Regular Article
Analysis of Goat/Sheep Faeces from Egolzwil 3, Switzerland: Evidence for Branch and Twig Foddering of Livestock in the Neolithic

https://doi.org/10.1006/jasc.1993.1030Get rights and content

Abstract

Pollen and plant macrofossil analyses are presented from two concentrations of goat faeces from the early Neolithic settlement site of Egolzwil 3, Switzerland (radiocarbon dated to c. 4300 BC). The pollen content of the faeces is totally dominated by Corylus, Alnus, and Betula, which all flower prior to leaf emergence in the period from February to May. The faeces contain numerous wood fragments and anthers of Corylus, Alnus and Quercus. Furthermore, the faeces were found in association with large numbers of twigs, mostly of Corylus and Alnus. Analyses of the development of the annual rings in the twigs show that a large proportion were gathered in early spring prior to leaf emergence. On the basis of these analyses the conclusion is reached that the Neolithic farmers at Egolzwil 3 harvested leafless twigs and branches in the early spring and brought them to the site for the purposes of foddering their livestock. Consideration is also given to palynological investigations of Neolithic settlement layers and to historical evidence for branch foddering.

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