Archaeobotanical evidence of the function of four‑post structures in Denmark

Through archaeobotanical analysis and discussion of the abundant charred macrofossils in samples from a burnt down fourpost structure at an Early Roman Iron Age farmstead (ad 1-150) at Kulerup, Sjælland (Zealand) in Denmark, this article
aims to shed new light upon the functions of this type of structure in Denmark. Based on the analysis of the distribution of
charred plant remains there, it is argued that at the time the structure was destroyed by fre it was being used for storing cereals, which were possibly unthreshed. Supplemented by archaeological evidence as well as archaeobotanical records from a
number of other Bronze and Iron Age four-post structures from northwest Europe, the plant macrofossil assemblage from
Kulerup reinforces the interpretation of these structures for storage of plant products. Four- and multiple post structures are
known as parts of farm units well into historical times, and so comparative historical records are also considered as a source
of information about their primary functions.