Towards a reverse image. Botanical research into the landscape history of the eastern Netherlands (1100 B.C.—A.D. 1500)

ABSTRACT Analysis of a large number of pollen samples from pools and wells has led to a more detailed understanding of the vegetation development in the eastern Netherlands between c. 1100 B.c. and A.D. 1500. During the Neolithic and the Bronze Age settlements were islands within a forest landscape, with natural clearings as the obvious starting points for further exploitation. Especially during the Iron Age the higher grounds became rapidly deforested. A semi-open landscape was formed relatively quickly, as was the case in the northern Dutch sandy areas. The Iron Age and Roman period landscape seems to have been almost as open as it would be during the Middle Ages, something which has also been established for south-east England. Deforestation proceeded at a slower pace in the lower and wetter parts of the landscape, but here too the effects of human presence are already visible during late prehistory, at least in the proximity of settlements. A sharp increase of heath can be observed, the result of defo...