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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lava used to make saddle-querns recovered from the prehistoric megalithic temple complex of Tarxien (Malta), cannot have originated in the Maltese Archipelago because it consists entirely of sedimentary rocks. The National Museum of Archaeology (Malta) permitted the sampling of three damaged querns which were recognized among those reported from the site by the excavator, Themistocles Zammit in the early twentieth century. The volcanic samples were studied according to the igneous petrology methodology and belong to two different rock types and magmatic series, namely alkaline basalt (one quern) and calc-alkaline basaltic andesites (two querns). The petrographic classification of these millstones thus suggests a provenance from volcanoes which are represented by extrusives with a magmatic and plate tectonics geodynamic fingerprint of both ocean island basalts (OIB) and subduction zone-related volcanic rocks (SZVR). The provenance areas for the volcanic querns studied are the island of Linosa or the Hyblean Mountains (Sicily) for the alkaline basalt and the Aeolian Archipelago for the two calc-alkaline basaltic andesites. Accordingly, all the investigated grinding stones from Malta come from the neighbouring areas of the Central Mediterranean, thus confirming the existence of a strong exchange network between the Maltese Archipelago and the eastern Sicilian areas in the Late Neolithic (early to mid-3rd millennium BCE) and the Early Bronze Age (Tarxien Cemetery Phase ca. 2100 − 1500 BCE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China was one of the earliest domestication centres for pigs in the Old World. Since their domestication, pigs have been significantly involved in human societies from both economic and ceremonial perspectives, so the investigation of pig domestication is key to understand the development process of ancient communities. However, the pig domestication process has not been fully explored in Shandong, one of the earliest regions for exploiting pig resources, such as canine teeth, in China. We use geometric morphometry to analyse the second lower molars of pigs associated with diverse periods, including the Longshan, Yueshi, and Shang and Zhou, at Dinggong, China. The results show that while there was a relatively consistent pig phenotype in this region from the Longshan to the Shang and Zhou periods, the centroid sizes of pigs experienced a moderate decrease over time. A certain number of wild boars were harvested by humans, but their proportions declined chronologically along with the gradually intensification of pig management. Apart from household refuse, fodders similar to the staple plants for humans were provisioned to those managed pigs, suggesting a close relationship between humans and pigs. In spite of more time and energy required for managing pigs, human societies could have benefited from this investment with a better secured meat supply and more ceremonial materials, which helped strengthen the human–pig bond from the Neolithic period to today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harris lines (HLs) are radiographically visible transverse lines of thickened bone that develop from temporary growth cessation during early life. Often attributed to physiological stress during development, HLs are frequently observed in the long bones of adolescents and become less visible over time due to bone remodeling. In recent years, the validity of HL as a sign of stress has been called into question and the methods used in studying HL through X‐ray analysis scrutinized. In this study, 80 individuals from the Middle Holocene Cis‐Baikal region of Siberia, from the Early Neolithic (EN; 7560–6660 HPD cal. BP) and Late Neolithic (LN; 6060–4970 HPD cal. BP), were studied for the presence and severity of HL. Radiographic analysis employed both the traditional clinical anteroposterior (A–P) orientation and a potentially improved mediolateral (M–L) orientation. EN groups in the Cis‐Baikal are known to have experienced higher levels than their LN counterparts; thus, if HL reflect stress experiences, we expected to see more HL in the EN population compared with the LN population. We also expected more visible HL in the M–L orientation due to the suggested improvement in capturing more lines compared with the A–P orientation. While the results support the use of M–L orientation during X‐ray capture of HL, there was not a higher number of HL in the EN population as expected. Instead, no significant differences were found in HL severity between the EN and LN populations, and age‐at‐death resulted in a greater effect on HL counts regardless of mortuary site. The results from this study align not with known stress data from the Middle Holocene Cis‐Baikal populations but rather with data pertaining to known growth patterns. We therefore advocate against the use of HL as a sign of physiological stress and instead suggest HL as a reflection of bone growth trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract 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.

Even though ovens are the most prominent feature in the Vinča culture houses, they have often been neglected in the archaeological publications. Usually, only the information about their location or number of floors is provided, but more detailed descriptions are missing. This is also influenced by their poor preservation in the archaeological record, as parts of their upper structure are often missing. But, although fully preserved ovens represent quite a rarity, contexts surrounding them are usually filled with different categories of artefacts and architectural features. These complex contexts that include ovens, offer plethora of information about different socio-economic phenomena in the Late Neolithic of the Central Balkans. Therefore, ovens should be perceived as more than just fire installations for food processing and house heating, as they can offer insight into household organization and symbolic aspects of the Neolithic life. Additionally, ovens located in the outdoor spaces can provide information about settlement organization and social dynamics on a larger scale. In this paper, different contexts around ovens are presented and interpreted – from functional, economic, social, and symbolic perspective.

