A Slash-and-Burn-Experiment in the Stone Age Park Albersdorf, Germany

Possibilities of the Demonstration of neolithic agricultural methods

– Experiences and Results –

Dr. Rüdiger Kelm

Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf

Rotation-System of the Slash-and-Burn-Technique and the consequences for the landscape (modified after POTT 1990)

Slash-and-Burn in modern times: Museal Experiment in the Black Forest in Southern Germany (from KLEIN et al. 1996)

Starting the fire at the (relatively dry) „bush-roll“ in Albersdorf

Public Demonstration/guided tours

Direction of the wind

After Burning: Concentration of Charcoal on the ground

Positive Effects of the Burning for the fertility of the soil (Data H. Bitter, Landwirtschaftskammer Schleswig-Holstein)

vorher nachher

pH-Wert: 3,3 (saurer Nadelwaldboden) pH-Wert: 6,4

7 mg Phosphor je 100 g Boden 72 mg Phosphor je 100 g Boden

17 mg Kalium je 100 g Boden 58 mg Kalium je 100 g Boden

11 mg Magnesium 56 mg Magnesium je 100 g Boden

First results with Winter-Rye (Secale cereale spontaneum)

An effect which was not planned: Growing of Pteridium aquilinum

Development of the Temperature (in °C) when Burning (after VARESCH 1962)

Pteridium as Indicator for Slash-and-Burn in Northern Germany since the Neolithic (after DÖRFLER 2001)

Continuation of the Experiment

Manual Plucking of the Pteridium-plants on the fields

Cutting of the young Pteridium-plants (before July)

Regular Burning of the same field

Observing of the changes in the soil-fertility in the following years

Thank you very much for your attention!

Dr. Rüdiger Kelm

Archaeological-Ecological Centre Albersdorf

Bahnhofstraße 23

D - 25767 Albersdorf, Germany

www.steinzeitpark-dithmarschen.de