The introduction of pottery vessels to Europe has long been seen as closely linked with the spread of agriculture and pastoralism from the Near East. The adoption of pottery technology by ...hunter-gatherers in Northern and Eastern Europe does not fit this paradigm, and its role within these communities is so far unresolved. To investigate the motivations for hunter-gatherer pottery use, here, we present the systematic analysis of the contents of 528 early vessels from the Baltic Sea region, mostly dating to the late 6th-5th millennium cal BC, using molecular and isotopic characterization techniques. The results demonstrate clear sub-regional trends in the use of ceramics by hunter-gatherers; aquatic resources in the Eastern Baltic, non-ruminant animal fats in the Southeastern Baltic, and a more variable use, including ruminant animal products, in the Western Baltic, potentially including dairy. We found surprisingly little evidence for the use of ceramics for non-culinary activities, such as the production of resins. We attribute the emergence of these sub-regional cuisines to the diffusion of new culinary ideas afforded by the adoption of pottery, e.g. cooking and combining foods, but culturally contextualized and influenced by traditional practices.
We measured
87
Sr/
86
Sr for all available human remains (
n
= 40) dating from the Mesolithic to the Bronze Age (ca. 6400–800 cal BC) in Lithuania. In addition, local baselines of archaeological ...fauna from the same area were constructed. We identified significant and systematic offsets between
87
Sr/
86
Sr values of modern soils and animals and archaeological animals due to currently unknown reasons. By comparing
87
Sr/
86
Sr human intra-tooth variation with the local baselines, we identified 13 non-local individuals, accounting for 25–50% of the analysed population. We found no differences in the frequency of local vs. nonlocals between male and female hunter-gatherers. Six Mesolithic-Subneolithic individuals with
87
Sr/
86
Sr values > 0.7200 may have come from southern Finland and/or Karelia. Two Mesolithic-Subneolithic individuals from the Donkalnis cemetery with
87
Sr/
86
Sr values < 0.7120 likely came from the Lithuanian Baltic coast. These data demonstrate coastal-inland mobility of up to 85 km, which is also supported by archaeological evidence. The standard deviation in the intra-tooth
87
Sr/
86
Sr indicates that mobility did not decrease with the adoption of pottery technology at ca. 5000 cal BC but rather slowly decreased during the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods. We interpret this as a result of the introduction and subsequent intensification of farming. The least mobile way of life was practised by Subneolithic coastal communities during the 4th millennium cal BC, although
87
Sr/
86
Sr do not exclude that they migrated along the coastline.
To investigate changes in culinary practices associated with the arrival of farming, we analysed the organic residues of over 1,000 pottery vessels from hunter-gatherer-fisher and early agricultural ...sites across Northern Europe from the Lower Rhine Basin to the Northeastern Baltic. Here, pottery was widely used by hunter-gatherer-fishers prior to the introduction of domesticated animals and plants. Overall, there was surprising continuity in the way that hunter-gatherer-fishers and farmers used pottery. Both aquatic products and wild plants remained prevalent, a pattern repeated consistently across the study area. We argue that the rapid adaptation of farming communities to exploit coastal and lagoonal resources facilitated their northerly expansion, and in some cases, hunting, gathering, and fishing became the most dominant subsistence strategy. Nevertheless, dairy products frequently appear in pottery associated with the earliest farming groups often mixed with wild plants and fish. Interestingly, we also find compelling evidence of dairy products in hunter-gatherer-fisher Ertebølle pottery, which predates the arrival of domesticated animals. We propose that Ertebølle hunter-gatherer-fishers frequently acquired dairy products through exchange with adjacent farming communities prior to the transition. The continuity observed in pottery use across the transition to farming contrasts with the analysis of human remains which shows substantial demographic change through ancient DNA and, in some cases, a reduction in marine consumption through stable isotope analysis. We postulate that farmers acquired the knowledge and skills they needed to succeed from local hunter-gatherer-fishers but without substantial admixture.
In this paper, we present the 87Sr/86Sr data of 13 samples from horses from six Lithuanian burial sites dating from the 3rd to the 7th C AD. Alongside these data, we also publish the bioavailable ...87Sr/86Sr data of 15 Lithuanian archaeological sites, based on 41 animals which enabled the construction of a reliable baseline for the Southeast Baltic area. The 87Sr/86Sr values partially confirmed the hypothesis that the unusually large horses found in Late Roman Period to Post-Migration Period burials are of non-local origin. Of the three non-local horses identified, two were among the largest specimens. However, the overlap of bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr data across different European regions does not permit us to establish whether the non-local horses originated from other areas in Lithuania or from more distant regions. With regards to the 87Sr/86Sr data, the place of origin of the non-local horses could be Southern Sweden. This encourages discussions on the possible directions of migration and compels us to rethink the current models that posit South and Central Europe as the main sources of migration. The results of the 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, and δ15N analyses demonstrate that horses buried in the same cemetery had different mobility and feeding patterns. Differences could be due to the different function and sex of the horses as well as the lifestyle of their owners. The most sedentary horses were pregnant mares, while the extremely high δ15N of three horses may reflect additional fodder and probably a better diet.