Chemical and lead isotope analyses aided by metallographic examination of copper axes found at the Late Neolithic settlement of Kietrz in southwestern Poland provide new evidence for the origin of copper and metal trade routes in the region. Our results indicate that metal used for the axes could be sourced from copper mines in modern Slovakia, Bulgaria and perhaps Serbia. The evidence from this study confirms that the Funnel Beaker people from Poland became parties to a metal trading network that connected much of continental Europe in the mid‐4th millennium bce and provides a better understanding of how these contacts provided the background for the technological and socio‐economic developments of the Baden era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new series of 22 radiocarbon dates provides new insights on the origin and distribution of the Early Trypillian archaeological culture in modern-day Moldova and Ukraine. The paper presents data from the sites of preceding groups (5 dates), highlighting gaps in the agricultural settlement of the region, dates related to the Early Trypillia directly (14 dates) and dates from the ceramic hunter-gatherers' sites that yielded some Early Trypillian pottery (3 dates). The results indicate that the expansion of Early Trypillia into Moldovan and Ukrainian forest-steppe took place during 47–45th centuries BCE and it was a relatively fast colonization likely spanning only 3–5 generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The interplay between chronology and the reassessment of both relative and absolute dating methods is a fundamental aspect of archaeological research. A significant focus within Iranian archaeology pertains to the Central Zagros region, particularly the southern slopes of the Alvand mountain range and the Malayer plain. This area has attracted the attention of international archaeologists since the 1990s and continues to be a subject of study. The Malayer plain stands out as a crucial prehistoric cultural zone within Hamadan province, characterized by the presence of key archaeological sites from various periods, thereby contributing to the scholarly discourse surrounding Central Zagros archaeology. This region possesses absolute dating for certain historical epochs, particularly during the Chalcolithic period. In contrast, earlier historical phases, such as the initial rural settlements, have been documented through relative dating methods. Consequently, establishing an absolute chronology is crucial and serves as the primary objective of this article. This study aims to provide a more definitive chronological framework for the 6th millennium BC within this cultural area by utilizing C14 dating provided by the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, thereby enhancing the reliability of the timeline previously inferred from pottery assemblages. The primary focus of this research is the chronological framework of Tapeh Posht-e Foroudgah, with a critical examination of the established chronology in the region as delineated by Godin's sequence. A central inquiry emerges regarding the relative dating of the earliest human settlements in the Malayer plain, particularly through the lens of "pottery traditions". To address this, it is essential to evaluate how existing theories align with the absolute dating findings that have been reported. As a result, the research suggests that the C14 dating samples collected from the lower layers of Tapeh Posht-e Foroudgah indicate that the previous relative dating is largely valid, while the new findings show only a slight deviation from the established theories and dates. The research methodology employed in this article is qualitative, utilizing an analytical historical approach complemented by the laboratory technique of C14 dating. The findings reveal the existence of human societies dating back to the sixth millennium BC, specifically within the calibrated timeframe of 5216-4994 BC, which corresponds to the "late Sarab" cultural horizon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to determine the chronological sequence of the collective burials in the hypogea of the prehistoric cemetery of La Beleña (Cabra, Córdoba) through Bayesian analyses of 14C dates obtained from human remains. The data from this site are not only key to grasping the phenomenon of the introduction and spread of hypogea throughout the western Mediterranean, but to gain insight into multi-stage funerary practices during the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic. The dataset comprises 14C dates of 71 of the 79 individuals placed in five of La Beleña's six hypogea. The findings suggest: (i) La Beleña is one of the oldest assemblages of hypogea in Iberia, (ii) that this type of collective burial spread rapidly throughout the western Mediterranean area, (iii) that La Beleña is marked by two main phases of funerary activity interspersed by brief burial surges, (iv) funerary intensity at La Beleña increased between cal BC 3400–2900 (2σ), and (v) the cemetery saw a very brief surge of burials potentially related to a catastrophic event. The results of this analysis thus shed light on the little-known chronological sequence of prehistoric hypogea or rock-cut tombs in Iberia, their spread, and their relation to other Late Neolithic collective burials in western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This dataset compiles radiocarbon dates received for botanical macroremains and animal bones from domestic and ritual pits and human graves unearthed during excavations at the archaeological site of Kałdus (Poland) that can be related to the Funnel Beaker culture (TRB). Prior to radiocarbon dating by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), plant macroremains were checked against diagnostic attributes of species identification by standard paleobotanical analysis. The dataset contains already published (n = 4) and new (n = 10) radiocarbon dates that were used to establish the absolute chronology of the TRB habitus at Kałdus and its diachronic spatial organization. This dataset serves as an archive for future studies focusing on the TRB settlement pattern and organization in the region of modern Poland. It also has a utility to be reused in archaeological and chronological research on the movement of copper metalwork and the gradual spread of human cremation rite in the region.

