Late Neolithic Settlement Research Articles

Caucasus connections? New data and interpretations for Armenian obsidian in Northern Mesopotamia

Contact across long distances is evident in the Neolithic of the Near East, whether driven by social networks, exchange links, or movement of individuals or populations. Movement of material, such as obsidian, can elucidate these processes but is often studied within a bounded world that places Mesopotamia at the center. This paper focuses on links that cut across the traditionally imposed boundaries between Northern Mesopotamia and the Caucasus. While Armenia is one of the world's most obsidian-rich landscapes, reports of Armenian obsidians in Northern Mesopotamia are scarce. The confirmation (or lack thereof) of these rare reports has important consequences regarding the movement of people, material, and information out of the Caucasus. As discussed here, all but one report either cannot be corroborated or are demonstrably erroneous. For one archaeological site, data processing methods led to overlaps in the signals for different obsidian sources. For another site, one element used in source identification suffered from unsystematic error. For other sites, data and key details went unpublished at the time. To corroborate past work that had identified Armenian obsidian at Domuztepe, 66 artifacts were newly sourced by electron microprobe analysis and confirmed by portable X-ray fluorescence. This sample was biased toward artifacts potentially from Armenia. Our analyses revealed that 15 artifacts match Pokr Arteni, one of the most used obsidian sources in Armenia. For reasons not yet clear, obsidian was brought to this Late Neolithic settlement over a distance of 670km linearly and >800km on foot. Additionally, there are artifacts from four other sources in the Kura-Araxes basin, lending extra support to movement of materials, if not people, between the Caucasus and Domuztepe. Furthermore, there are similar patterns in the two chemical varieties of Pokr Arteni obsidian at Domuztepe and at a Late Neolithic site in Armenia, Aratashen, potentially reflecting similar processes or behaviors at this source.

Settlement Duration and Materiality: Formal Chronological Models for the Development of Barnhouse, a Grooved Ware Settlement in Orkney

Radiocarbon dating and Bayesian chronological modelling, undertaken as part of the investigation by theTimes of Their Livesproject into the development of Late Neolithic settlement and pottery in Orkney, has provided precise new dating for the Grooved Ware settlement of Barnhouse, excavated in 1985–91. Previous understandings of the site and its pottery are presented. A Bayesian model based on 70 measurements on 62 samples (of which 50 samples are thought to date accurately the deposits from which they were recovered) suggests that the settlement probably began in the later 32nd century calbc(with Houses 2, 9, 3 and perhaps 5a), possibly as a planned foundation. Structure 8 – a large, monumental structure that differs in character from the houses – was probably built just after the turn of the millennium. Varied house durations and replacements are estimated. House 2 went out of use before the end of the settlement, and Structure 8 was probably the last element to be abandoned, probably during the earlier 29th century calbc. The Grooved Ware pottery from the site is characterised by small, medium-sized, and large vessels with incised and impressed decoration, including a distinctive, false-relief, wavy-line cordon motif. A considerable degree of consistency is apparent in many aspects of ceramic design and manufacture over the use-life of the settlement, the principal change being the appearance, from c. 3025–2975 calbc, of large coarse ware vessels with uneven surfaces and thick applied cordons, and of the use of applied dimpled circular pellets. The circumstances of new foundation of settlement in the western part of Mainland are discussed, as well as the maintenance and character of the site. The pottery from the site is among the earliest Grooved Ware so far dated. Its wider connections are noted, as well as the significant implications for our understanding of the timing and circumstances of the emergence of Grooved Ware, and the role of material culture in social strategies.

Flint tools processing and use in northeastern Bulgaria at the end of Late Neolithic

A Late Neolithic settlement, chronologically related to the Boyan-Bolintineanu culture, with a considerate collection was found in 2003 during excavations of a Thracian fortress of IV-III BC in the archaeological reserve of Sboryanovo, northeastern Bulgaria. The total number of flint objects discovered to date is 1628. Over 90% of the raw flint is yellowish-grayish spotted flint with many inclusions, cracks and defects, apparently originating from small nodules collected on the surface and in the riverbeds. The remainder is typical Ludogorian (Balkan) honey-colored flint with excellent quality characteristics. The overall ratio of waste production: tools is typical for the Neolithic and Chalcolithic settlements in the area. The type of tools, use-wear traces, methods of treatment and the raw material used are specific for the Neolithic period. The analysis of the raw material used and the method of processing indicated trends in production, resulting in the subsequent bloom of flint industry in the Chalcolithic of the Balkan-Danubian region.

