Bergumermeer S-64B (the Netherlands) revisited: some critical remarks on the interpretation of an extensive Late Mesolithic site complex with alleged dwelling structures

The extensive site Bergumermeer S-64B, excavated in the early 1970s, played a pivotal role in the study of the Mesolithic in the Netherlands. The site was interpreted as a Late Mesolithic residential settlement on the basis of various arguments such as the large number of retouched tools, the size of the site and the presence of several alleged dwelling structures. This interpretation formed the basis for hypotheses on demographic patterns and increased sedentism of Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. However, owing to a lack of published data these and other claims could not be verified or refuted for several decades. Six years ago, different aspects of the site such as the retouched-tool assemblage and the spatial distribution of the finds, particularly in relation to the putative dwelling structures, were studied within the framework of a national research programme. These analyses identified profound problems, regarding the typomorphological classification of many retouched tools and the fact that a considerable number of artefacts were found in disturbed contexts, hampering an in-depth spatial analysis of the site. In this contribution we will discuss the most important results of these renewed studies, their impact on the spatio-temporal integrity and interpretation of the site and the broader relevance for the study of the Mesolithic in the Low Countries.