From Rescue Excavation to the Reconstruction of Neolithic Palaeolandscapes at Swiss Pile-Dwelling Sites Using a Palaeoecological Multi-Proxy Approach

The palaeoecology work package within project DeciLak addresses key questions on human–environment interactions at the Neolithic pile-dwelling site of “Küsnacht-Immensee Dorfplatz”. At the University of Innsbruck, analyses are conducted in the microarchaeological laboratory and at the Institute of Botany. The project examines to what extent on-site and near-site palaeoecological records can disentangle localized activity signals from broader landscape transformation processes. By comparing short on-site sediment profiles with longer near-site cores, and integrating palynological, archaeobotanical, archaeozoological, and ancient DNA data, it reconstructs settlement dynamics and environmental change, contributing to a differentiated understanding of site function and regional landscape development.