Archaeobotanical analysis of diverse plant food resources and palaeovegetation at the Zhumucun site, a late Neolithic settlement of the Liangzhu Culture in east China

Floatation of archaeological remains from sediments of the Neolithic Zhumucun site, attributed to the Liangzhu Culture (5300–4300 BP), demonstrates the diverse plant resources available at this site. The plant remains suggest a generally warm and humid wetland landscape where rice-based subsistence was possible. Domesticated rice was cultivated in paddy fields and served as the only cereal, while some melons and fruits, such as muskmelon (Cucumis melo) were probably cultivated as well. In addition, some species of Polygonum might have been utilized as vegetables. Furthermore, herbs such as Potentilla sp., Zehneria indica, and Lagenaria siceraria var. microcarpa were probably collected for medical purposes.

Fishery in prehistoric and medieval Tallinn, Estonia

During archaeological excavations in central Tallinn, Estonia, many fish bones were collected among other archaeological finds. As these were salvage excavations conducted under limited time and cost restraints, only a very small part of the removed soil could be examined for fish bones. In such hasty conditions, the only option was to take soil samples from selected areas and carry out water sieving in the laboratory. This procedure resulted in the recovery of a variety of fish remains. Also, a previous conclusion that only large fish were captured is re-evaluated. This paper focuses on two recently excavated medieval sites in Tallinn: Tartu Road 1 and Vabaduse Square. In Vabaduse Square, a Late Neolithic settlement was also discovered under the medieval layers. The analysis of the three different assemblages of fish bones from the two sites, which were collected by somewhat different methods, contributes to our knowledge on fishing and fish consumption in Tallinn's past.

Tuberkulózis nyomai késő neolitikum - kora rézkori magyarországi emberi maradványokban (Alsónyék-Bátaszék, Dél-Magyarország)

Alsonyek-Bataszek in Southern Hungary is one of the largest late Neolithic settlements and cemeteries excavated in Central Europe. In total, 2,359 burials from the Late Neolithic – Early Copper Age Lengyel culture were found between 2006 and 2009. Anthropological investigations previously carried out on individuals from this site revealed an interesting paleopathological case of tuberculosis in the form of Pott’s disease dated to the early 5th millennium BC. In this study, selected specimens from this osteoarcheological series were subjected to paleomicrobiological analysis to establish the presence of MTBC bacteria. As all individuals showing clear osteological signs of TB infection belonged to a single grave group, 38 individuals from this grave group were analysed. The sample included the case of Pott’s disease as well as individuals both with and without osseous TB manifestations. The presence of TB DNA in the individual with Pott’s disease was established, confirming the occurrence of TB in Neolithic populations of Europe. Moreover, our molecular analysis indicated that several other individuals of the same grave group were also infected with TB, opening the possibility for further analyses of this unique Neolithic skeletal series.

Azonosságok és különbségek Polgár-Csőszhalom Neolitikus település háztartásainak állatcsontanyagában

The present study examines the meat consumption patterns of three households at the Late Neolithic settlement of Polgár-Csőszhalom based on the animal bone assemblages using various qualitative and quantitative analytical procedures. In addition to conventional comparative methods employed in archaeozoology a Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) was also applied. This case study describes this multivariate method and its general applicability to this problem.

Et monumentalt midtsulehus ved Nørre Holsted i Sydjylland

Et monumentalt midtsulehus ved Nørre Holsted i Sydjylland

Tracing pottery use and the emergence of secondary product exploitation through lipid residue analysis at Late Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad (Syria)

Late Neolithic settlements dating to around 7000 cal. BC are widespread in Upper Mesopotamia, however, the site of Tell Sabi Abyad is unique in the scale and quality of excavation, revealing an extensive architecture, huge numbers of domesticated animal bones, stone tools and potsherds. A previous study reported lipid residues in nearly 300 potsherds as part of a wider investigation of the origins of dairying in the Near East and Southeastern Europe. The aim of this paper is to interpret the organic residue findings in more detail, addressing such factors as the association of lipids in pottery with particular phases, ware types, and the faunal record. Overall, the recovery rate of lipids in sherds is low (14% of the sherds investigated in this study yielded detectable lipids) and the mean lipid concentration for sherds containing lipids is ca. 82 μg g−1. These results are typical of sites from this period and general region (southern Mediterranean and Near East). Our interpretations indicate: (i) the use of specific ceramic categories of vessel for “cooking”, (ii) clear evidence of the extensive heating of vessels is deduced from the presence of ketones, formed from the condensation of fatty acids, in some vessels, (iii) strong differences in recovery rates possibly reflecting differences in use between different pottery types, (iv) in particular the Dark-Faced Burnished Ware (DFBW) contained the highest frequency of residues (46% yielded detectable lipids), (v) degraded animal fats were detectable, as evidenced by fatty acids with C18:0 in high abundance and in few cases tri-, di- and monoacylglycerols, (vi) the presence of abundant carcass fats is consistent with interpretations based on faunal assemblage of extensive meat exploitation, and (vii) four vessels dated to 6400 to 5900 cal BC yielded milk fat residues.

