Die spätneolithische Beilproduktion auf dem Lousberg in Aachen. Eine Hochrechnung von Angebot und Nachfrage und Rückschlüsse auf die spätneolithische Bevölkerungsdichte

Abstract

The tabular fl int seams within the cretaceous limestone slab once covering the Lousberg in Aachen (Germany) were completely exploited by systematic open air  mining between approximately 3800 and 3000 years CalBC. The Lousberg-fl int,  easily identifi able by its tabular shape and its characteristic colours, was  processed on-site almost exclusively for the production of axe-roughouts, which were distributed over distances up to 280 km mainly to Westphalia, but also to  Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz and into Belgium and the Netherlands.
An attempt was made to estimate the Late Neolithic population density during  exploitation of the opencast mine by extrapolating the total output of  axe-roughouts, the Neolithic consumption of axes and the size of the distribution area of the polished axes.