Archeology Exam #2

What is the defining characteristic that separates Mesolithic and Neolithic?

the process of agricultural transition, shift from foraging to farming and herding

Importance of the house in Neolithic

Labor investment, socioeconomic unit

The origin of agriculture was between

13,000 - 9,000 BC

What was early sedentism like in terms of agriculture/food?

foraging economy, intensive use of wild cerals

Near East 10,000 BC food 

Wheat, barely, lentils, chickpeas, dates, peas, pistachios 

Start of domesticated animals

9,000 BC climate change led to

favorable conditions in the near east

Pottery evidence starts from

7,500 BC

Catal Huyuk

Turkey

Large site

Houses connected, people walked on roofs 

Gobekli Tepe

Turkey

Pillars that organized

Figs suggest farming since they can’t be pollonized 

Jericho

First urban human center

Methodology for modeling the spread of agriculture in Europe: Paleodemography

How fast

Methodology for modeling the spread of agriculture in Europe: Chonology

When and how fast

Methodology for modeling the spread of agriculture in Europe: Molecular genetics and Isotopic studies

Who

Methodology for modeling the spread of agriculture in Europe

Paleodemography

Chronology

Molecular Genetics

Isotopic studies

Models for the spread of Neolothic in Europe

Local Development

Cultural diffusion

Demic diffusions

Models for the spread of Neolothic in Europe: Local development

Innovations by local mesolithic population

Models for the spread of Neolothic in Europe: cultural diffusion

ideas borrowed by local mesolithic populations

Models for the spread of Neolothic in Europe: Demic Diffusion

innovations and ideas brought by new populations

Types of Demic Diffusions

Colonization/replacement: large scale migrations

Pioneer/leapfrog: small scale migrations

Most possible scenario for spread of neolithic

Genetic studies show migrations from Near East

Regional variability shows quick replacement in some areas (Southeast Europe) and native adoption in others (Danube gorges, Baltic, W mediterranean)

When did Neolithic reach Greece

7000-6500 BC

When did neolithic reach Balkans/carpathian basin

6200-5800 BC

When did Neolithic reach Central and West mediterranean

6000-5300 BC

When did neolithic reach central and western Europe

5700-5500 BC

When did neolithic reach north europe

4100-3500BC

When was the end of the neolithic?

Varies by area, 4500-1700 BC

Who was the last to develop agriculture?

Balkans in 3000 BC

Earliest phase of Neolithic in Southern and Eastern Europe

Cyprus: 8800-8300 BC

Crete: 7000 BC

Greece: 7000-6500 BC

Earliest sites of Neolithic in souther and eastern europe

Asprokremnos in Cyprus and Knossos in Crete

the large amount of early neolithic sites in greece may be due to

colonization

Early Neolithic S+E Europe Site example from book: Shillourokambos

Cyprus

8200 BC

Connection to Turkey

Evidence of plant domesticated and well preserved animal remains

Early Neolithic S+E Europe Site example from book: Aspokremnos

Cryprus

8800 BC

Nearby sources of flint

Remains of wild boar

Human figurines

Seaborne colonization of early neolithic W and C mediterranean

Southern italy and eastern sicily

Difficulties researching early neolithic in W and C mediterranean

rising sea level leading to drowned sites

uneven research

lack of Botanical data 

Grotte Dell’uzzo

Early Neolithiic W and C mediterranean site

Sicily

From 9,000 BC

6000 BC begins domesticated species

Atlit Yam

Palestine

6900-6300 BC

First evidence of wells in neolithic, trapped underground freshwater

Cupmarks 

Circile monuments for Gods

Earliest known site of neolithic in Southeastern Europe

Argissa Magoula

Highest concentration of early Neolithic sites

Thessaly

Tell dominated neolithic sites in southeastern europe

S balkans and greece

Flat neolithic sites in southeastern europe

C and N balkans and carpathian basin

Southeastern Europe settlement organization

Tells expanded over time 

Complex organization of rows, neighborhoods

Single and multi story homes

Wattle and Daub structures

Weaving and then using clay to fill gaps

Burials in Early Neolithic southeast europe

Within settlements

few grave goods, based on status

irregular burials, potentially based on inequality 

rituals in early neolithic southeastern europe

Many figurines

Altars, facepots

Shrines

Interpretations of figurines in early neolithic southeastern europe

Deities

ancestors

individuals

community symbols

toys

Nea Nikomedeia

Greece

6200 BC

Post framed houses, central building 

The Vinca culture

archaeological culture of Southeast Europe

emerged sometime after 5400BC till 4500BC

The Vinca culture developed the first

metal working

Houses in Vinca culture

periodically burned and rebuilt

paved or wooden floors

Fireplaces/ovens inside and outside

organized in rows and groups

largest sites had 300-600 houses occupied at same time

Burials in vinca culture

not many human burials, potentially left outside settlement for animals

Venture settlement findings

Over 1000 figurines recovered, triangular heads with bulging eyes

Vessel lids with sigils present, first possible sign of language

interpretations behind figurines with masks

metal workers

Linearbandkeramik (LBK)

first major farming culture in central europe

Linearbandkeramik (LBK) origin

hungary 5700 BC

Spread of LBK

To Paris Basin Westward

Adoption: Product of indigenous mesolithic forger groups

Colonization: Spread of neolithic communities

Siedlungskammer

microregional settlement group

LBK Village organization

3-4 houses per village

Multiroom, huge up to 120 ft.

