Late Neolithic Period Research Articles

Identification of laccol as a paint binder in Neolithic pottery from China

Some precious painted pottery have been excavated from a late Neolithic site (6000-5300 BP) in China recently. The materials and technique of the paint were comprehensively studied. The analytical techniques conducted include optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and thermally assisted hydrolysis-methylation pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (THM-Py-GC/MS). The results revealed the painted pottery is lacquer-painted pottery, which is the earliest evidence of using laccol as binding media to paint pottery. Moreover, a two-layer structure of the paint technique was found. Cinnabar and a kind of yellow dye were detected in the first layer, while iron red was determined in the ground layer. Laccol, instead of urushiol as a binding medium, was identified in both two layers. Laccol is the maker compound from the tree of Toxicodendron (Rhus) succedanea, which mainly grows in Vietnam. Its presence in the painted pottery represents that the use of Toxicodendron (Rhus) succedanea resource can be as early as the late Neolithic period in China. The possibility of the origin of laccol was also discussed in the paper.

Unveiling the culinary tradition of ‘focaccia’ in Late Neolithic Mesopotamia by way of the integration of use-wear, phytolith & organic-residue analyses

Recent studies suggest that in Upper Mesopotamia during the Late Neolithic period, specifically between 6400 and 5900 BCE, simple cereal flour doughs were baked in domed ovens using ceramic pans, commonly known as husking trays. Adopting an integrated approach that investigates various types of evidence, such as use-wear, phytoliths, and organic residues, we further refined and explored this hypothesis. Analysis of a sample of 13 sherds belonging to these trays from Mezraa Teleilat, Akarçay Tepe, and Tell Sabi Abyad provides evidence that a limited number of them could have been used to bake ‘focaccia’-like products with ingredients such as lard or oil. This research project not only further strengthens the theory that husking trays could have been used for baking, but also provides insights into the variety and elaboration of food practices that existed amongst early agricultural communities, demonstrating the existence of a number of different ‘recipes’ for a particular dish. Furthermore, from a methodological perspective, this study highlights how only an integrated approach can contribute to the knowledge of the various culinary traits and traditions of ancient communities.

Esh-Shaheinab: The archetype of the Sudanese Neolithic, its premises and sequels.

Esh-Shaheinab is a landmark in the African Neolithic. This site gave the name Shaheinab Neolithic to the Neolithic period in central Sudan, becoming its archetype. Excavated in the late 1940s by A.J. Arkell, it bears witness to the processes of domestic animal introduction from the Middle East into North and East Africa. Its excavation also uncovered the remains of an earlier Mesolithic or Early Khartoum (ca. ninth-sixth millennia BC) and a Late Neolithic occupation (ca. fourth millennium BC), providing essential insights into the Neolithic's premises and sequels. Although the influence of Esh-Shaheinab has been recognized for more than seventy years, our knowledge of its material culture has remained as it was then. In 2001, one of the present authors (EAAG) had permission to restudy the ceramic collection at the National Museum in Khartoum and subsequently export samples for laboratory analyses. Here, for the first time, we provide a multi-scale analysis of the Esh-Shaheinab ceramic material from the Early Khartoum to the Late Neolithic periods by integrating the chaîne opératoire approach into the local landscape. By combining the results of macroscopic and microscopic analyses, we performed petrographic investigations on the composition and manufacturing technology of the ceramic pastes using polarized optical microscopy (POM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS). Organic residue analysis (ORA) was also carried out, to provide information on diet, vessel use, and subsistence practices. The results of our combined analyses showed that the inhabitants of Esh-Shaheinab developed an adaptation specific to the ecological niche they inhabited. They lived in the western valley of the Nile, which was narrower and offered different environmental conditions than the eastern bank. This resulted in partial continuity in manufacturing traditions and ceramic recipes, including more mixed wadi materials and a strong emphasis on wild meat consumption as the narrower alluvial plain restricted animal herding.

DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN HYLLIE MOSSE (SCANIA, SWEDEN): ESTIMATING ABSOLUTE POPULATION BETWEEN THE LATE NEOLITHIC AND THE EARLY BRONZE AGES

SummaryThis paper reconstructs the population dynamics within the Hyllie Mosse region (Scania, Sweden) from 2400 to 1600 BC. South‐western Scania is particularly well‐known thanks to extensive archaeological work in the past decades, making it one of the most thoroughly investigated areas in Sweden. The Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age periods are of paramount importance in understanding the socio‐cultural transformations within the Baltic region. By integrating a comprehensive database of longhouses from Scania with the available archaeological data from the Hyllie Mosse area, this study provides absolute demographic estimates through a transparent and replicable methodology. It highlights that the region experienced a significant peak in human occupation between 2000 and 1800 BC, followed by a decline. In prehistoric times, the area was covered by a relatively large bog, and was therefore not uniformly settled. At its peak, it is estimated that the region, approximately 9.7 km2 in size – 4 km2 of which have been archaeologically investigated – could have supported 75 to 150 inhabitants.

