A Fluctuating Environment: Micromorphological and Archaeobotanical Investigations of the Early Iron Age Lakeshore Settlement at Traunkirchen (Upper Austria)

Since its discovery in 1981, the site at Traunkirchen has remained among the very few Iron Age lakeshore settlements in the Circum-Alpine region. Micromorphological and archaeobotanical analyses of drilled cores from the lake bottom help to reconstruct the taphonomy of the Early Iron Age cultural layers and past environmental conditions. Our study also reveals that the water level of Lake Traunsee dropped twice by ca. 2.5/3 m within approximately 100–150 years during the Early Iron Age. The accumulation of well-preserved organic debris indicates the presence of building features in a shallow-water area, protected by a thick layer of lake marl. Carpological remains also provide insights into the local plant diet and land use based on cereals, legumes, edible fruits and nuts, all commonly used during the Iron Age. Our observations contribute to understanding Traunkirchen as an Iron Age key site, which was presumably involved in the distribution of salt from the mine at Hallstatt, down the Traun River and across Lake Traunsee.