Published: 2025-12-29

Location, Location, Location: The Equivocal Interpretation of Spatial Patterns of the Corded Ware Culture in Northern Germany

Sebastian Schultrich
Archaeologia Polona
Section: Articles
DOI https://doi.org/10.23858/APa63.2025.4133

Abstract

This paper examines the economic activities of Corded Ware Culture (CWC) communities in the region of Schleswig-Holstein (SH), Germany. It contextualises them within the concept of taskscapes as well as current discussions on mobility and migration. As a novel approach, it considers whether the spatial variation in battle axe deposition strategies – graves predominating in the west, and isolated finds in the east – may reflect the practices of mobile groups with distinct taskscapes, rather than entirely separate or differently behaving populations, as previously suggested. It is argued that the western part of SH functioned as a ritual core in a long durée, while the eastern regions functioned as economic zones. The known settlements take a position between the ritual and economic zones. The argument is made that the human groups were not static; instead, they continuously formed new and flexible social configurations. Ultimately, this mobile and dynamic spatial system is interpreted as a catalyst for the integration of individuals from diverse backgrounds, giving tangible form to the migrations associated with the CWC phenomenon.

Keywords:

Funnel Beaker Culture, Corded Ware Culture, mobility, taskscapes, settlements, battle axe depositions

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Schultrich, S. (2025). Location, Location, Location: The Equivocal Interpretation of Spatial Patterns of the Corded Ware Culture in Northern Germany. Archaeologia Polona, 63, 79–105. https://doi.org/10.23858/APa63.2025.4133

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