Endringer i korndyrking gjennom 3500 år i Sola, Sørvest-Norge

Abstract

Carbonised cereal grains recovered from settlement structures, field layers and graves have been ¹⁴C-dated, calibrated and are presented in summed probability curves. The cereal grains are recovered from thirteen sites in Sola, Southwest-Norway and cover a time span from 2200 BCE to CE 1200. There is a relatively high amount of cereal grains dated to Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, 2000–1400 BCE, and this can be linked to the introduction and duration of two-aisled houses. The amount of cereal grains dated to Late Bronze Age is relatively low, the reason can be an increasing focus on animal husbandry. In Pre-Roman Iron Age, mainly hulled barley ( Hordeum vulgare var vulgare ) was grown and the introduction of intensive manuring has led to an increased amount of ¹⁴C-dated cereal grain. Even though very few cereal grains are dated to around 1100 BCE and CE 600 in Sola and Rogaland, cereal grains are found on at least one excavated site dated to between 2200 BCE and CE 1200.