New chronology evidence of prehistoric human activities indicated by pottery luminescence dating in the humid subtropical mountains of South China

The age of prehistoric human sites serves as a fundamental basis for studying the relationship between human activities and landscape changes in the humid subtropical mountains of South China. The presence of pottery in these archaeological sites is widespread and offers a valuable resource for precise dating purposes. The Longtoushan (LTS) site, located in the northern mountains of Fujian Province, contains a rich variety of pottery types from various periods, representing a rare multi-period stratigraphic overlap in this area and playing a crucial role in constructing the cultural sequence and lineage of prehistoric and ancient times in this region. In this study, we employed thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques to establish the age of pottery samples collected from the LTS site situated in the upper Minjiang River region of southeast China for the first time, while also comparing our findings with other dating methods to construct a chronological framework for the site. The results showed that: (1) The samples analyzed in this study can be classified according to the peak strength of 325 °C TL signal at natural and regenerative doses of quartz. Samples with weak TL signal at 325 °C (type II samples) showed high recuperation and equivalent dose underestimation at a low preheat temperature (220 °C) in OSL test. (2) Conventional SAR procedures employed for type I samples are not suitable for type II samples. Type II samples require additional OSL stimulation towards the end of the cycle and an extended stimulation duration. (3) The application of various dating methods has revealed that the LTS site represents a long-term settlement in the humid subtropical mountains of South China, commencing around 4.6–4.4 thousand years ago (ka). Specifically, the dating of pottery pieces from kiln sites and tombs in the late Neolithic period provides a specific temporal reference for further understanding of prehistoric human culture and production behavior in the humid mountains of Fujian.

Genomic dynamics of the Lower Yellow River Valley since the Early Neolithic

The Yellow River Delta played a vital role in the development of the Neolithic civilization of China. However, the population history of this region from the Neolithic transitions to the present remains poorly understood due to the lack of ancient human genomes. This especially holds for key Neolithic transitions and tumultuous turnovers of dynastic history. Here, we report genome-wide data from 69 individuals dating to 5,410-1,345 years before present (BP) at 0.008 to 2.49× coverages, along with 325 present-day individuals collected from 16 cities across Shandong. During the Middle to Late Dawenkou period, we observed a significant influx of ancestry from Neolithic Yellow River farmers in central China and some southern Chinese ancestry that mixed with local hunter-gatherers in Shandong. The genetic heritage of the Shandong Longshan people was found to be most closely linked to the Dawenkou culture. During the Shang to Zhou Dynasties, there was evidence of genetic admixture of local Longshan populations with migrants from the Central Plain. After the Qin to Han Dynasties, the genetic composition of the region began to resemble that of modern Shandong populations. Our genetic findings suggest that the middle Yellow River Basin farmers played a role in shaping the genetic affinity of neighboring populations in northern China during the Middle to Late Neolithic period. Additionally, our findings indicate that the genetic diversity in the Shandong region during the Zhou Dynasty may be linked with their complex ethnicities.

New data on the connections of ancient settlers of Nakhchivan with the Near East

Archaeological sites identified by studies of 2010–2021 on the territory of Nakhchivan made it possible to supply the gap between the Late Neolithic and Eneolithic Chalcolithic periods. The presence of ancient Eastern features – Halaf and Obeid ones – is noted in the materials of Nakhchivan Tepe, Uçan-Ağıl, Bulovkaya and Uzunoba. It can be assumed that the settlements of Nakhchivan Tepe and Bulovkaya were strongholds or colonies of newcomers – bearers of Middle Eastern cultural traditions.

