Dawn of the Neolithic north of Danube in light of multiproxy analysis of pottery
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The paper presents preliminary results of the NeoPot project, which is applying the latest scientific methods to the most common archaeological find, pottery, in the area north of the Danube. Pottery is thought to mark the start of farming in Central Europe. However, recent discoveries at the site of Santovka challenge this statement. We argue that this site is evidence of a unique pottery tradition, likely made by the last hunters and gatherers in the region. Whether the knowledge of pottery production was acquired from other forager groups or was learnt from farming cultures to the south, remains unanswered. By application of novel and well- established methods, we will tackle the transition to farming through producing a high resolution radiocarbon chronological model, understanding technological traditions of pottery, determining cooking practices (such as the appearance of dairy products) and tracing the provenance of pottery. The NeoPot project provides a novel insight into the transition to farming north of the Danube by suggesting a hitherto unidentified presence of pottery making hunter-gatherers. |
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