Regional diversity in subsistence among early farmers in Southeast Europe revealed by archaeological organic residues.

Lucy J E Cramp,Jonathan Ethier,Helen L Whelton,Clive Bonsall,Dušan Borić,Dushka Urem-Kotsou,Mélanie Roffet-Salque,Adina Boroneanţ,Richard P Evershed,Maria Ivanova,Slaviša Perić

doi:10.1098/rspb.2018.2347

Abstract

The spread of early farming across Europe from its origins in Southwest Asia was a culturally transformative process which took place over millennia. Within regions, the pace of the transition was probably related to the particular climatic and environmental conditions encountered, as well as the nature of localized hunter–gatherer and farmer interactions. The establishment of farming in the interior of the Balkans represents the first movement of Southwest Asian livestock beyond their natural climatic range, and widespread evidence now exists for early pottery being used extensively for dairying. However, pottery lipid residues from sites in the Iron Gates region of the Danube in the northern Balkans show that here, Neolithic pottery was being used predominantly for processing aquatic resources. This stands out not only within the surrounding region but also contrasts markedly with Neolithic pottery use across wider Europe. These findings provide evidence for the strategic diversity within the wider cultural and economic practices during the Neolithic, with this exceptional environmental and cultural setting offering alternative opportunities despite the dominance of farming in the wider region.

Highlights

Introduction and backgroundAcross most of Europe, the transition towards an economy based upon domesticated animals and plants was accompanied by the first appearance of pottery
This confirms that aquatic products were regularly processed in over half of the Early Neolithic pots across all five Iron Gates settlements
The Early Neolithic pottery residues from the Iron Gates region confirm interpretations from archaeozoological and stable isotope evidence that the use of aquatic resources continued into the early sixth millennium BC, echoing Late Mesolithic traditions, despite farming being practised in the wider region

Summary

Introduction and background

Across most of Europe (with notable exceptions including the Baltic region), the transition towards an economy based upon domesticated animals and plants was accompanied by the first appearance of pottery. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of dated human bone collagen from Mesolithic and Neolithic human bones from the Iron Gates indicate a broad shift towards the inclusion of more terrestrial resources in the diet, fish continued to be a predominant component of the diets of some individuals even by the early sixth millennium BC [39,40,41] That this may not have been a continuous or linear process [42,43] provides further insights into the issue of continuity of occupation and the precise nature of interactions between foragers and farmers. We investigate preserved organic residues from over 200 Neolithic ceramic vessels from the Iron Gates and assess the wider implications for our understanding of Early Neolithic adaptations in Southeast Europe and the role of ceramic technology

Material and methods

Conclusion

Findings

78. Gamarra B et al 2018 5000 years of dietary