Provenance analysis of red sandstone ground stone tools from the tell site of Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa (SE Hungary)

Hódmezővásárhely–Gorzsa is a multi-period tell settlement in South Hungary in the centre of the Great Hungarian Plain, about 15 km southwest of the city of Hódmezővásárhely. The thickest section of the settlement belongs to the Late Neolithic Tisza Culture period. In total, 1061 macrolithic artefacts were unearthed, a quarter of which was polished, and three quarter of which were ground stone tools. Half of the ground stones were made of different types of sandstone, including (1) red-, (2) grey micaceous-, (3) calcareous-, (4) white meta sandstones, and (5) other sandstones and metasandstones were identified. The red sandstones are further categorised into four subgroups based on optical microscopy. This examination is the first systematic multi-analytical investigation (i.e. optical microscopy, whole-rock geochemistry and mineral chemistry), carried out on these ground stone tool types. The goal is to identify and precisely locate the raw material types, in which heavy minerals and the tourmaline mineral chemistry play the key role. To determine the provenance of each of these subgroups, samples were collected from seven geological localities (i.e. primary outcrops and secondary presences, such as river drainages or terraces) for a comparative study. Based on our results, the alluvium of the Maros River can be considered as a possible source for the ‘Red – 3’ type of Gorzsa, while the results for the rest red sandstone types (‘Red – 1’, ‘Red − 2’ and ‘Red – 4’) are inconclusive in terms of provenance.

Explore the ancient roots of the Huaxia people and Chinese civilization

Chinese civilization, which stands as a shining star in human civilizations, is distinct in its nature and development path. Although it suffered numerous turns of devastation in its 5,000 years of history, it has resiliently remained uninterrupted in its growth and radiance. Characterized by continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness, and longstanding commitment to peace, it also exhibits strong cohesion, vitality, flexibility, and adaptability. These characteristics emerged in the Paleolithic Period, indicating that the Chinese civilization did not emerge overnight. Its roots run deep with a long history, sprouting in the Paleolithic Period, breaking ground in the late Neolithic period, and gradually growing into the towering trees it is today. How did the ancient people in China evolve into today’s Chinese nation? How did the ancient culture of prehistoric times develop into the current Chinese civilization? What are the connections between the history buried underground and the society we see today? Obviously, there is no clear answer to these questions. There are still many gaps in prehistoric China that need to be filled, and the process of and reasons for the evolution of ethnic groups and cultures still need to be further interpreted. The author tries to trace the roots of the Chinese nation and its civilization back to the Paleolithic Period, using archaeological materials to connect the survival and reproduction process of ancestors and delve into studying the ancient roots of the Huaxia people and Chinese civilization.

The earliest stamped hard pottery and high-firing technology dating back to 5000 BP: Evidence from two sites in southeastern China

This study focuses on the technological origin of stamped hard pottery, one of the precursors to Chinese porcelain, developed in the Late Neolithic period of China. 160 ceramic sherds of stamped hard wares from the Nanshan site (5300–4300 cal. BP) and Yanzaidong site (5000–4300 cal. BP) were investigated through water absorption, Vickers hardness, petrography, ED-XRF, thermodilatometry, XRD, and SEM-EDS. The results indicate that two categories of samples exhibit commendable physical properties, comparable to stoneware, attributed to specific high-alumina clay with low fluxing elements (porcelain stone), fired at high temperatures ranging from 1100 to 1250 °C. The other categories of samples appear to be defective products during firing process, or have another raw material source, contributing to a diversity of pottery at the two sites. Nanshan and Yanzaidong unequivocally emerge as the earliest known production of stamped hard pottery, dating back to 5000 cal. BP, marking a revolutionary advancement in high-firing technology during the Late Neolithic China.

Prehistoric and Early Medieval Settlement Features at Ravelrig Road and Newmills Road, Balerno, City of Edinburgh

Evaluation and excavation works in advance of housing development at two sites on Ravelrig Road and Newmills Road, Balerno, City of Edinburgh, revealed significant archaeological features evidencing multi-phase settlement. At Ravelrig Road, two groups of pits were dated to the Early and Middle to Late Neolithic periods with a cluster of Copper Age and Early Bronze Age features that included two possible storage features. At Newmills Road, alongside limited evidence for late prehistoric occupation in the form of pits dating to the last centuries BC and the first centuries AD, the most significant remains were of early medieval date, including a ring-groove representing a putative roundhouse and other features, including a hearth and linear boundary features, generally placed between the 7th and 9th centuries AD according to radiocarbon dating.

Multiscale and Multitemporal Remote Sensing for Neolithic Settlement Detection and Protection—The Case of Gorjani, Croatia

The decade of research concentrating on the area of Eastern Slavonia revealed an abundance of large and complex Middle and Late Neolithic sites. It changed profoundly how we perceive Middle and Late Neolithic settlements, including space, size and organization. The vast majority of these sites were detected through aerial reconnaissance and satellite image analysis. The observation of the sites was followed by intensive field surveys, which confirmed their attribution to the Middle and Late Neolithic period by surface finds. On those confirmed sites in the vicinity of Đakovo, Croatia, a magnetic survey was conducted on five sites, and the results confirmed the presence of large-scale Middle and Late Neolithic settlements with complex spatial organization and enclosure(s). The most complex remains so far are the sites Gorjani, Kremenjača and Topole, which we present in this paper, where one or two settlements remain covering an area of 70 hectares which is currently in the process of formal protection as a cultural landscape by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia. The special focus of this paper is the application of remote sensing in the detection, archaeological confirmation and protection of the site of Gorjani Topole.