Quantitative approximation to large-seeded wild fruit use in a late Neolithic lake dwelling: New results from the case study of layer 13 of Parkhaus Opéra in Zürich (Central Switzerland)

A specific sediment sampling strategy was applied to a late Neolithic settlement phase (dendrodated to around 3160 BC) in the pile-dwelling site of Parkhaus Opéra (Zürich, Switzerland). It consisted in a systematic collection of over 2100 large-volume samples (3–10 L) in an area of ∼3000 m2, of which 255 were selected for archaeobotanical analysis. Over 80,000 plant macroremains of large size (>2 mm) were recovered and a rich assemblage of large-seeded wild fruits was evaluated. Hazelnuts (Corylus avellana L.), acorns (Quercus sp.), apples/pears (Malus/Pyrus), sloes (Prunus spinosa L.), wild rose fruits (Rosa sp.), beech nuts (Fagus sp.) and wayfaring tree fruits (Viburnum lantana L.) were among the most frequently and abundantly gathered and consumed wild fruits at the settlement. Three methods of quantification were used to evaluate their importance in the economy taking into account the samples retrieved from 16 fully excavated structures: total average density of fruit items, total estimated amount of fruits, and their calorific contribution. The estimation of the caloric importance of large-seeded wild fruits depends on assumptions on taphonomic biases. A first estimation suggested that they probably provided between 1.5% and 15% of the total calorific input by the settlement's inhabitants.

Tuberculosis in Late Neolithic-Early Copper Age human skeletal remains from Hungary

Alsónyék-Bátaszék in Southern Hungary is one of the largest late Neolithic settlements and cemeteries excavated in Central Europe. In total, 2359 burials from the Late Neolithic - Early Copper Age Lengyel culture were found between 2006 and 2009 [1]. Anthropological investigations previously carried out on individuals from this site revealed an interesting paleopathological case of tuberculosis in the form of Pott's disease dated to the early 5(th) millennium BC. In this study, selected specimens from this osteoarcheological series were subjected to paleomicrobiological analysis to establish the presence of MTBC bacteria. As all individuals showing clear osteological signs of TB infection belonged to a single grave group, 38 individuals from this grave group were analysed. The sample included the case of Pott's disease as well as individuals both with and without osseous TB manifestations. The detection of TB DNA in the individual with Pott's disease provided further evidence for the occurrence of TB in Neolithic populations of Europe. Moreover, our molecular analysis indicated that several other individuals of the same grave group were also infected with TB, opening the possibility for further analyses of this unique Neolithic skeletal series.

New Equations for the Size Reconstruction of Sturgeon from Isolated Cranial and Pectoral Girdle Bones

AbstractMeasurements on cranial and pectoral girdle bones of 56 museum specimens of modern sturgeon (Acipenser sturio and A. oxyrinchus) were used for the establishment of regression equations allowing back‐calculation of size from isolated sturgeon remains. Different curve fittings (power, linear, logarithmic and exponential fit) were modeled to retain the most accurate regression. These were then applied to archaeological sturgeon remains (A. sturio/A. oxyrinchus) from Vlaardingen, a Dutch late Neolithic settlement. The back‐calculated lengths obtained on the archaeological remains all stayed within the known size ranges of the two species and allowed making inferences on the possible place of capture of the fish. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Molecular and isotopic characterization of lipids staining bone and antler tools in the Late Neolithic settlement, Zurich Opera Parking, Switzerland

Excellently preserved animal bone and antler artifacts are numerous among the archaeological finds in Neolithic Alpine lakeshore settlements. Use-wear and production traces on the surface of these artifacts include cuttings and hammer or grinding traces; there are also large bright and shiny areas. We have explored the origin of such shiny surfaces using molecular and isotopic analysis of the lipids staining freshly unearthed and non-conserved bone and antler artifacts from a recent excavation at the underground parking garage of Zurich Opera House (Switzerland), dating to ca. 3230–2729 BC. A set of 10 artifacts, covering distinct osteological and typological features, was selected for study. The lipids were extracted separately from the surfaces of the tapered thinner working part and the wider handling area of each tool. The lipid distribution was characterized by a significant amount of animal sterols (cholesterol, cholestanol, coprostanol and epicholestanol), wax n-alkanes, n-alkan-1-ols and phytosterols (β-sitosterol, sitostanol) and abundant saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (FAs) in the C14–C26 range. The δ13C values of the main FAs, and the relatively high C18:2 content (up to 31% of total FAs) and significant content of C18:3 (up to 6%) indicated that the lipids on the surface of the artifacts were a mixture of C3 plant oils rich in linoleic acid and (indigenous) animal lipids. The results provide evidence for the archaeological hypothesis that the bone and antler artifacts were specific tools which were deliberately fashioned, and pretreated and maintained with a preservative material based on plant oil likely from seeds of Linum usitatissimum (flax) and Papaver somniferum (poppy), with probably some contribution from Corylus avellana (hazelnut) and Brassica rapa (turnip).

