From about 5500 cal BC to soon after 5000 cal BC, the lifeways of the first farmers of central Europe, the LBK culture (Linearbandkeramik), are seen in distinctive practices of longhouse use, settlement forms, landscape choice, subsistence, material culture and mortuary rites. Within the five or more centuries of LBK existence a dynamic sequence of changes can be seen in, for instance, the expansion and increasing density of settlement, progressive regionalisation in pottery decoration, and at the end some signs of stress or even localised crisis. Although showing many features in common across its very broad distribution, however, the LBK phenomenon was not everywhere the same, and there is a complicated mixture of uniformity and diversity.

This major study takes a strikingly large regional sample, from northern Hungary westwards along the Danube to Alsace in the upper Rhine valley, and addresses the question of the extent of diversity in the lifeways of developed and late LBK communities, through a wide-ranging study of diet, lifetime mobility, health and physical condition, the presentation of the bodies of the deceased in mortuary ritual. It uses an innovative combination of isotopic (principally carbon, nitrogen and strontium, with some oxygen), osteological and archaeological analysis to address difference and change across the LBK, and to reflect on cultural change in general.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Authors’ note
• Acknowledgements
• The Lifeways Database
• Summary
• Résumé
• Zusammenfassung
• Abbreviated list of figures
• Abbreviated list of tables
• Contributors
• Chapter 1: LBK lifeways: a search for difference
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Anthropologists’ culture: unbroken landscapes of variation?
  • 1.3 Trends in recent LBK research
    • 1.3.1 Beginnings
    • 1.3.2 Settlement
    • 1.3.3 Subsistence
    • 1.3.4 Animal husbandry
    • 1.3.5 Mortuary practice
    • 1.3.6 Material culture patterning and regional networks
    • 1.3.7 Social relations
  • 1.4 Project aims: investigating diversity
• Chapter 2: Seeking diversity: methodology
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 Using stable isotope compositions to learn about prehistoric diets
    • 2.2.1 The principles of stable isotope analysis
    • 2.2.2 Measurement
    • 2.2.3 Interpretation
  • 2.3 Oxygen isotope analysis
    • 2.3.1 Methodology
    • 2.3.2 Interpretation
  • 2.4 Calcium isotope analysis
    • 2.4.1 Introduction and background
    • 2.4.2 Methodology
    • 2.4.3 Results and conclusions
  • 2.5 Strontium isotope analysis and the local geography and geology
    • 2.5.1 Principles behind strontium isotope analysis in archaeology
    • 2.5.2 Measurement
  • 2.6 Human osteology
    • 2.6.1 LBK osteoarchaeology: an overview
    • 2.6.2 Strength in numbers?
    • 2.6.3 Lifeways osteology
  • 2.7 Burial practices in the LBK
    • 2.7.1 Previous approaches to LBK burials
    • 2.7.2 Determining variability in LBK burial rites
  • 2.8 The integration of isotopes, osteology and archaeology
• Chapter 3: Hungary
  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 History of research
    • 3.2.1 The Great Hungarian Plain
    • 3.2.2 Transdanubia
  • 3.3 Mesolithic-Neolithic transitions and the earliest Neolithics
  • 3.4 The developed ALP and TLP
  • 3.5 Burial practice and regional networks
  • 3.6 Sites sampled
  • 3.7 Mezőkövesd-Mocsolyás
    • 3.7.1 Introduction
    • 3.7.2 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 3.7.3 Strontium analysis
    • 3.7.4 Site summary and discussion
  • 3.8 Füzesabony-Gubakút
    • 3.8.1 Introduction
    • 3.8.2 Osteology
    • 3.8.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 3.8.4 Strontium analysis
    • 3.8.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 3.9 Polgár-Ferenci-hát
    • 3.9.1 Introduction
    • 3.9.2 Osteology
    • 3.9.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 3.9.4 Strontium analysis
    • 3.9.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 3.10 Balatonszárszó-Kis-erdei-dűlő
    • 3.10.1 Introduction
    • 3.10.2 Osteology
