How animal dung can help to reconstruct past forest use: a late Neolithic case study from the Mooswinkel pile dwelling (Austria)

Abstract Animal dung analyses are a useful tool for vegetational studies. Preserved ruminant from archaeological layers offers unique possibility the reconstruction of past fodder management strategies, and further studying impact acquisition pasturing on forests. In this case study we investigate Late Neolithic livestock keeping forest around “Mooswinkel” pile dwelling at Austrian lake Mondsee through analysis botanical macroremains, insect remains as well microhistological in animal dung. Seasonal plant parts point out that cattle, goats, and/or sheep were evidently kept inside settlement during winter protection. During daytime, they allowed to forage settlement. Winter consisted dried leaf hay, hay grasses herbs, male flowers early blooming bushes, fresh twigs evergreen species, such fir ( Abies alba ), ivy Hedera helix mistletoe Viscum album ).