What is it about?
An attempt was made to establish a more precise dating of the Michelsberg enclosure of Heilbronn-Klingenberg "Schlossberg" in the Neckar valley. Baden-Württemberg, South Germany. A formal chronological approach combines the detailed archaeological information from the excavation, with nearly 100 radiocarbon dates on carefully selected samples, here mainly charred cereals or articulated or articulating animal bones, in a Bayesian statistical framework.
Why is it important?
Unlike the previously published interpretation of the sequence (Seidel 2008) the work shows that activities probably began with the construction of the enclosure, both ditches being dug either together or in very quick succession. This was followed by pits inside, from the earlier 38th century cal BC. Probably after a few decades, pits began to be dug outside the enclosure, in the middle part of the 38th century cal BC. Both ditches probably went out of use in the mid-37th century cal BC, probably simultaneously, after the burning of the rampart between them, and the ending of the external pits could be of the same date; the internal pits might have continued a little longer. A duration of 120–150 years for MK V/Mz activity is estimated. Alternative models for the function of the site are considered.