Perspectives of lignite post-mining landscapes under changing environmental conditions: what can we learn from a comparison between the Rhenish and Lusatian region in Germany?

Environmental Sciences Europe

Table 2 Historical timeline of Rhineland and Lusatia with reference to main eras of European history (Database [39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50])

Age		European history	Rhineland	Lusatia
BCE	5300–2200	Neolithic	Farming in the forest Clearing islands	Funnelbeaker Culture First farming activities starting mainly in Northern Brandenburg
	2200–1300	Early and Middle Bronze Age	Farming in the forest Clearing islands Expansion of the cultivated land New: meadows and pastures
	1300–800	Late Bronze Age	Urnfield Culture	Lusatian Culture Fortified settlements
	800–475	Iron Age Hallstatt C/D	Iron ore extraction and processing Expansion of arable land, meadows and pastures	Lusatian Culture Fortified settlements
	475–27	Iron Age Latène	Extensive clearings Expansion of the arable land, meadows and pastures	Settlement of Germanic tribes Iron melting centers
	27 BCE-284 CE	Roman Empire (early and middle)	Villae rusticae Surplus agriculture
CE	27 BCE-284 CE	Roman Empire (early and middle)	Villae rusticae Surplus agriculture
	284–450	Late Antiquity	Abandonment of settlements and deforestation	Immigration of Slavic tribes Iron production
	450–919	Early Middle Ages	New settlements and clearings	Immigration of Slavic tribes Iron production
	450–919	Early Middle Ages	New settlements and clearings	German colonization and Slavic minority (Wends and Sorbs) Agricultural landscape (mainly poor soil quality)
	10th–13th c	High Middle Ages	Greatest expansion of cultivated land
	14th–15th c	Late Middle Ages	Agricultural crisis	Iron works of Peitz
	16th–19th c	Early Modern times	Industrialization	Glass and textile factories
	20th c.–today	Modern times	Large-scale lignite mining