The archaeological sites are renowned for their well-preserved organic remains and are of great importance in understanding the subsistence and settlement strategies of post-glacial hunter-gatherer societies.

Recent research has explored the Duvensee societies' diet and land use patterns in relation to the evolution of modern lifestyles and nutrition.

The bog formed from a paludifying lake that originated as a kettle hole during the early pre-boreal and once covered an area of more than 4 square kilometres.

With increasing paludification, which is thought to have set in during the periods of occupation, the sites were covered and protected by thick layers of peat and survive in excellent condition.

[1][2][3] Protected by the waterlogged peat deposits, a wealth of organic remains survives in excellent condition: However, the majority of finds are lithic tools and by-products of their production made from flint.

The sites are currently thought to represent specialised storage camps of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer groups at which large quantities of hazelnuts were processed.

Duvensee lake was visited for approximately two weeks per year during late summer or early autumn in order to harvest and process hazelnuts.

There is no evidence that the sites served as actual living structures or longer-term settlements - spatial analyses indicate that nut processing activities took place in the open.

[1][2][3] Based on the structures, tools and nut remains at Duvensee it was possible to 1) demonstrate the importance of stored plant foods in Mesolithic economies and 2) to quantify the extent to which such activities were carried out.

The structures, hazelnut shells and stone tools show that fat-rich nuts were harvested in large numbers and processed into transportable and storable supplies.