Klepini-Troulli: Kıbrıs'ta Bir Kıyı Neolitik Yerleşimi ve Olası Anakara Etkileşimleri

In this article, the Klepini-Troulli settlement located in the north of Cyprus has been re-evaluated with the results of the old excavations and the new data obtained from the survey conducted in 2004, and it has been tried to be reconciled with culturally both the chronology within the island and the surrounding mainland. Accordingly, it has been discussed whether Cyprus could be a part of the dominant culture on the mainland during the Late Neolithic Period or whether it was an independently developing culture.

MASSIVE PREHISTORIC PIT SITES IN SOUTHERN IBERIA: CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES AND LESSONS LEARNED

SummaryArchaeological sites characterized by significant concentrations of pits (‘pit sites’) were widespread in prehistoric Europe. In southern Iberia, many pit sites date back to the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods (fourth‐third millennia BCE), and often display massive numbers of pits. Deciphering the social, economic, and symbolic significance of such sites, composed of hundreds or even thousands of pits, holds deep historical implications. What do these pits mean, and how were they used? If they functioned as grain storage pits, as many believe, did they represent a substantial economic surplus? Unfortunately, many of these sites have been inadequately published and remain poorly known north of the Pyrenees. This paper aims to contribute to the broader understanding of prehistoric pit sites in Europe by providing an overview of southern Iberian pit sites, and of the debates that have developed around their interpretation.

Millet agriculture and social complexity in the Central Plains of the Neolithic (9000-5000 BP): Isotopic reconstruction of human diet from the Shanggangyang site in China

The core area of the Central Plains is one of the crucial regions for the origin of Chinese civilization, and the settlement site cluster in the mid-late Yangshao period (6000-5000 BP) provides a unique opportunity to investigate the human dietary pattern in the Central Plains for the origin of Chinese civilization. However, previous studies have not yet been able to adequately explain why the Central Plains has developed into an area in which the process of social complexity has accelerated significantly and the emergence of early Chinese civilization based on the development of millet agriculture in the core area of the Central Plains in the mid-late Yangshao period. In this case study, stable isotope analysis of the human bone collagen from the Shanggangyang site was conducted. The isotopic data showed that the majority of the Shanggangyang inhabitants (−8.0 ± 0.7‰, 9.0 ± 0.8‰, n = 24) were on a C4 millet-based diet, while the M13 individuals (−15.9 ± 0.1‰, 6.5 ± 0.1‰, n = 2) was on a C3 and C4 mixed diet. Furthermore, temporal investigations of the development of millet agriculture from isotopic perspective during the middle to late Neolithic period (9000-5000 BP) in the Central Plains comprehensively and explicitly revealed that millet agriculture developed and matured, and became the predominant subsistence economy in the mid-late Yangshao period (6000-5000 BP). This prosperous subsistence economy based on millet farming of the mid-late Yangshao period not only played an important role in generally accelerating the process of social complexity in the Central Plains, but also provided a substantial economic foundation for the emergence of early Chinese civilization in the core area of the Central Plains.

Long Distance Connections Within Britain and Ireland: the Evidence of Insular Rock Art

Discussions of contacts between Britain and Ireland usually focus on monuments and on portable artefacts such as Grooved Ware, Beakers, and metalwork. New research on insular rock art suggests that it originated in the Middle to Late Neolithic period and continued to be used and re-used into the Early Bronze Age. This paper considers its relationship with decorated passage graves and other structures. It argues that the distribution of rock art sheds further light on connections between these islands. Estuaries, bays, and landing places were important, but the siting of pecked motifs indicates other links along three overland routes between the North Sea and the Irish Sea. Certain practices were shared between megalithic tombs and recently excavated rock carvings. It is possible that they expressed similar beliefs at a time when long distance travel was important.

