Intensified Settlement in the Adriatic Hinterland During the Late Epigravettian: Subsistence Shift or Recolonization of the Inner Balkans?

Abstract

Over 20 years ago, it was proposed that evidence of intensive settlement in the mountainous zones of the Adriatic and Ionian hinterlands reflects the social and cultural integration of Paleolithic communities, which, by the end of the Late Glacial (14.7–11.7 ka BP), had adopted a settlement system focused on the seasonal exploitation of resources in the outer Dinaric Alps. Around the same time, however, another interpretation emerged: the submersion of the Paleoadriatic Plain during the Late Glacial and the resulting demographic pressure led to the successive recolonization of the inner mountainous regions of the Balkans. Although these two hypotheses are not mutually exclusive, a key question remains: Was the increased use of the mountainous hinterland primarily driven by demographic factors or by changes in subsistence practices? This is particularly relevant given the scarcity of Epigravettian sites in the inner Balkans despite intensified research efforts. In an attempt to answer the question, we examined various geographic, economic, and technological indicators. Our analysis of lithic artifacts from Paleolithic sites in the Adriatic hinterland suggests that the recolonization of this region was more likely linked to seasonal resource exploitation in mountainous zones than to large-scale population movements. However, the possibility of a gradual repopulation of the inner Balkans cannot be entirely ruled out.“Forager Use of “Persistent Places” During the Epigravettian in the Circum-Adriatic Regions”, University of Ferrara, May 27th, 2025, Ferrara, Italy- Saopštenje štampano u izvod