Not in this case, because, except the lightning tapers, in other wood
categories there is more Picea abies or better Picea/Larix (most should be
spruce) than Abies. This picture is more or less the same for all three
excavated iron-age shafts in the mine. Sorry, that I offer information just
in small pieces...
Nicole
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: The archaeobotany mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Im
Auftrag von Beatrice Hopkinson
Gesendet: Montag, 23. Juli 2007 21:52
An: [log in to unmask]
Betreff: Re: AW: TBA Hallstatt: Lightning tapers - Kienspäne
Dear Nichole - you noted:
>most of them are made from Abies alba* over there,
>although Picea abies should be the more frequent in the former
>Vegetation.
Is it possible they destroyed all the Picea abies and the most
recent survivals were the Abies? It would depend on which part of the
mine shaft the pieces of wood you examined came from. Some shafts dated
back to 700 BC and others to later dates.
>Another reason could be the good properties for splitting of
> silver fir.
Just a thought,
Bea
>Dear Niels,
>
>I think, it's just less resin, it will burn at all. Did you think about, if
>it is necessary that it is burning "so well"? In my opinion perhaps inside
a
>narrow mine shaft people actually prefer a calmer light instead of
>flickering pine or spruce lightning tapers, because - to precise the
>D¸rrnberg results* - most of them are made from Abies alba* over there,
>although Picea abies should be the more frequent in the former Vegetation.
>
>*short overview: N. Boenke, Organic resources: Food supply and raw
>materials. In: Thomas St–llner, The economy of D¸rrnberg-bei-Hallein: An
>Iron Age Salt-mining centre in the Austrian Alps. With contributions from
H.
>Asp–ck...., The Antiquaries Journal, 83, 2003, 123-194.
>-----Urspr¸ngliche Nachricht-----
>Von: The archaeobotany mailing list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Im
>Auftrag von Niels Bleicher
>Gesendet: Montag, 23. Juli 2007 09:13
>An: [log in to unmask]
>Betreff: Re: TBA Hallstatt: Lightning tapers - Kiensp”ne
>
>Dear Nicole,
>
>this is very interesting that there is no pinus - it also explains what now
>comes to my mind again: I canÆt remember to have seen a lot of heartwood in
>the samples I was shown...
>But then Beas question arises again: IÆve read that these splinters work so
>well because of the high amount of resin. But Abies doesnÆt have awful
>amounts of resin, does it? So has anybody an idea why it still works? Or
>were they really treated with some kind of fuel?
>Niels
>
>
>> Dear Bea , Dear Niels
>>
>> We also can confirm your observation on salt preserved Material. Cheapest
>> and best preservation for organic materials from salt mines is no
>> conservation. At D¸rrnberg/Hallein, Austria I examined some thousands of
>> wooden objects and even small seeds and fruit remains from faeces, which
>> stay well preserved only because of the high content of salt. Even after
>> short a time of washing or watering the objects they still contain salt.
>It
>> needs a longer time in the rain/under the shower to remove it completely=
|