Integrated Prospection Methods to Define Small‐site Settlement Structure: a Case Study from Neolithic Hungary

ABSTRACTDifferent human activities produce different material signatures, and therefore integrating several complementary prospection data sets provides a more comprehensive picture of site structure than any one method. We combine magnetic prospection data with soil chemistry and surface collection data from two small late Neolithic (ca. 5000 bc) settlements in eastern Hungary. Magnetic gradiometer survey helps to define basic subsurface features. Semi‐quantitative soil phosphate analysis improves our understanding of vertical and horizontal settlement boundaries and the locations of some activity zones. Through the surface distribution of burnt daub and pottery, controlled surface collection aids in our interpretations of structure and preservation at these settlements, as well as providing dating evidence. Spatial analysis, including the interpolation of chemical data, is performed in a geographical information system. Results indicate two different settlement types at contemporaneous sites, and suggest excellent preservation for site types that are poorly understood, relatively rare and generally poorly preserved in the archaeological record of eastern Hungary. In addition, this work provides the first comprehensive depiction of spatial organization at small late Neolithic settlements in the region. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pottery shreds as tools in late Neolithic Vinca

Pottery shreds as tools in late Neolithic Vinca

Contextual Analysis of Fragmentation of the Anthropomorphic Figurines from the Late Neolithic Site of Selevac

The biographical approach to material culture and the hypothesis of deliberate fragmentation of anthropomorphic figurines are used in this paper to deduce a hypothesis that there should be an association between particular fragmentation categories and context types in the archaeological record of the Late Neolithic settlements in Central Balkans. This hypothesis is tested using published data from the site of Selevac by performing correspondence analysis and chi-square test on a contingency table in which categories of fragmentation are cross-tabulated with context types. The results are statistically significant, suggesting that complete figurines are associated with houses while transversely broken figurines are associated with pits. There is also evidence that figurines were broken differentially in respect to their original size.

About neolithic authenticity of finds from Belica

About neolithic authenticity of finds from Belica

Different ways of using space: traces of domestic and ritual activities at a Late Neolithic settlement at Sormás-Török-földek

The present paper studies questions of the use of space in various ways on the basis of data obtained from a site at Sormás-Török-földek. The significance of this site lies in the fact that two enclosures were excavated here which differ in character, but which are in a close relationship physically and chronologically. They demonstrate precisely the radical change, which took place in the mode of space-use, representing two important stages of the progression as a result of which the separation of territories used for domestic and ritual activities were physically manifested.

An exercise in archaeological demography: estimating the population size of Late Neolithic settlements in the Central Balkans

This paper reflects on the methodology for estimating population size from settlement data. Archaeologists are faced with a static record of houses, which is the result of dynamic processes of population growth and house use. There is no simple relationship between the total number of houses and population size. In order to produce more realistic estimates of population size, a quantitative model is presented which takes into account population dynamics and the dynamics of house accumulation. The model is used to estimate the population size of three Late Neolithic settlements in Southeast Europe: Gomolava, Divostin and Uivar.

The Late Neolithic settlement of Latsch, Vinschgau, northern Italy: subsistence of a settlement contemporary with the Alpine Iceman, and located in his valley of origin

Archaeobotanical and archaeozoological analyses conducted on Late Neolithic settlement layers at Latsch provide the first data on the subsistence strategy, diet and environmental conditions in the valley of origin of the Alpine Iceman. The results prove that during the Late Neolithic, the valley was occupied by an agro-pastoral society based on the cultivation of Hordeum vulgare (hulled barley), Triticum monococcum (einkorn), T. dicoccum (emmer) and Pisum sativum (pea), as well as on the rearing of Ovis vel Capra, Ovis orientalis f. aries (sheep), Capra aegagrus f. hircus (goat) and Bos primigenius f. taurus (cattle). The settlement was located on a river terrace of the valley floor close to a river and was surrounded by mixed pine and oak woods beside alluvial woodland.