GEOARHEOLOŠKA BUŠENjA NA LOKALITETU DRENOVAC, PARAĆIN – METODOLOŠKI PRISTUP

The Drenovac site is one of the most important Neolithic sites in Serbia. The first archaeological researches on this deeply stratified site, which was inhabited during the Early Neolithic and the Late Neolithic period, began in the 60s of the 20th century. Re-excevation of a Neolithic site in Drenovac started in the first decade of the 21th century. Today, systematic excavations are being carried out at this site, which imply an interdisciplinary approach. However, little is still known about the landscape of this Neolithic settlement. More extensive geoarchaeological research, which began in 2019, aims to explain how the intense life, which took place at this site for thousands of years, had an impact on the appearance of the landscape. In this paper, emphasis will be placed on the methodological approach to geoarchaeological hand augering and the quality of information resulting from the application of that method in understanding the complex interactions of natural, climatic and human factors.

A New Neolithic Site in the Nothern Caspian Region

Tuskuduk site’s materials from the North Caspian Sea region are published in an article. A goal of this work is characteristics of material culture’s remains, which were found as a result of excavation of 2022 year. The tasks of research include: description of the site, ceramics and stone inventory, their cultural attribution and determination of the place within the Neolithic of this region. During the research of the site, spatial, typological, statistical, archeozoological and radiocarbon methods were used. The nature of the cultural layer distribution was determined on the results of spatial analysis. The typological analysis made it possible to identify the features typical in ceramics and stone artifacts, to establish their characteristics in comparison with other complexes within the area of the interest. The archeozoological method contributed to the determination of the species composition of animals. Radiocarbon analysis specified the absolute age of the site. Based on the analysis of materials from the Taskuduk site, the presence of a preserved cultural layer was established. Ceramic and stone inventory belong to the Tenteksor cultural type of the Late Neolithic period. The specificity of the design of the upper parts of the vessels is revealed. Polished and drilled items were identified among the stone tools. Animal bones belong to wild species. The complex dates to 6700–6500 BP on radiocarbon determinations.

Prehistoric human activities and environmental background during the Late Neolithic to Bronze period in the Minjiang River Basin, Southeast China, based on luminescence ages and chemical elemental analysis of pottery

The Minjiang River Basin in Fujian played a vital role in the southward spread of agriculture in China. To better understand the development of Neolithic cultures in this region and the interactions between the people of Southeast China and their environment, as well as the formation and development of agricultural civilizations in East Asia, this study focused on determining the luminescence ages of nine pottery/burnt clay samples and measuring 33 trace elements in 38 pottery/burnt clay and 15 sediment samples collected from the Minjiang River Basin. The reliability of determining luminescence age using heated quartz was also investigated. By combining the characteristics of trace elements with the background of prehistoric human environments, this study aimed to explore the relationships between humans and the environment and cultural interactions during the late Neolithic period in the Minjiang River Basin. The results showed that some pottery samples displayed a higher proportion of medium and slow components in their initial quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals, but most OSL ages were not affected. The ages of the pottery samples were concentrated during stable environmental periods characterized by relatively high sea levels, elevated surface sea temperatures, and low El Niño–Southern Oscillation occurrence frequencies. The chemical composition and principal component analysis suggested that the majority of pottery samples were locally sourced, while pottery from coastal islands may have originated from upstream areas of the Minjiang River. This indicates that there was cultural exchange in the Minjiang River Basin during the Neolithic culture period, rather than being limited to the local living. Differences in subsistence patterns could serve as a driving force behind cross-regional cultural exchanges, which likely deepened over time.

MODERN VISUALIZATION BY DIGITALLY MODELING NEOLITHIC CRAFTED HUMAN SKULLS

Abstract. Our digital modeling in 3D aims to visualize Neolithic crafted skulls found in the Near East for their preservation and study taking into account both the possibilities of skull deformation in vivo as well as crafting them postmortem. Decapitation and burying or caching human skulls is met already in Palaeolithic contexts. Postmortem cranial crafting by drilling and carving, or modelling with plaster and asphalt using human skulls as basis was practiced in the Near East during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic and Late Neolithic period. The first examples of plastered human skulls were discovered at Jericho in the 1950s, then belonging to Jordan, after which to Israel and now to the Palestinian territories. Similar skulls were later found in various sites in the Near East. The examples digitally reconstructed here include skulls from Göbekli Tepe and Köşk Höyük found in Turkey, from the cave at Nahal Hemar at the Dead Sea in the Judean mountains of Israel and skulls from Jericho in the Palestinian territories. Both drawings and photographs were used in digitally reconstructing the skulls in 3D. The Blender software allowed us to sculpt the complex shape of the skull from a base mesh. Graphic Processing Unit (GPU) rendering sped up rendering thanks to Nvidia graphics cards. UV mapping was carried out for importing the texture. The visualization enabled us to make further anthropological observations. Beside the generally acknowledged Neolithic "skull cult" we also wish briefly to discuss other reasons for the phenomena and practices.