The Terramare civilization (ca. 1650–1150 cal BCE) on the Po plain in northern Italy is considere... more The Terramare civilization (ca. 1650–1150 cal BCE) on the Po plain in northern Italy is considered to have been an agrarian society typical of the European Bronze Age, with a subsistence economy based on arable and livestock farming, and which showed some innovations such as the introduction of millets as cultivars. Some questions are still open concerning the agricultural system, the food and non-food uses of plant resources and the organization of labour at these sites. In this paper, for the first time, phytolith analysis has been integrated with more standard archaeobotanical methods applied to material from the long-lasting settlement of Fondo Paviani, Verona. The aim of the study was to use phytoliths as a tool to investigate the cereal economy in order to detect different grass subfamilies and possibly provide hints about local crop processing activities. For this purpose, two contexts, a shallow ditch at the edge of the site that had been filled with domestic waste and a near-site fen with natural infilling, have been the objects of a multi-proxy inter-disciplinary investigation. This includes the analyses of phytoliths, pollen, NPP, sediment texture and micromor-phology. The phytolith record shows remains of panicoid as well as pooid grasses, including chaff material with frequent traces of threshing that indicate the processing of cereals at the site and the possible use of chopped straw as fodder. The comparison of different kinds of evidence strengthens the interpretation and offers a new perspective on the application of phytolith analysis to Bronze Age northern Italy.
Millet and What Else? The Wider Context of the Adoption of Millet Cultivation in Europe
Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia a... more Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia and was transferred westward to Europe, where it was introduced in the mid-2nd millennium BCE, at the height of the Bronze Age. Archaeobotanists from the Collaborative Research Centre 1266, supported by many colleagues, conducted a large-scale programme of radiocarbon dating of millet grains from prehistoric Europe. They discovered that the spread of this crop on the continent happened quickly, extending far and wide. What do we know about the (pre)history of this crop in Europe? The workshop organised by the CRC 1266 at Kiel University in 2019 encouraged the discussion on the circumstances and consequences of early broomcorn millet cultivation in Europe. This book brings together many of the workshop papers and reflects the diverse topics and research areas covered. The contributions inform us on the range of cultivated and collected plants from the time before and after the start of millet cultivation in Europe; present the cultural setting in which millet arrived; discuss possible reasons driving the acceptance of this innovation; and reconstruct possible uses of millet and the methods of its cultivation, processing and storage. Not just the plant economy, but also the animal economy is represented, since millet was and is grown for both humans and animals. Techniques used to trace millet archaeologically are continually being developed or improved, and this book describes the application of a few of them. This broad-based compilation of papers adds another layer to the dynamic picture of the Bronze Age and the interconnected continent. It also illustrates the complexity of the research on the diffusion of agricultural innovations.
Millet and What Else? The Wider Context of the Adoption of Millet Cultivation in Europe
Scales of Transformation
Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia a... more Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia and was transferred westward to Europe, where it was introduced in the mid-2nd millennium BCE, at the height of the Bronze Age. Archaeobotanists from the Collaborative Research Centre 1266, supported by many colleagues, conducted a large-scale programme of radiocarbon dating of millet grains from prehistoric Europe. They discovered that the spread of this crop on the continent happened quickly, extending far and wide. What do we know about the (pre)history of this crop in Europe? The workshop organised by the CRC 1266 at Kiel University in 2019 encouraged the discussion on the circumstances and consequences of early broomcorn millet cultivation in Europe. This book brings together many of the workshop papers and reflects the diverse topics and research areas covered. The contributions inform us on the range of cultivated and collected plants from the time before and after the start of mil...
ABSTRACTDirect accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating is crucial for a correct integration of... more ABSTRACTDirect accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating is crucial for a correct integration of plant remains in the (pre)history of crops, particularly for those that do not belong to the Neolithic package and are known to arrive in Europe much later. This paper reviews one of the earliest records of rye from Romania. The grains were discovered in the tell settlement of Cunești, which belongs to the Gumelnița communities (ca. 4600–3900 BC). In 1954, due to Danube flooding, a large portion of the south part of the tell collapsed, and between the burnt dwelling visible in the resulting profile, a large number of sherds from three typical Gumelnița pots were identified. According to the excavation’s author, rye grains were found in association with those sherds, and it was assumed that a batch was stored in these Eneolithic vessels. Consequently, the rye was published as belonging to the Gumelnița period. Our reanalysis led to two radiocarbon (14C) dates, from two different laborato...
Abb. 2 Grabungsplan mit Übersicht aller im Norden der Insel Olsborg (Kr. Plön) angelegten archäol... more Abb. 2 Grabungsplan mit Übersicht aller im Norden der Insel Olsborg (Kr. Plön) angelegten archäologischen Schnitte. Die rot markier ten Schnitte wurden archäobotanisch untersucht.-(Grafik S. N. Friedland / R. Opitz, UFG Kiel).
Preface of the series editors 'big' questions of Metal Age transformations by providing a perspec... more Preface of the series editors 'big' questions of Metal Age transformations by providing a perspective on everyday life. It aims at providing a 'feeling' for life in the past and encourages the pursuit of a holistic understanding of ancient lifetimes. The book is the outcome of the session 'Socio-Environmental Dynamics over the Last 12,000 Years: The Development of Landscapes IV' organized by the group of editors
A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern G... more A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern Germany with cultural and technological changes during the Bronze Age.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Jul 27, 2023
We present an interdisciplinary analysis of finds from the Trypillia settlement of Kosenivka, Ukr... more We present an interdisciplinary analysis of finds from the Trypillia settlement of Kosenivka, Ukraine (ca. 3700-3600 BCE, Trypillia C1), that links information on human, faunal, and botanical remains with archaeological data to provide exceptionally detailed insights into life and death at a Trypillia mega-site. We obtained osteological, palaeopathological, and histotaphonomic data from human bone fragments; performed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic analysis of human and animal bone to calculate food webs with the software FRUITS; and modelled newly generated radiocarbon dates to refine the site's chronology. The biological profile of seven identified individuals, some of whom suffered from disease symptoms common in the Chalcolithic, represents a demographic cross-section of the population. The analysis of perimortem cranial trauma suffered by two individuals suggest cases of interpersonal conflict. Food web calculations demonstrate the large contribution of cereals to the protein component of the human diet, which is supported by dental observations, and we suggest that livestock were a major manure producer for crop cultivation. The most probable scenario for the formation of the Kosenivka find assemblage is a deathly fire event. This makes the site a rare example where the archaeological and osteological results can be used to reconstruct a minimum number of house inhabitants. Following a literature review, we contextualise our analysis by discussing the general lack of human remains from Early and Middle Trypillia sites. The individuals from Kosenivka form part of the less than 0.05% of the total estimated Trypillia population that is represented skeletally; its members were deposited within settlements in the Middle Trypillia stage (until C1), preceding the shift to extramural burials in its late phase (C2). .
The onset of the Bronze Age (approximately 4150 yrs cal. BP) in the southern Lake Garda region (N... more The onset of the Bronze Age (approximately 4150 yrs cal. BP) in the southern Lake Garda region (N-Italy) is marked by an increase in the number of settlements and by the widespread adoption of pile-dwelling building techniques. The prominence of this phenomenon polarized the attention of local palaeoenvironmental investigations. As a result, pre-Bronze age landscape and climate dynamics have been investigated to a lesser degree. In an attempt to address this disparity, our contribution focuses on the period between~7100 and~3800 yrs cal. BP, i.e. approximately between Early Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. The location of our analysis is the former lake of Bande di Cavriana (Mantua). Multi-proxy investigations highlight few major climatic shifts prior to the Bronze Age onset. A first transition into more warm/dry conditions is recorded between~6300 and 6100 yrs cal. BP. Similar conditions occur again after~4600 yrs cal. BP, peaking at~4300 yrs cal. BP. Speculatively, taking into account dating uncertainties, this second shift might represent the local expression of the '4.2Ka' event. A marked transition into a colder/more humid situation occurs then after~4300 yrs cal. BP and persists into the Bronze Age. Major vegetational changes begin during the Neolithic with the steady rise of Carpinus betulus pollen (from~5700 yrs cal. BP). A more rapid expansion of this taxon after~5100 yrs cal. BP might reflect shifts in forest exploitation strategies during the Copper Age (e.g. coppicing) or changes in the ruminant fauna (e.g. grazing vs. browsing habits), arguably due to human intervention. Nonetheless, pollen grains of anthropogenic indicators appear with consistent frequency only since the Bronze Age. The establishment of the Bande di Cavriana pile dwelling (~3950 yrs cal. BP) is marked by declining arboreal pollen values and growing anthropogenic taxa. This behavior likely reflects a more intense landscape exploitation (deforestation, expansion of arable fields and meadows), although an influx of herbaceous pollen from near-site activities (e.g. cereal processing, garbage dumping) should not be overlooked.
Fondo Paviani (Legnago, Verona): il central place della polity delle Valli Grandi Veronesi nella tarda Età del bronzo. Cronologia, aspetti culturali, evoluzionedelle strutture e trasformazioni paleoambientali
Wood was a crucial resource for prehistoric societies, for instance, as timber for house construc... more Wood was a crucial resource for prehistoric societies, for instance, as timber for house construction and as fuel. In the case of the exceptionally large Chalcolithic Tripolye ‘mega-sites’ in central Ukraine, thousands of burnt buildings, indicating huge population agglomerations, hint at such a massive use of wood that it raises questions about the carrying capacity of the sensitive forest-steppe environment. In this contribution, we investigate the wood demand for the mega-site of Maidanetske (3990–3640 BCE), as reconstructed based on wood charcoal data, wood imprints on daub and the archaeo-magnetometry-based settlement plan. We developed a regional-scale model with a fuzzy approach and applied it in order to simulate the potential distribution and extent of woodlands before and after Chalcolithic occupation. The model is based upon the reconstructed ancient land surface, soil information derived from cores and the potential natural woodland cover reconstructed based on the requi...
Transformations of human societies and environments are closely interwoven. Due to improved possi... more Transformations of human societies and environments are closely interwoven. Due to improved possibilities of paleoecological reconstruction and archaeological methods, we are now in a position to empirically collect detailed data from a variety of records. The Collaborative Research Centre 1266 ‘Scales of Transformation’ has developed a concept in which both deductive and inductive transformation dimensions are compared on different temporal and spatial scales. This concept includes the connection between the environmental and social spheres, which are often inseparable. Accordingly, a holistic principle of socio-environmental research is developed, which is exemplified by the contributions to this special issue of The Holocene.
A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern G... more A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern Germany with cultural and technological changes during the Bronze Age.
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest... more Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and...
We present a comprehensive data-based characterization of the subsistence economy of Chalcolithic... more We present a comprehensive data-based characterization of the subsistence economy of Chalcolithic Cucuteni–Trypillia societies (CTS) on the Moldovian and Suceava plateaus and the Podolian and the Dnieper uplands. This study is based on a quantitative evaluation of archaeobotanical samples from 34 settlement sites, with a focus on Trypillia mega-sites and on stable isotopic analysis of ancient crop residues. The isotopic analysis allows us to identify specific cultivation strategies, which show a close relationship with animal husbandry for manure. We describe the economy of the Trypillia mega-sites as having been based on an elaborate agricultural system, in which the inhabitants knew how to grow crops that could withstand the ecological constraints of growth, especially along the forest steppe ecotone. We also argue that the agglomeration of greater population densities at these mega-sites contributed to landscape change from woodland and forest to open grassland and steppe. Follow...
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was first domesticated in China and dispersed westward vi... more Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was first domesticated in China and dispersed westward via Central Asia in the 3rd millennium BC, reaching Europe in the 2nd millennium BC. North of the Black Sea, the North Pontic steppe and forest-steppe areas are key regions for understanding the westward dispersal of millet, as evidenced by the earliest direct radiocarbon dates on European millet grains, which we present here. Examining various lines of evidence relevant to crop cultivation, animal husbandry, contacts and lifestyles, we explore the regional dynamics of the adoption of millet, broadening knowledge about past subsistence strategies related to the ‘millet farmers/consumers’ who inhabited the northern Black Sea region during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Our re-evaluation of crop evidence contributes to ongoing discussions on the mobility of prehistoric communities in the Eurasian steppe and forest-steppe—for instance, on whether millet was linked to full-time mobile pastoralists,...
The Terramare civilization (ca. 1650–1150 cal BCE) on the Po plain in northern Italy is considere... more The Terramare civilization (ca. 1650–1150 cal BCE) on the Po plain in northern Italy is considered to have been an agrarian society typical of the European Bronze Age, with a subsistence economy based on arable and livestock farming, and which showed some innovations such as the introduction of millets as cultivars. Some questions are still open concerning the agricultural system, the food and non-food uses of plant resources and the organization of labour at these sites. In this paper, for the first time, phytolith analysis has been integrated with more standard archaeobotanical methods applied to material from the long-lasting settlement of Fondo Paviani, Verona. The aim of the study was to use phytoliths as a tool to investigate the cereal economy in order to detect different grass subfamilies and possibly provide hints about local crop processing activities. For this purpose, two contexts, a shallow ditch at the edge of the site that had been filled with domestic waste and a near-site fen with natural infilling, have been the objects of a multi-proxy inter-disciplinary investigation. This includes the analyses of phytoliths, pollen, NPP, sediment texture and micromor-phology. The phytolith record shows remains of panicoid as well as pooid grasses, including chaff material with frequent traces of threshing that indicate the processing of cereals at the site and the possible use of chopped straw as fodder. The comparison of different kinds of evidence strengthens the interpretation and offers a new perspective on the application of phytolith analysis to Bronze Age northern Italy.
Millet and What Else? The Wider Context of the Adoption of Millet Cultivation in Europe
Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia a... more Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia and was transferred westward to Europe, where it was introduced in the mid-2nd millennium BCE, at the height of the Bronze Age. Archaeobotanists from the Collaborative Research Centre 1266, supported by many colleagues, conducted a large-scale programme of radiocarbon dating of millet grains from prehistoric Europe. They discovered that the spread of this crop on the continent happened quickly, extending far and wide. What do we know about the (pre)history of this crop in Europe? The workshop organised by the CRC 1266 at Kiel University in 2019 encouraged the discussion on the circumstances and consequences of early broomcorn millet cultivation in Europe. This book brings together many of the workshop papers and reflects the diverse topics and research areas covered. The contributions inform us on the range of cultivated and collected plants from the time before and after the start of millet cultivation in Europe; present the cultural setting in which millet arrived; discuss possible reasons driving the acceptance of this innovation; and reconstruct possible uses of millet and the methods of its cultivation, processing and storage. Not just the plant economy, but also the animal economy is represented, since millet was and is grown for both humans and animals. Techniques used to trace millet archaeologically are continually being developed or improved, and this book describes the application of a few of them. This broad-based compilation of papers adds another layer to the dynamic picture of the Bronze Age and the interconnected continent. It also illustrates the complexity of the research on the diffusion of agricultural innovations.
Millet and What Else? The Wider Context of the Adoption of Millet Cultivation in Europe
Scales of Transformation
Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia a... more Broomcorn/common/proso millet (Panicum miliaceum) is a cereal crop that originated in East Asia and was transferred westward to Europe, where it was introduced in the mid-2nd millennium BCE, at the height of the Bronze Age. Archaeobotanists from the Collaborative Research Centre 1266, supported by many colleagues, conducted a large-scale programme of radiocarbon dating of millet grains from prehistoric Europe. They discovered that the spread of this crop on the continent happened quickly, extending far and wide. What do we know about the (pre)history of this crop in Europe? The workshop organised by the CRC 1266 at Kiel University in 2019 encouraged the discussion on the circumstances and consequences of early broomcorn millet cultivation in Europe. This book brings together many of the workshop papers and reflects the diverse topics and research areas covered. The contributions inform us on the range of cultivated and collected plants from the time before and after the start of mil...
ABSTRACTDirect accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating is crucial for a correct integration of... more ABSTRACTDirect accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating is crucial for a correct integration of plant remains in the (pre)history of crops, particularly for those that do not belong to the Neolithic package and are known to arrive in Europe much later. This paper reviews one of the earliest records of rye from Romania. The grains were discovered in the tell settlement of Cunești, which belongs to the Gumelnița communities (ca. 4600–3900 BC). In 1954, due to Danube flooding, a large portion of the south part of the tell collapsed, and between the burnt dwelling visible in the resulting profile, a large number of sherds from three typical Gumelnița pots were identified. According to the excavation’s author, rye grains were found in association with those sherds, and it was assumed that a batch was stored in these Eneolithic vessels. Consequently, the rye was published as belonging to the Gumelnița period. Our reanalysis led to two radiocarbon (14C) dates, from two different laborato...
Abb. 2 Grabungsplan mit Übersicht aller im Norden der Insel Olsborg (Kr. Plön) angelegten archäol... more Abb. 2 Grabungsplan mit Übersicht aller im Norden der Insel Olsborg (Kr. Plön) angelegten archäologischen Schnitte. Die rot markier ten Schnitte wurden archäobotanisch untersucht.-(Grafik S. N. Friedland / R. Opitz, UFG Kiel).
Preface of the series editors 'big' questions of Metal Age transformations by providing a perspec... more Preface of the series editors 'big' questions of Metal Age transformations by providing a perspective on everyday life. It aims at providing a 'feeling' for life in the past and encourages the pursuit of a holistic understanding of ancient lifetimes. The book is the outcome of the session 'Socio-Environmental Dynamics over the Last 12,000 Years: The Development of Landscapes IV' organized by the group of editors
A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern G... more A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern Germany with cultural and technological changes during the Bronze Age.
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Jul 27, 2023
We present an interdisciplinary analysis of finds from the Trypillia settlement of Kosenivka, Ukr... more We present an interdisciplinary analysis of finds from the Trypillia settlement of Kosenivka, Ukraine (ca. 3700-3600 BCE, Trypillia C1), that links information on human, faunal, and botanical remains with archaeological data to provide exceptionally detailed insights into life and death at a Trypillia mega-site. We obtained osteological, palaeopathological, and histotaphonomic data from human bone fragments; performed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic analysis of human and animal bone to calculate food webs with the software FRUITS; and modelled newly generated radiocarbon dates to refine the site's chronology. The biological profile of seven identified individuals, some of whom suffered from disease symptoms common in the Chalcolithic, represents a demographic cross-section of the population. The analysis of perimortem cranial trauma suffered by two individuals suggest cases of interpersonal conflict. Food web calculations demonstrate the large contribution of cereals to the protein component of the human diet, which is supported by dental observations, and we suggest that livestock were a major manure producer for crop cultivation. The most probable scenario for the formation of the Kosenivka find assemblage is a deathly fire event. This makes the site a rare example where the archaeological and osteological results can be used to reconstruct a minimum number of house inhabitants. Following a literature review, we contextualise our analysis by discussing the general lack of human remains from Early and Middle Trypillia sites. The individuals from Kosenivka form part of the less than 0.05% of the total estimated Trypillia population that is represented skeletally; its members were deposited within settlements in the Middle Trypillia stage (until C1), preceding the shift to extramural burials in its late phase (C2). .
