title: Charcoal from a prehistoric copper mine in the Austrian Alps: dendrochronological and dendrological data, demand for wood and forest utilisation.
abstract: During prehistory fire-setting was the most appropriate technique for exploiting ore deposits. Charcoal fragments found in the course of archaeological excavations in a small mine called Mauk E in the area of Schwaz/Brixlegg (Tyrol, Austria) are argued to be evidence for the use of this technology. Dendrochronological analyses of the charcoal samples yielded calendar dates for the mining activities showing that the exploitation of the Mauk E mine lasted approximately one decade in the late 8th century BC. Dendrological studies show that the miners utilised stem wood of spruce and fir from forests with high stand density for fire-setting and that the exploitation of the Mauk E mine had only a limited impact on the local forests.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Geography, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 52, Innsbruck 6020, Austria ; Institute of Mountain Research: Man and Environment, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Technikerstraße 21a, Otto Hittmair-Platz 1, ICT, Innsbruck 6020, Austria.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pichler
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nicolussi
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanke
authors.forename: Kristóf
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thurner
keywords: Austria; Copper-mining; Dendrochronology; Fire-setting; Iron Age; Wood utilisation