Sharbithat 10 (SHA-10) was discovered in 2017 during the first extensive survey of the northern part of the Dhofar region. Located on a vast mesa surrounded by wadi deltaic branches and abundant sources of flint, SHA-10 is characterized by flint scatters, dwellings, and cairns. Initial test trenches revealed a single period stratification sequence, highlighting a rich marine faunal composition and intense flintknapping activity. The fishing equipment, typical of coastal sites from this period, accompanies a distinctive lithic industry comprising blades, backed pieces, and tanged points. Through the study of technological processes leading to the manufacture of these artefacts, analysis of the points’ morphological variability, and examination of the prevalence of backed bladelets, new hypotheses regarding coastal subsistence strategies and chronological issues have emerged. However, the potential co-occurrence of different facies complicates a chronological definition which can be partly clarified by radiocarbon data results. In this communication, we present a preliminary study of this unique assemblage, discuss its chrono-typological implications, and explore their significance within the framework of South Arabian prehistory.

In this study we describe some of the earliest human bone collagen δ13C and δ15N values from the Lingnan region in Southeast Asia. The samples (n = 10) derive from skeletal remains recovered from the Tung Wan Tsai site in Hong Kong and date to the Late Neolithic Period (ca. 2200–1500 BC). Our results show that the earliest inhabitants of Hong Kong relied heavily on marine resources, specializing particularly in high-trophic species. As organic preservation tends to generally be poor in the region, the successful extraction and analysis of collagen from these individuals has provided a rare glimpse into the everyday life of Neolithic Hong Kong and also provided an important foundation for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the article the results of investigations of the Sokolniy VIII settlement located in the Zvenigovskiy district, Mari El Republic are presented. The topography of site, the history of its study, information about stratigraphy and spatial structure of archaeological material are considered. The characteristics of ceramic complex of site and technology of pottery making are discussed. The detail description of the stone inventory and the main types of tools are presented. At the Sokolniy VIII settlement any constructive components of the cultural layer except for one fireplace were not determined. This fact allows the authors to interpret the settlement as short time site. The most of the pottery shards belong to the Krasny Most ceramic type of the Late Neolithic in the forest Middle Volga basin and have the direct analogy in the materials of the reference site such as Krasniy Most II-III, Sosnovaya Gora III, Dubovskoe VIII. The technology of ceramics is characterized by the stablility of the main components. The silt organic clay was used as main raw source. As a temper grog and organic solution were added. The stone tool collection is impressive. The nuclei and morphological tools total consist of 45 items. The most of typological types of inventory have analogies to the artifacts from earlier studied assemblages. On the base of radiocarbon dating the period of the settlement exiting can be concerned to the last quarter of 5th millennium BC.

The current paper discusses the Late Neolithic anthropomorphic figurines with a hollow body originating from three settlements in the Struma River Valley to the north of the Kresna Gorge: Bersin, Mursalevo – Gerena locality and Kocherinovo – Ganevi Nivi locality. Only upper body fragments are preserved. Three groups are defined based on the typical features of the upper half of the body, the cavity shape and its location. The largest group has been divided to subgroups depending on the way the head and the upper torso around the breasts are shaped, as well as the transition to the abdomen and the bottom. The systematisation takes into account the fragmentary state of the objects. The first group consists of anthropomorphic figurines with elongated, almost cylindrical, flattened-cylindrical (sometimes widening at the top) or flat head. All of them have arms shaped as horizontally perforated short side knobs. The body is hollow and bell-shaped in the preserved part. This shape suggests that the lower half was a separate piece, and the two would attach to form the body. A fragmented figurine from Kocherinovo, with compactly shaped legs divided by a vertical groove, offers an example for a possible shaping of the lower part. The other two groups are represented by single examples. Late Neolithic hollow anthropomorphic figurines are discovered at sites dated to various phases of the Late Neolithic along the Struma River Valley to the north of the Kresna Gorge. Similar artefacts have been published within the catchment area of the Vardar River.