    • 3.10.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 3.10.4 Strontium analysis
    • 3.10.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 3.11 Regional discussion
• A Polgár-Ferenci-hát lifeway: burial 839/1198
• A Balatonszárszó lifeway: burial 531
• Chapter 4: Moravia and western Slovakia
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 History of research
  • 4.3 The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition and the earliest LBK
  • 4.4 The developed and late LBK
  • 4.5 Burial rites and regional networks
  • 4.6 Sites sampled
  • 4.7 Vedrovice
    • 4.7.1 Introduction
    • 4.7.2 Osteology
    • 4.7.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 4.7.4 Strontium analysis
    • 4.7.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 4.8 Těšetice-Kyjovice
    • 4.8.1 Introduction
    • 4.8.2 Osteology
    • 4.8.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 4.8.4 Strontium analysis
    • 4.8.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 4.9 Brno-Starý Lískovec/Nový Lískovec
    • 4.9.1 Introduction
    • 4.9.2 Osteology
    • 4.9.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 4.9.4 Strontium analysis
    • 4.9.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 4.10 Nitra
    • 4.10.1 Introduction
    • 4.10.2 The radiocarbon dates
    • 4.10.3 Osteology
    • 4.10.4 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 4.10.5 Strontium analysis
    • 4.10.6 Site summary and discussion
  • 4.11 Regional discussion
• A Těšetice lifeway: burial 11
• A Nitra lifeway: burial 34
• Chapter 5: Austria
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 History of research
  • 5.3 The arrival of the LBK: Vornotenkopf and the earliest Linearbandkeramik
    • 5.3.1 The late Mesolithic
    • 5.3.2 The earliest LBK
  • 5.4 The developed and late LBK
    • 5.4.1 Settlement networks
    • 5.4.2 Regional networks in the developed LBK
  • 5.5 Mortuary rites
  • 5.6 Sites sampled
  • 5.7 Kleinhadersdorf
    • 5.7.1 Introduction
    • 5.7.2 Osteology
    • 5.7.3 The animal remains from Gnadendorf
    • 5.7.4 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 5.7.5 Strontium analysis
    • 5.7.6 Site summary and discussion
  • 5.8 Asparn an der Zaya/Schletz
    • 5.8.1 Introduction
    • 5.8.2 Osteology
    • 5.8.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 5.8.4 Strontium analysis
    • 5.8.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 5.9 Mitterndorf im Tullnerfeld
    • 5.9.1 Introduction
    • 5.9.2 Osteology
    • 5.9.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 5.9.4 Strontium analysis
    • 5.9.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 5.10 Rutzing
    • 5.10.1 Introduction
    • 5.10.2 Osteology
    • 5.10.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 5.10.4 Strontium analysis
    • 5.10.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 5.11 Regional discussion
• A Mitterndorf lifeway: burial 329
• A Rutzing lifeway: burial 14
• Chapter 6: Southern Bavaria
  • 6.1 Introduction
  • 6.2 History of research
  • 6.3 Arrival and development of the LBK in Bavaria
    • 6.3.1 The late Mesolithic
    • 6.3.2 The earliest LBK in southern Bavaria
  • 6.4 The developed and late LBK
    • 6.4.1 Typological development and regionalisation
    • 6.4.2 Settlement structure
    • 6.4.3 Animals and plants
    • 6.4.4 Regional networks
  • 6.5 Burial rites
    • 6.5.1 Known sites
    • 6.5.2 Previous isotopic analysis
  • 6.6 Sites sampled
  • 6.7 Aiterhofen-Ödmühle
    • 6.7.1 Introduction
    • 6.7.2 Osteology
    • 6.7.3 The animal remains from Lerchenhaid
    • 6.7.4 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 6.7.5 Strontium analysis
    • 6.7.6 Site summary and discussion
  • 6.8 Otzing-Gartenäcker
    • 6.8.1 Introduction
    • 6.8.2 Osteology
    • 6.8.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 6.8.4 Strontium analysis
    • 6.8.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 6.9 Regional discussion
• An Aiterhofen lifeway: burial 57
• An Aiterhofen lifeway: burial 150
• Chapter 7: Baden-Württemberg
  • 7.1 Introduction
  • 7.2 History of research
  • 7.3 Arrival and development of the LBK
