Biological and cultural identity of first farmers - Introduction

Introduction

Arguably the origin of agriculture, and its spread through Europe, is the most significant bio-cultural transition undergone by human societies. One major problem has been the biological and cultural ancestry of the first farmers. Did agriculture spread among local indigenous hunter-gatherers, or was it brought by migrating colonist farmers?

Fundamental to this debate is the Central European Linear Pottery Culture (LBK) which has been broadly dated to 5700BC-5000BC. As such it is the earliest agro-pastoralist phenomenon outside of the Balkans, stretching at its height as far west as Normandy. Assumptions of overall uniformity have traditionally been interpreted as colonization events, indicating a rapid east-west spread of agro-pastoralist populations (Ammerman and Cavalli-Sforza 1984; Cavalli-Sforza and Cavalli-Sforza 1995; Childe 1957[1925]; Modderman 1988; Neustupný 2004; Piggott 1965; van Andel and Runnels 1995; Vencl 1986). However, this uniformity has recently come under increasing doubt with the recognition of local and regional typological variability in LBK ceramic, lithic, and dietary repertoires suggestive of continuity and the passage of traditions from indigenous hunter-gatherer populations (Bentley et al 2003; Gronenborn 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004; Lukes 2004; Lukes and Zvelebil 2004; Mateiciucová 2004; Zvelebil 2000a,b, 2004). Therefore, although the notion of a major local Mesolithic contribution is now seriously considered, it remains to be objectively tested.

This project addresses this question by testing regional chrono-typological schemes and employing multiple bio-archaeological approaches to the critical early Neolithic cemetery of Vedrovice in Moravia, Czech Republic. This work represents a research partnership between the University of Sheffield and the Anthropos Institute of the Moravské zemské museum, with participating researchers from the Czech Republic, Germany and the United Kingdom, which is funded by grant B/RG/AN18452 from the Arts and Humanities Research council.