| Geographical range | Europe |
|---|---|
| Period | Mesolithic Europe |
| Dates | circa 6,000 B.C.E. —circa 5,200 B.C.E. |
| Preceded by | Maglemosian culture |
| Followed by | Ertebølle culture |
TheKongemose culture (Kongemosekulturen) was aMesolithichunter-gathererculture in southernScandinavia ca.6000 BC–5200 BC and the origin of theErtebølle culture. It was preceded by theMaglemosian culture. In the north it bordered on the ScandinavianNøstvet and Lihult cultures.[1]
The Kongemose culture is named after a location in westernZealand and its typical form is known fromDenmark andSkåne. The finds are characterised by long flintstoneflakes, used for making characteristicrhombicarrowheads,scrapers,drills,awls, and toothed blades. Tiny micro blades constituted the edges of bone daggers that were often decorated with geometric patterns. Stone axes were made of a variety of stones, and other tools were made ofhorn andbone. The main economy was based on huntingred deer,roe deer, andwild boar, supplemented by fishing at the coastal settlements.[2]
In the summer of 1952, during a series of drainage schemes that were being carried out in Kongemose, a portion of the Aamose area inWest Zealand, a number of prehistoric findings came to light. The site was filled in again, but a year later other portions of the settlement were found in the nearby area while ploughing.
An excavation then started in 1954 to rescue the site, and after a rough procedure that lasted a year due to persistently bad weather, a 1.200 square meters settlement was unearthed. It shares similar objects with the "Early Coast Culture" of the nearby area, but it also presents some unique findings, such as a large flint pick and a bull-roarer, an ancient musical instrument mainly used for rituals.
The conducted pollen analysis dates the Kongemose site to a period broadly corresponding toPollen Zone VI (ca. 7700 - 5500 BC).[3]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(January 2020) |
| TheStone Age |
|---|
| ↑beforeHomo (Pliocene) |
Paleolithic (3.3Mya - 12ka) Mesolithic (20 ka - 5 ka) Neolithic (12 ka - 4 ka) |
| ↓Chalcolithic |