Palynological analysis of Dutch barrows

Abstract

(p. 9)

In the context of a renewed analysis of PFB and BB Cultures in the Netherlands (Lanting & Van der Waals, 1976), the Neolithic barrows in particular which are known from old excavations to have contained characteristic finds have been re-excavated in order a.o. to collect samples for C14 dating and pollen analysis. The old generation of excavators,such as ].H. Holwerda and F. C. Bursch, were usually content to excavate only part of a barrow, and in most cases A.E. van Giffen also left at least the sections, in using his quadrant method. Re-excavation of the old cuttings soon brings the original sections to light, from which the samples can be taken. The first author undertook the analyses of the new material for the northern provinces (Casparie, 1975), mainly the province of Drenthe, including some analyses of old arable soil, and the second a uthor did the same for the southern part of the country, mainly focused on the Veluwe, province of Gelderland (Groenman-van Waateringe, 1974; 1978), including several analyses done long before this new project by Lanting and Van der Waals started.