In 2015, professional diver and amateur archaeologist A. Matiukas discovered an extraordinarily rich and well-preserved underwater multiperiod archaeological site, Kaltanėnai, at the point where the ...Žeimenys Lake feeds into the Žeimena River in East Lithuania. Over the duration of 3 years of multiple diving expeditions, he collected ca. 800 archaeological finds made of wood, bone, antler, flint, stone, iron and glass. Moreover, in eroded places of the river bed, he observed numerous wooden piles of potential constructions. These initial finds attested the newly discovered site’s great scientific value and potential, and therefore a scientific investigation of the site was initiated. This paper presents the first results of underwater survey at this site and analyses of its various finds. These include the site’s plan with a mapping of stationary fishing gear, a geological profile made from boreholes, 23
14
C dates of various artefacts and wooden constructions, wood and animal taxa determinations including ZooMS, and traceological analysis of osseous tools. Our research demonstrates that the site was intensively used for fishing via various methods starting from the Late Mesolithic to the modern era, while most of the finds date to the Subneolithic and the Bronze Age. Further research at the site, including underwater excavations of stratified archaeological layers, will shed even more light onto the history of inland fishing in the East Baltic.
During archaeological investigations in Nida settlement in 1974–1978, 2011–2013 and 2016 a lot of stratigraphic data from considerably wide area was gathered. Based on stratigraphy Neolithic paleosol ...of Nida settlement can be distinguished and it can be used as proxy for reconstruction of paleorelief. Paleosol was recorded in former depressions or on eastward slopes of former dunes. Large area in western part of the settlement was affected by aeolian processes where paleosol did not survive and in the eastern part former surface plunge deeply under groundwater level, these limited the territory considerably for paleorelief reconstruction. Analysis of the paleosol and stratigraphy displayed layering of artefacts in some parts of the settlement, which was interpreted as at least two periods of human activity. Also, in some parts of Nida very thick layer (> 1 m) with artefacts have been recorded which formed because of combination of anthropogenic activity and natural processes. An important insight is made about ancient topographic location of Nida settlement. Based on geological, botanical and geophysical data from Nida and other parts of Curonian spit we argue that earlier interpretation is not supported by recent data and we suggest that Nida settlement was in eastern part of the spit, on the shore of Curonian lagoon.
Until relatively recently, stable sulphur isotope analysis of bone collagen was seldom undertaken in bioarchaeological research. With increasing frequency, its application has proven useful in ...reconstructing palaeodiets and palaeoecologies, as well as identifying potential migration and mobility patterns. Here, sulphur (δ34S) isotope analysis, together with carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), was performed on six fish and 34 mammal bone collagen samples from 14 prehistoric sites in Lithuania dating from the Late Mesolithic (ca. 7000–5000 cal BC) to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1100–500 cal BC). We present the first δ34S data from Lithuania, including coupled δ13C and δ15N data, offering a crucial dataset for future research to explore spatial and temporal variability in the region and beyond.
•The riverine Garnys site was used from the Mesolithic until the Iron Age.•Underwater visual survey and excavations were carried out.•It was an important hunting, gathering, fishing and living ...place.•Wild resources continued to be exploited during the Neolithic.•It was used exclusively for stationary fishing during the Metal Ages.
This paper presents the first results of both dryland and underwater investigations at the multi-period Garnys riverine site situated on the Žeimena River in eastern Lithuania. There, during 2017–2020 a professional diver and amateur archaeologist collected hundreds of Mesolithic-Neolithic archaeological finds made of wood, bone, antler, stone, and ceramic from the riverbed and on its bank. Moreover, in eroded places of the riverbed, the wooden remains of several fish weirs were observed. In 2021 professional archaeologists continued the research, including field investigations followed by various laboratory analyses. These included AMS 14C dating of 16 various ecofacts, artefacts and wooden constructions, wood and animal taxa determinations, and the results of traceological analysis of the flint and osseous artefacts. Our research demonstrates that the site was intensively used for hunting, gathering and fishing during the Mesolithic and subsequent Subneolithic and Neolithic. Intriguingly, there was no evidence for agriculture, while the numerous Neolithic ceramics largely follow the Subneolithic traditions. The Garnys site is therefore unique and a clear example for delayed Neolithisation in a forested and lacustrine area in the eastern Baltic region. During the Metal Ages, the site had been used exclusively for stationary fishing.
The Netiesos section in southern Lithuania exposes a late Pleistocene sedimentary sequence at a depth of between 17 and 4 m. An interdisciplinary study of the section investigated the environmental ...changes that occurred in the study area during the greater part of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5. Geochemical, thermoluminescence, palaeontological (plant macro-remain, diatoms, fishbones) and magnetic susceptibility analyses were performed on numerous sediment samples. Chronological control of the sequence was provided by electron spin resonance (ESR), infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IR-OSL) and conventional radiocarbon dating methods. This interdisciplinary approach enabled the subdivision of the section into stratigraphic units reflecting environmental changes. According to chronological data, the development of the Netiesos palaeolake began at the end of the Medininkai (Saalian) glaciation, which is thought to correlate with MIS 6, and continued up to the thermophilous deciduous forests phase of the subsequent last interglacial of MIS 5. Sediments of the final phase of the interglacial are missing, as are the initial and final phases of the following early Nemunas (Weichselian) cooling (MIS 4). The palaeomagnetic Blake Event was recorded in the interglacial sediments. One of the richest palaeofloras in the East Baltic region was observed representing the second half of MIS 5. The implications of the results for the regional late Pleistocene climato-chronostratigraphy are discussed.
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