaliths and mobility in South-Western Sweden. Investigating relations between a local society and its neighbours using strontium isotopes. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 28, 85–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjögren, K.-G., Axelsson T., & Vretemark, M. (2019). Middle Neolithic economy in Falbygden, Sweden. Preliminary results from Karleby Logården. In Müller, J., Hinz M. & Wunderlich, M. (Eds.). Megaliths – Societies – Landscapes. Early monumentality and social differentiation in Neolithic Europe, Vol. 2. Proceedings of the international conference »Megaliths – Societies – Landscapes. Early Monumentality and Social Differentiation in Neolithic Europe« (16th–20th June 2015) in Kiel (pp. 705–719). Bonn: Rudolf Habelt GmbH.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skoglund, P., Malmström, H., Raghavan, M., Storå, J., Hall, P., Willerslev, E., Gilbert, M. T. P., Götherström, A., & Jakobsson, M. (2012). Origins and genetic legacy of Neolithic farmers and hunter-gatherers in Europe. Science, 336, 466–469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skoglund, P., Malmström, H., Omrak, A., Raghavan, M., Valdiosera, C., Gunther, T., Hall, P., Tambets, K., Parik, J., Sjögren, K.-G., Apel, J., Willerslev, E., Storå, J., Götherström, A., & Jakobsson, M. (2014). Genomic diversity and admixture differs for stone-age Scandinavian foragers and farmers. Science, 344(6185), 747–750.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Viner, S., Evans, J., Albarella, U., & Parker Pearson, M. (2010). Cattle mobility in prehistoric Britain: Strontium isotope analysis of cattle teeth from Durrington Walls (Wiltshire, Britain). Journal of Archaeological Science, 37(11), 2812–2820.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winter-Schuh, C., Schmütz, K., Eberle, N., & Makarewicz, C. A. (2018). Restricted pasturing of domesticated cattle at a Late Neolithic settlement in Central Germany. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 22, 285–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Research for this paper was funded by Vetenskapsrådet (Neolithic Lifeways project, dnr 421-2014-729), Berit Wallenbergs stiftelse (BWS 2013.0032), and Torsten Söderbergs stiftelse (Ö36/12). We thank Paul Fullagar, University of North Carolina, for performing bulk isotope analyses.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Historical Studies, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden

    Karl-Göran Sjögren & Tony Axelsson

  2. Västergötlands museum, Skara, Sweden

    Maria Vretemark

  3. Department of Sociology & Anthropology, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA

    David Meiggs

  4. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA

    T. Douglas Price

  5. Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    Alistair Pike

Authors
  1. Karl-Göran Sjögren
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Tony Axelsson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Maria Vretemark
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. David Meiggs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T. Douglas Price
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Alistair Pike
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karl-Göran Sjögren .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. History, Culture and Communication Studies, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Anna-Kaisa Salmi

  2. History, Culture and Communication Studies, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Sirpa Niinimäki

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sjögren, KG., Axelsson, T., Vretemark, M., Meiggs, D., Price, T.D., Pike, A. (2021). Complex Cattle Exchange in the Scandinavian Funnel Beaker Culture. The Case of Falbygden, Sweden. In: Salmi, AK., Niinimäki, S. (eds) Archaeologies of Animal Movement. Animals on the Move. Themes in Contemporary Archaeology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68744-1_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68744-1_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-68743-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-68744-1

  • eBook Packages: HistoryHistory (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation