Friday, January 4, 2013

Europe's Hedges are 3000 Years Old

Studies by Danish archaeologists suggest that much of Europe was crisscrossed by hedges dividing private fields and pastures by 1000 BCE. Archaeologist Mette Løvschal:
From being a predominantly open landscape with large commons with scattered trees and bushes, the landscape became dominated by linear demarcation lines. People started to enclose their fields and suddenly started building embankments and trenches around their houses and villages.
The picture shows a village on the Danish island of Boremose dating to around 400 BCE. The village was surrounded by a ditch, bank, and hedge.

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