The onset of the Bronze Age (approximately 4150 yrs cal. BP) in the southern Lake Garda region (N... more The onset of the Bronze Age (approximately 4150 yrs cal. BP) in the southern Lake Garda region (N-Italy) is marked by an increase in the number of settlements and by the widespread adoption of pile-dwelling building techniques. The prominence of this phenomenon polarized the attention of local palaeoenvironmental investigations. As a result, pre-Bronze age landscape and climate dynamics have been investigated to a lesser degree. In an attempt to address this disparity, our contribution focuses on the period between~7100 and~3800 yrs cal. BP, i.e. approximately between Early Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. The location of our analysis is the former lake of Bande di Cavriana (Mantua). Multi-proxy investigations highlight few major climatic shifts prior to the Bronze Age onset. A first transition into more warm/dry conditions is recorded between~6300 and 6100 yrs cal. BP. Similar conditions occur again after~4600 yrs cal. BP, peaking at~4300 yrs cal. BP. Speculatively, taking into account dating uncertainties, this second shift might represent the local expression of the '4.2Ka' event. A marked transition into a colder/more humid situation occurs then after~4300 yrs cal. BP and persists into the Bronze Age. Major vegetational changes begin during the Neolithic with the steady rise of Carpinus betulus pollen (from~5700 yrs cal. BP). A more rapid expansion of this taxon after~5100 yrs cal. BP might reflect shifts in forest exploitation strategies during the Copper Age (e.g. coppicing) or changes in the ruminant fauna (e.g. grazing vs. browsing habits), arguably due to human intervention. Nonetheless, pollen grains of anthropogenic indicators appear with consistent frequency only since the Bronze Age. The establishment of the Bande di Cavriana pile dwelling (~3950 yrs cal. BP) is marked by declining arboreal pollen values and growing anthropogenic taxa. This behavior likely reflects a more intense landscape exploitation (deforestation, expansion of arable fields and meadows), although an influx of herbaceous pollen from near-site activities (e.g. cereal processing, garbage dumping) should not be overlooked.
Fondo Paviani (Legnago, Verona): il central place della polity delle Valli Grandi Veronesi nella tarda Età del bronzo. Cronologia, aspetti culturali, evoluzionedelle strutture e trasformazioni paleoambientali
Wood was a crucial resource for prehistoric societies, for instance, as timber for house construc... more Wood was a crucial resource for prehistoric societies, for instance, as timber for house construction and as fuel. In the case of the exceptionally large Chalcolithic Tripolye ‘mega-sites’ in central Ukraine, thousands of burnt buildings, indicating huge population agglomerations, hint at such a massive use of wood that it raises questions about the carrying capacity of the sensitive forest-steppe environment. In this contribution, we investigate the wood demand for the mega-site of Maidanetske (3990–3640 BCE), as reconstructed based on wood charcoal data, wood imprints on daub and the archaeo-magnetometry-based settlement plan. We developed a regional-scale model with a fuzzy approach and applied it in order to simulate the potential distribution and extent of woodlands before and after Chalcolithic occupation. The model is based upon the reconstructed ancient land surface, soil information derived from cores and the potential natural woodland cover reconstructed based on the requi...
Transformations of human societies and environments are closely interwoven. Due to improved possi... more Transformations of human societies and environments are closely interwoven. Due to improved possibilities of paleoecological reconstruction and archaeological methods, we are now in a position to empirically collect detailed data from a variety of records. The Collaborative Research Centre 1266 ‘Scales of Transformation’ has developed a concept in which both deductive and inductive transformation dimensions are compared on different temporal and spatial scales. This concept includes the connection between the environmental and social spheres, which are often inseparable. Accordingly, a holistic principle of socio-environmental research is developed, which is exemplified by the contributions to this special issue of The Holocene.
A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern G... more A programme of radiocarbon dating aims to correlate the onset of millet cultivation in northern Germany with cultural and technological changes during the Bronze Age.
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest... more Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and...