    • 7.3.1 Hunter-gatherers who farmed? The Final Mesolithic
  • 7.4 Regional networks and diversity: the developed and late LBK
    • 7.4.1 Settlement networks
    • 7.4.2 Regional networks
    • 7.4.3 Inter-regional networks
    • 7.4.4 Animals and plants
    • 7.4.5 Previous isotopic studies and models of LBK sociality
    • 7.4.6 The end of the LBK
  • 7.5 Burial practices
  • 7.6 Sites sampled
  • 7.7 Schwetzingen
    • 7.7.1 Introduction
    • 7.7.2 The animal remains from Heilbronn-Neckargartach
    • 7.7.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 7.7.4 Strontium analysis
    • 7.7.5 Oxygen, carbon and nitrogen analysis of teeth
    • 7.7.6 Correlations between the different isotopes
    • 7.7.7 Site summary and discussion
  • 7.8 Regional discussion
• A Schwetzingen lifeway: burial 151
• A Schwetzingen lifeway: burial 185
• Chapter 8: Alsace
  • 8.1 Introduction
  • 8.2 History of research
  • 8.3 The arrival and development of the LBK
  • 8.4 Regional networks and diversity
    • 8.4.1 Regional connections
    • 8.4.2 Settlement patterns
    • 8.4.3 Animals and plants
  • 8.5 Burial practices
  • 8.6 Sites sampled
  • 8.7 Mulhouse-Est (Rixheim), Haute-Alsace
    • 8.7.1 Introduction
    • 8.7.2 Osteology
    • 8.7.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 8.7.4 Strontium analysis
    • 8.7.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 8.8 Ensisheim les Octrois, Haute-Alsace
    • 8.8.1 Introduction
    • 8.8.2 Osteology
    • 8.8.3 The animal remains from Ensisheim Ratfeld, Haute-Alsace
    • 8.8.4 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 8.8.5 Strontium analysis
    • 8.8.6 Site summary and discussion
  • 8.9 Souffelweyersheim Tuilerie Reiss und Bund, Basse-Alsace
    • 8.9.1 Introduction
    • 8.9.2 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 8.9.3 Strontium analysis
    • 8.9.4 Site summary and discussion
  • 8.10 Vendenheim le Haut du Coteau, Basse-Alsace
    • 8.10.1 Introduction
    • 8.10.2 The animal remains from Bischoffsheim AFUA du Stade, Basse-Alsace
    • 8.10.3 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 8.10.4 Strontium analysis
    • 8.10.5 Site summary and discussion
  • 8.11 Regional discussion
• An Ensisheim lifeway: burial 13
• A Vendenheim lifeway: burial 132
• Chapter 9: The supra-regional perspective
  • 9.1 Introduction
  • 9.2 Carbon and nitrogen analysis
    • 9.2.1 The geographic and climate data
    • 9.2.2 Regional variation in the ecology of the LBK
    • 9.2.3 Overview of the carbon and nitrogen results
    • 9.2.4 Analysis of the dataset as a whole
    • 9.2.5 Interpretation of the collagen stable isotope patterns
    • 9.2.6 Oxygen stable isotopes
  • 9.3 Strontium isotope analysis
    • 9.3.1 Gendered differences in lifeways: residence and descent
    • 9.3.2 Social organisation, subsistence and inherited status
    • 9.3.3 Diversity: the strontium outliers
    • 9.3.4 Discussion
  • 9.4 Osteological study
    • 9.4.1 Differences between the sexes
    • 9.4.2 Regional variation
    • 9.4.3 Outlook
  • 9.5 Funerary practices at the large scale
    • 9.5.1 Context of burial : settlement and cemetery
    • 9.5.2 Treatment of the body
    • 9.5.3 Grave goods
    • 9.5.4 Diversity in practices
  • 9.6 Conclusions
• Chapter 10: Performing LBK Lifeways
  • 10.1 Over and over: ‘inconsistent commonality’
  • 10.2 Practising scales
    • 10.2.1 Individuals and individual lifecourses: open questions?
    • 10.2.2 Households and house societies
    • 10.2.3 Lineages or clans
    • 10.2.4 Descent systems
    • 10.2.5 Sodalities
    • 10.2.6 Imagined communities and contingent assemblages
  • 10.3 Repeat performances: a narrative of LBK lifeways
    • 10.3.1 Beginnings
    • 10.3.2 The developed LBK
    • 10.3.3 Endings
  • 10.4 Elsewheres
  • 10.5 Back to culture
• Appendix A: Stable isotope data and collagen quality indicators
• Appendix B: Selected radiocarbon dates
  • B1 Radiocarbon dates from Nitra, Schwetzingen and Vedrovice
  • B2 Radiocarbon dates from Kleinhadersdorf
• Appendix C: Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes: statistical methods
• Bibliography