The well-known Late Neolithic tell-like settlement of Öcsöd-Kováshalom on the Great Hungarian Plain gained a completely new context when a triple enclosure consisting of segments (hence the name ‘pseudo-ditch’) was discovered in 2018. Followed by two small excavation campaigns, this paper gives account of the construction stages, various digging and filling actions, of the chronology and of the structured deposits that marked the closing event of these long-lasting communal activities. A comparison with European Neolithic enclosures supports the interpretation on the diversity of the numerous ditch systems, and do not allow any generalizing views – it rather speaks for the freedom of local communities in their choices within their respective cultural frameworks.

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Hakemi Use is a mound settlement on the right bank of the Tigris, within the borders of Diyarbakır province in southeast Türkiye. Within the scope of the Ilısu Dam Project built on the Tigris River, field studies were carried out between 2001-2012. The existence of two periods, Late Assyrian and Late Neolithic, was determined. The main cultural deposit in the mound covers the period known as Hassuna/ Samarra in the traditional cultural definition of Mesopotamia. Both material culture and 14C results show that the settlement was inhabited between 6100-5950 BCE. Approximately 25,000 pottery sherds were collected in five building levels of the Late Neolithic Period. Comprehensive studies on these sherds continue both typologically and technologically. In this study, various recipes for pottery paste, mineral, and organic admixture (including dung), different construction methods of ceramics, including using molds (textile and skin prints have been found), and other stages of ceramics manufacturing were studied in the pottery of the Late Neolithic Period of Hakemi Use. The production technology of different ceramic groups and other contemporary Mesopotamian sites were compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The current paper discusses the Late Neolithic anthropomorphic figurines with a hollow body originating from three settlements in the Struma River Valley to the north of the Kresna Gorge: Bersin, Mursalevo - Gerena locality and Kocherinovo - Ganevi Nivi locality. Only upper body fragments are preserved. Three groups are defined based on the typical features of the upper half of the body, the cavity shape and its location. The largest group has been divided to subgroups depending on the way the head and the upper torso around the breasts are shaped, as well as the transition to the abdomen and the bottom. The systematisation takes into account the fragmentary state of the objects. The first group consists of anthropomorphic figurines with elongated, almost cylindrical, flattened-cylindrical (sometimes widening at the top) or flat head. All of them have arms shaped as horizontally perforated short side knobs. The body is hollow and bell-shaped in the preserved part. This shape suggests that the lower half was a separate piece, and the two would attach to form the body. A fragmented figurine from Kocherinovo, with compactly shaped legs divided by a vertical groove, offers an example for a possible shaping of the lower part. The other two groups are represented by single examples. Late Neolithic hollow anthropomorphic figurines are discovered at sites dated to various phases of the Late Neolithic along the Struma River Valley to the north of the Kresna Gorge. Similar artefacts have been published within the catchment area of the Vardar River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, stone tools of the Neolithic settlement of Mergen 8, located in the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia in the Lower Ishim river basin, are analyzed. The mixed cultural layer of the settlement contained materials from two periods of its inhabitation, associated with the Boborykino Culture of the early Neolithic period and with the pottery ornamented with comb stamp of the late Neolithic period. The identification of the two chronologically different types of pottery raised the question of possibility of separating the stone implements. The aim of this work is to attempt differentiation from the mixed cultural layer of the groups of stone tools associated with a certain cultural and chronological section of the settlement. The peculiarity of the cultural layer of the Mergen 8 settlement was the presence of the dwelling 1 and some pits unimpaired by the upper horizons. In the methodological aspect of this work, stratigraphic and planigraphic analyzes with the aid of the feedstock characteristics of stone formed the basis, on which a relatively clean complex of quartz sandstone and flint was isolated, associated with the filling of the dwelling 1, in which pottery of the Boborykino Culture was found. The differentiation of the stone tools from the mixed layer was based upon the raw material that was found in the bottom part of the dwelling’s ditch, undisturbed by other layers. The complex of the stone tools made of jasper quartzite and schist, established during the field fixation, is associated with the comb-type pottery. Thus, in the course of our study, out of 417 finds of the stone tools 276 (66 % of the entire complex) were assigned to the Boborykino complex, 50 (12 %) to the comb complex, and 91 finds (22 %) were not possible to attribute to any type of pottery. Bearing in mind that separation by feedstock has a certain degree of conventionality, it should be noted that the stone taken from the undisturbed near-bottom part of the Boborykino dwelling 1 reflects the most plausible nature of the stone industry of this period of inhabitation. In addition, in our opinion, attempts to link stone implements and their features with a certain type of pottery facilitate the formation of a clear concept of the development of the stone industry in the region in the Neolithic.

