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A well-preserved Michelsberg Culture domed oven from Kortrijk, Belgium

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2019

Dimitri Teetaert Open the ORCID record for Dimitri Teetaert [Opens in a new window] ,
Nathalie Baeyens ,
Yves Perdaen ,
Géraldine Fiers ,
Tim De Kock ,
Luc Allemeersch ,
Mathieu Boudin  and
Philippe Crombé
Dimitri Teetaert*
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Nathalie Baeyens
Affiliation:
BAAC Vlaanderen bvba, Kleimoer 11, 9030 Ghent, Belgium
Yves Perdaen
Affiliation:
BAAC Vlaanderen bvba, Kleimoer 11, 9030 Ghent, Belgium
Géraldine Fiers
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Tim De Kock
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Luc Allemeersch
Affiliation:
GATE bvba, Hurstweg 8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Mathieu Boudin
Affiliation:
Royal Institute for Cultural Heritage, Jubelpark 1, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Philippe Crombé
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 35, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
*
*Author for correspondence (Email: dimitri.teetaert@ugent.be)
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Abstract

In 2015, a domed oven from the late fifth millennium cal BC was excavated near Kortrijk, northern Belgium. In terms of its size, tripartite structure, stone flooring and well-preserved domed combustion chamber, the oven is unique in Neolithic Western Europe, although mostly smaller, less well-preserved parallels are known in northern France. Such features are thought to have appeared in Western Europe in the Early to Middle Neolithic periods (post-Linearbandkeramik Culture). Their appearance and possible use for drying cereals may be related to a change from individual (household) to communal processing of cereals, and/or indicate adaptation to a wetter climate by newly settled agro-pastoralist communities.

Keywords

BelgiumKortrijkNeolithicMichelsberg Culturedomed oven
Type
Research
Information
Antiquity , Volume 93 , Issue 368 , April 2019 , pp. 342 - 358
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd, 2019 

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