We present a comprehensive data-based characterization of the subsistence economy of Chalcolithic... more We present a comprehensive data-based characterization of the subsistence economy of Chalcolithic Cucuteni–Trypillia societies (CTS) on the Moldovian and Suceava plateaus and the Podolian and the Dnieper uplands. This study is based on a quantitative evaluation of archaeobotanical samples from 34 settlement sites, with a focus on Trypillia mega-sites and on stable isotopic analysis of ancient crop residues. The isotopic analysis allows us to identify specific cultivation strategies, which show a close relationship with animal husbandry for manure. We describe the economy of the Trypillia mega-sites as having been based on an elaborate agricultural system, in which the inhabitants knew how to grow crops that could withstand the ecological constraints of growth, especially along the forest steppe ecotone. We also argue that the agglomeration of greater population densities at these mega-sites contributed to landscape change from woodland and forest to open grassland and steppe. Follow...
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was first domesticated in China and dispersed westward vi... more Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) was first domesticated in China and dispersed westward via Central Asia in the 3rd millennium BC, reaching Europe in the 2nd millennium BC. North of the Black Sea, the North Pontic steppe and forest-steppe areas are key regions for understanding the westward dispersal of millet, as evidenced by the earliest direct radiocarbon dates on European millet grains, which we present here. Examining various lines of evidence relevant to crop cultivation, animal husbandry, contacts and lifestyles, we explore the regional dynamics of the adoption of millet, broadening knowledge about past subsistence strategies related to the ‘millet farmers/consumers’ who inhabited the northern Black Sea region during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Our re-evaluation of crop evidence contributes to ongoing discussions on the mobility of prehistoric communities in the Eurasian steppe and forest-steppe—for instance, on whether millet was linked to full-time mobile pastoralists,...
The Bronze Age in Europe was characterised by far-reaching transformations in socio-political organisation, demographic structure, technology, material culture and symbolic expression. It was also a period of some major changes in the environment, as well as in food production and diet, which may have affected the health of Bronze Age communities. The aim of this session is to bring together different lines of evidence on subsistence economy and food acquisition, health status, and natural landscapes modified through human use in the Bronze Age. The underlying idea is to examine relationships between these aspects and investigate how the changing cultural and natural environment could have affected food economy and dietary and lifestyle habits.
Papers are invited dealing with the reconstruction of Bronze Age crop and animal husbandry and their effect on the landscape; research on the opportunities (and limitations) offered by the natural and cultural environment in terms of food production; bioanthropological and other investigations of human diet, nutrition and health status; identification of movements of people, ideas and things and their effect on the subsistence and lifestyle. Case and comparative studies, overviews, uni- and multidisciplinary research papers are welcome, as well as those using indirect evidence (e.g. tools and other objects) or palaeoenvironmental models in the investigations of environmental context of food production and associated land use over this period. We are particularly interested in presentations of the results of recent research, and outcomes of methodological improvements or experimental studies.
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Papers by Wiebke Kirleis
The Bronze Age in Europe was characterised by far-reaching transformations in socio-political organisation, demographic structure, technology, material culture and symbolic expression. It was also a period of some major changes in the environment, as well as in food production and diet, which may have affected the health of Bronze Age communities. The aim of this session is to bring together different lines of evidence on subsistence economy and food acquisition, health status, and natural landscapes modified through human use in the Bronze Age. The underlying idea is to examine relationships between these aspects and investigate how the changing cultural and natural environment could have affected food economy and dietary and lifestyle habits.
Papers are invited dealing with the reconstruction of Bronze Age crop and animal husbandry and their effect on the landscape; research on the opportunities (and limitations) offered by the natural and cultural environment in terms of food production; bioanthropological and other investigations of human diet, nutrition and health status; identification of movements of people, ideas and things and their effect on the subsistence and lifestyle. Case and comparative studies, overviews, uni- and multidisciplinary research papers are welcome, as well as those using indirect evidence (e.g. tools and other objects) or palaeoenvironmental models in the investigations of environmental context of food production and associated land use over this period. We are particularly interested in presentations of the results of recent research, and outcomes of methodological improvements or experimental studies.