This paper will summarise evidence for Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age flint extraction at the Southern English mines, beginning with a brief synopsis of their chronology and followed by a summary of mine lithics. It is argued that understanding later mining is equally important as examining its beginning, because the Neolithic is framed by the pursuit of flint from deep mines with significant episodes of extraction at its beginning and end. A focus is maintained on the flint mines located in the county of Sussex because these are the best researched of the English mines. This research represents a limited study of the Late Neolithic/Early Bronze Age activity at the Early Neolithic mines, because it is far from exhaustive. Nonetheless, this paper will attempt to define the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age flint working activity at the mines and will question if this activity is associated with new episodes of shaft-mining or informal methods of extraction, such as quarrying or surface collection of earlier mine waste.

The site of Tegelbarg can be described as a Late Neolithic stratified occupation deposit, including a shell midden, situated on the Baltic coast in Northern Europe. Spatially and temporally separated from its famous Danish counterparts, it presents an intriguing anomaly in a full-fledged agricultural society. We present a combined perspective on the chronology and the character of this occupation using archaeological soil micromorphology and the Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon dates. The earliest human presence predates the shell midden formation. A coffin grave, in which a crouched inhumation burial was placed, dates to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. The late 3rd millennium BC occupants provided a flint dagger to this grave, up to two centuries later, as an act of remembrance. Subsequent settlement activities included the construction of hearths, the production of flint daggers, and the intensive use of coastal resources. The absence of fish bones can be explained by taphonomy, instead of prehistoric subsistence strategies. Landscape changes led to the site’s abandonment and the start of peat development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of agricultural societies to global climate events during the Neolithic (e.g., 4.2 ka event) is a scientific issue of general interest. In the mid-lower Hulu River Valley of northwest China, millet cultivation became the primary subsistence during the late Neolithic. Local paleoclimate studies have detected a notable decline in temperature and precipitation around 4,400 BP (Before Present), while the Qijia culture (4,200–3,600 BP) sites far outnumber those of the Lower Changshan culture (4,800–4,400 BP) in the area. Why the intensity of millet farming groups increased when climate was relatively cold and dry, however, has not been well understood. To explore the issue, we performed archaeobotanical analysis, grain size measurement, stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating in the excavated sites of the Zhongtianxingfucheng (ZTXFC) and Wangjiayangwan (WJYW), which were dated to between ∼4,800–4,400 BP and ∼4,200–3,900 BP, respectively. Our results demonstrate the overall declines in the proportion, grain sizes and carbon isotope values of millets from the WJYW site compared to ZTXFC. The nitrogen isotopes of millets from the two sites are similar [foxtail millet: 6.8‰ ± 1.9‰ (ZTXFC), 7.5‰ ± 1.5‰ (WJYW); broomcorn millet: 7.3‰ ± 2.0‰ (ZTXFC), 7.5‰ ± 1.2‰ (WJYW)]. These results suggest that the degree of field management during ∼4,200–3,900 BP was lower than ∼4,800–4,400 BP in the mid-lower Hulu River Valley. Instead of improving cultivation management or altering cropping patterns, Qijia millet farmers might have adopted a strategy of expanding cultivated lands to promote the social development under a relatively cold-dry climate.