Pits for clay, trash, storage

DNA evidence for LBK

Supports colonization, shows new populations not descendants of local hunter gatherers 

LBK settlement patterns

near river valleys

cleared forests

loess soils of fertile wind blown deposits

clusters of villages

Burials in LBK

Burials in and outside village

Flexed position, grave goods

Minimal status differences

LBK Mesolithic and Neolithic Interaction

trade, labor, intermarriage, fusion, conflict

Sites of LBK mesolithic neolithic interaction

La Hoguette, Limburg

Lepenski Vir

Serbia, 6200

Earliest evidence of farming in Europe

Evidence of long distance trade

Rudna Glava

Serbia 5000BC

Metal production

Earliest instance of manufacturing hub for minerals

Passo Di corvo

Italy

First neolithic society in Italy

Vailhingen

Germany 5300 BC

100 + LBK longhouses

138 humans in ditch, mass grave

seperated into groups

evidence of death from traumatic injury

non local skeletons

Speinnes

Belgium 4400 BC

Flint manufacturing, mining community

La Hoguette

Limburg 5000 BC

Evidence for LBK farmers interacting with other communities

La Draga

Spain 5000BC

earliest farming community in Iberia

Marble imported from Sardinia

Arbon Blieche

Switzerland 3384 BC

Abandoned after flood

Linens

Otzi

Italy 3300 BC

Skeleton of neolithic man found with blue eyes, tattoos, last meal in stomach

Los Millares

Spain 3200 BC

First recorded proto city in iberia

1,000 resident 

fortified fate 

abandoned with evidence of burning 

Hal Saflieni

Malta 3600 BC

Earliest certain evidence of human residence in 5500 BC

One of earliest known megaliths

Underground complex with 6000-7000 individuals 

Brranco de la Valtort

Spain 5500 BC

rock art

KRAP Hungary

Koros Regional Archeological Project

Szeghalom-Kovácshalom

Hungary, project Dr. G worked on

three phases of Szeghalom-Kovácshalom project

Phase one: 1998-2010, picked two sites in koros region on rivers

Phase two: 2010-2019, abandoned sites

Phase three 2019-present

Why was the koros region chosen for the project

Soil is black and clay like

goal to map all archeological sites in hungary using surface findings

Late neolithic settlements

Smaller sites, tell sites

maintained boundaries between one another

Common forms of war

raids, ambushes, massacres, small scale battles

frequent motives for war

defense, revenge, territory, resources, plunder, and prestige

Archeological evidence of war

Skeletal injury

weapons

fortifications

iconography: rock art of combat scenes

Talheim

Germany 5000BC

34 people killed by blows from axes

Roaix

France

100+ people buried with arrow wounds

Late neolithic northern and central europe shifts in settlement

shift from coasts to inland, emergence of hilltop and fortified centers

Skara Brae

Scotland 3200-2500 BC

Good preservation from sand

Central rooms with hearths

Stone furniture

Megastructure Types

Enclosures

Burial mounds

Megaliths

Enclosures in central europe

animal pens, ceremonial centers, fortifications

enclosures in britain and ireland

causeway camps, occupation

Lengyel enclosures

4900-4500 BC

over 50 sites

Svodin

Lengyel enclosure

Slovakia

4700 posts

400,000 sqr feet of dirt

Burial mounds types

long earthen mounds: rectangular or trapezoidal

conical mounds: mounds over burials

Burial mounds in N + C europe

symbolic behavior of monumental tombs

rituals

Megalith types

Menhirs

Rows of standing stones

Henges

Chamber tombs

Types of chamber tombs

Dolmens

Gallery grave

Passage graves

Absidial buildings

Megaliths: menhirs

single standing stones

Megaliths: rows of standing stones

usually linear arrangement

Carnac, La Menec

Megaliths: Henges

some timber, some stone

regional politics

primarily in british isles

Megaliths: Chamber tombs: Dolmens

Small single chamber with stone roof

Burren, Vallgorgunia, Cherchi De Pietre

Megaliths: Chamber tombs: Gallery Grave

long roofed burial room

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