Abstract
Recent approaches have described the evolutionary dynamics of the first Neolithic societies as a cycle of rise and fall. Several authors, using mainly c14 dates as a demographic proxy, identified a general pattern of a boom in population coincident with the arrival of food production economies followed by a rapid decline some centuries afterwards in multiple European regions. Concerning Iberia, we also noted that this phenomenon correlates with an initial development of archaeological entities (i.e., ‘cultures’) over large areas (e.g. the Impresso-Cardial in West Mediterranean), followed by a phase of ‘cultural fragmentation’ by the end of Early Neolithic. These results in a picture of higher cultural diversity as an effect of more limited spread of cultural artifacts. In this work we propose to apply a network approach to the analysis of material culture. In particular, we consider the spatiotemporal patterns of material culture as an emergent effect of interaction processes acting locally. As recent research has pointed out, the spatiotemporal variability of material culture is an emergent phenomena resulting of individual and group interactions whose structure resembles those of spatially-structured complex Networks. Our results suggest that the observed global patterns could be explained by the network dynamics, specially by structural (measured as the Betweenness Centrality) and geographical position of some nodes. The appearance and disappearance of nodes in specific positions correlates with the observed changes in the pattern of material culture distribution throughout the Early Neolithic (c. 7700-6700 cal BP) in East Iberia. In our view, this could be explained by the especial role played by those nodes facilitating or limiting the information flow over the entire network. Network growth and posterior fragmentation seem to be the key drivers behind these dynamics.
Highlights
While the origins of the first agricultural societies have long received considerable attention, this is not the case of the subsequent course of events
In recent research focused on South-eastern Iberia (Bernabeu et al, 2013), we identified co-occurring changes in social organization, demography, and economy that followed the initial establishment of agriculture
We looked for a better understanding of network-level dynamics from the appearance/disappearance on the important nodes and its geographical position
Summary
While the origins of the first agricultural societies have long received considerable attention, this is not the case of the subsequent course of events. Since the work by Bocquet-Appel (2008) noted the existence of a Neolithic Demographic Transition, different approaches have described the Iberian Neolithic Networks evolutionary dynamics of the first Neolithic societies as a cycle of rise and fall. Several authors, using mainly radiocarbon dates as a demographic proxy, identified a general pattern of a boom in population coincident with the arrival of food production economies followed by a rapid decline some centuries afterward in multiple European regions (Shennan et al, 2013), including Iberian peninsula (Bernabeu et al, 2014; Balsera et al, 2015). In recent research focused on South-eastern Iberia (Bernabeu et al, 2013), we identified co-occurring changes in social organization, demography, and economy that followed the initial establishment of agriculture. By the beginning of seventh millennium BP, this reorganization of human society stopped
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