The importance of animal bone in prehistory was substantial as it was one of the main raw materials for producing a wide range of objects intended for various activities. This study presents the processed animal bones from the Late Neolithic settlement in the Kachitsa locality in Veliko Tarnovo. The Late Neolithic collection (Kachitsa A-B phase; Kachitsa B phase) consists of 70 artefacts made of bones, antlers and teeth. The objects were classified according to their morphological and technological characteristics into several groups, further divided into types, subtypes and variations. There are seven groups: pointed tools (n=21), cutting tools (n=5), burnishing tools (n=14), punching tools (n=5), multitools (n=1), decorative objects (n=19) and undefined objects (n=5). Use-wear traces show that the bone tools were used mainly for the processing of animal skins and plant products. The worked bone collection is dominated by domestic animals, mainly from large ruminant as cattle (Bos taurus), but hard animal tissue of medium sized species (sheep, goat, roe deer) and large wild animals (red deer) were also used. Preferred bones were the metapodia and the ribs, which are among the most suited for bone industry. The distribution of the types, the used raw materials, and the manufacturing techniques in the various phases of Kachitsa remain almost unchanged, with few exceptions. This trend demonstrates the role of strict tradition and the gradual introduction of some innovations in the bone industry of the settlement.

In a methodologically exemplary study area in northern Westphalia, it has been possible to identify a cultural landscape that has existed since the Late Neolithic. In this diachronic synopsis, it is evident that the cultural landscape was constituted around a geological phenomenon into a sacred landscape from the Late Neolithic onwards, then persisted for at least three millennia and then became more secular in the Middle Ages. New absolute dating has made it possible to synchronise the changes in the natural environment with changes in the anthropogenic material-cultural traces in the study area. Changes in biodiversity are no longer documented exclusively in the pollen data, but can now also be read from the anthropogenic archaeological relics.

As part of the Mostiștea River Project in the 1960s, Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic lowland dwelling sites were searched for in the vicinity of the Sultana-Malu Roșu tell. On the plateau, structures were excavated again in 2021 in Sultana-Ghețărie, which provide corresponding evidence for BoianVidra and Gumelniţa connections. Of great interest here are, on the one hand, the evidence for settlement activities on the terrace plateau before and during the tell settlement of Sultana, and on the other hand, in particular, a Cernavodă III feature (ca. 3600–3500 BCE). Compared to find assemblages of the mid-5th millennium (Boian-Vidra), the material culture from this context is characterised by reduced decoration rates and a reduced range of decoration techniques in pottery and probably primary flint tool production on site. The composition of the archaeozoological assemblage from the Cernavodă III feature, compared to the final Tell Sultana-Malu Roşu phase (ca. 4200 BCE), indicates that hunting played only a very minor role in securing subsistence and that the communities living here may have had a rather mobile (semi-nomadic) settlement behaviour. This would fit with the frequent occurrence of Stipa Awns, which seems to indicate a greater openness of the landscape and the associated spread of steppe vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the identification and comparison of dietary practices and their changes from the Late Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age in two different ecosystems – the lower reaches of the Daugava river and Lake Lubāns wetland. Zooarchaeological, palaeobotanical, and stable isotope evidence of chemical elements were used. The obtained results show that the beginning of early farming in Latvia can be observed in the late Neolithic period, especially for the Corded Ware Culture people. However, the consump- tion of freshwater fish also remains significant during this period. Farming, as the main form of food provision, became established in Latvia in the Middle Bronze Age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the course of 2012/2015 Martin Baják carried out occasional field survey, and he gathered a larger quantity of predominantly lithic tools from thus far unknown Neolithic finding place at Jehnice (Brno-City District). The collection is interesting from the raw material point of view. This newly found locality complements a hitherto blank space in the generally densely settled Brno basin and its northern margin in the period of the Lengyel culture. This paper brings the first evidence on prehistoric settlement in the cadastral area of Brno-Jehnice being presented to the specialist and lay public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Documenta Praehistorica is the property of Documenta Praehistorica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The importance of animal bone in prehistory was substantial as it was one of the main raw materials for producing a wide range of objects intended for various activities. This study presents the processed animal bones from the Late Neolithic settlement in the Kachitsa locality in Veliko Tarnovo. The Late Neolithic collection (Kachitsa A-B phase; Kachitsa B phase) consists of 70 artefacts made of bones, antlers and teeth. The objects were classified according to their morphological and technological characteristics into several groups, further divided into types, subtypes and variations. There are seven groups: pointed tools (n=21), cutting tools (n=5), burnishing tools (n=14), punching tools (n=5), multitools (n=1), decorative objects (n=19) and undefined objects (n=5). Use-wear traces show that the bone tools were used mainly for the processing of animal skins and plant products. The worked bone collection is dominated by domestic animals, mainly from large ruminant as cattle (Bos taurus), but hard animal tissue of medium sized species (sheep, goat, roe deer) and large wild animals (red deer) were also used. Preferred bones were the metapodia and the ribs, which are among the most suited for bone industry. The distribution of the types, the used raw materials, and the manufacturing techniques in the various phases of Kachitsa remain almost unchanged, with few exceptions. This trend demonstrates the role of strict tradition and the gradual introduction of some innovations in the bone industry of the settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society is the property of Serbian Archaeological Society / Srpsko Arheolosko Drustvo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The essay "Bell Beakers in the Masurian Lakeland in Northeast Poland - Relics and Identification Problems" confirms that the influence of the Bell Beaker culture extended to the Vistula Basin. New discoveries in the North Podlachian Lowland, especially in the Masurian Lakeland, show that this region was heavily influenced by the Iwno culture, which spread the Bell Beaker influence in this part of Europe. The analysis of ceramic and flint artifacts from the Ząbie X and Szestno II sites revealed that these objects can clearly be associated with Bell Beakers and have no connection to the local Iwno culture. This suggests that in the late Neolithic period, individuals with the cultural heritage of the Bell Beaker culture reached the area of the Masurian Lakeland and the North Podlachian Lowland. [Extracted from the article]

The essay "On the crossroads: Findings of the Late Neolithic figural plastics in Petrijevci (Eastern Croatia)" examines archaeological finds of figurative sculptures from the late Neolithic period in Petrijevci, Croatia. It concerns six fragments of "Vinča-like" figures that were discovered in the Zoppot culture area. The article focuses on the cultural and typological determination of these finds and their significance for late Neolithic figural sculpture in Croatia. The finds are associated with the Vinča and Sopot cultures. Three figurines are described: Figurine 4, Figurine 5, and Figurine 6. The figurines belong to the late Neolithic culture and show similarities with other finds from the region. The interpretation as a representation of the mother goddess is questioned. It is argued that humans created religion within the framework of their childish desires. The publication "Anthropomorphic Figures from the Vinča Excavations 1998-2009" deals with the archaeological finds of anthropomorphic figures in Vinča. The excavations took place from 1998 to 2009. The publication provides detailed information about the finds and their significance for prehistoric research. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the wooded landscapes on the last northern slopes of the mountain Cer, a very well-preserved palisade ditch enclosure of small dimensions and a regular circular shape was discovered (site of Šančina, Desić village). Over the last few years, archaeological excavations at this site have focused on the inner space, bordered by a massive ring-shaped earthen rampart. An unusually wide and deep ditch surrounds a high earthen embankment of flattened conical shape, bordered on the inside by a palisade ditch, with traces of densely packed and deeply buried wooden posts. The excavations so far have not revealed any interruption in the circular palisade ditch, which could confirm the existence of an entrance, i.e., a passage, clearly bordered by an earthen rampart. In the central part of the circular fortification a deep shaft/well was discovered, which has been explored to the level of underground water. Apart from traces of smaller hearths on the inside of the palisade ditch and several deeply buried conical pits, with traces of charred, vertically placed posts, there are no other architectural remains inside the circular fortification. Traces of a catastrophic fire have been discovered inside the entire fortification and are especially visible above the palisade ditch. According to numerous sherds of secondarily burned ceramic vessels, the circular enclosure in Desić belongs to the post-Vinča culture of the Early Copper Age. According to the shape and basic elements of architecture, we assume that the earthen fortification in Desić belongs to a special form of smaller prehistoric enclosures, characteristic of circular palisade fortifications in the area of the Upper Tisza region, in the north-eastern parts of the Great Hungarian Plain.

The transition to the Late Neolithic (c. 2350 BCE) is characterised by large-scale cultural and economic changes across southern Norway, connected to the spread of a cultural package with an unprecedented homogeneity, consisting of the introduction of the two-aisled houses, farming and several new technologies. Although material components belonging to this cultural package spread fast in southern Norway, the Oslo Fjord area included, there has been a lack of (two-aisled) houses and clear evidence of the breakthrough of farming in this area. In this article, we aim to create a proxy for better understanding the agricultural developments and the trajectories of the early farm-based settlements in the aftermath of the LN revolution. This is done through studying the settlement material from three selected case areas around the Oslo Fjord, alongside a larger body of radiocarbon-dated buildings, cereals and cultivation layers. Our results show a delay in the onset of crop farming compared to the establishment houses in the region, which also contrasts the more abrupt changes in the material culture around 2350 BCE. This demonstrate the likelihood of a more gradual and adaptive farming development in this particular area of southern Norway.