Reljefas eolinėje aplinkoje. Nidos senovės gyvenvietės paviršius

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.Straipsnyje rekonstruojamas Nidos senovės gyvenvietės paleoreljefas. Pagrindinė tyrimo medžiaga yra 1974–1978, 2011–2013 ir 2016 m. tyrinėtose perkasose, šurfuose, gręžiniuose fiksuota stratigrafija ir georadaro profiliai. Straipsnyje pristatoma senojo paviršiaus rekonstrukcija, sudaryta interpoliuojant tyrinėtų vietų ir georadaro profilių duomenis. Senasis dirvožemis Nidos senovės gyvenvietėje išlikęs fragmentiškai, todėl paleoreljefo rekonstrukcija ne visur įmanoma. Senieji dirvožemiai fiksuoti akumuliacinėse eolinių procesų vietose – defliacinės duobės užpilde ir senųjų kopų šlaituose. Kai kuriose vietose formavosi labai storas (>1 m) senojo dirvožemio humusingas horizontas, kurį laikome gamtinių ir antropogeninių veiksnių padariniu. Remdamiesi geofizikinių, botaninių bei geologinių tyrimų rezultatais, teigiame, kad Nidos senovės gyvenvietė buvo ne vakarinėje nerijos dalyje prie lagūnos ar protakos kaip manyta anksčiau, bet rytinėje Kuršių nerijos dalyje ant tuometinių marių kranto

La historia de un arpón. Reutilización de un proyectil óseo subneolítico procedente de Šventoji (Lituania)

Among the rich collection of osseous artefacts found in the Subneolithic and Neolithic levels from archaeological sites in Šventoji (Lithuania), a small fragment of a bone harpoon head is particularly interesting. The characteristics of the use-wear traces that were identified on the artefact suggest that the piece was reused as a kind of grinding tool. This observation became a starting point for a discussion concerning the presence of such practices in prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies of Europe and the significance of these kind of objects.Entre la rica colección de artefactos encontrados en los niveles Subneolíticos y neolíticos de varios yacimientos arqueológicos de Šventoji (Lituania), resalta un pequeño fragmento de la cabeza de un arpón, constituyendo un elemento realmente interesante. Las características de de las trazas de uso que fueron identificadas en la pieza sugieren que ésta fue reutilizada como una herramienta empleada en actividades de abrasión. Esta observación supuso un punto de partida para una discusión relativa a la presencia de tales prácticas en las sociedades prehistóricas de cazadores-recolectores de Europa y el significado de este tipo de objetos

Cooking fish and drinking milk? Patterns in pottery use in the southeastern Baltic, 3300–2400 cal BC

yesA study of pottery vessel contents and use was undertaken in order to obtain information on food processed in Subneolithic and Neolithic vessels from Nida and Šventoji (3300–2400 cal BC). The aim is to assess pottery use during major changes in the coastal environment and in material culture. Bulk carbon and nitrogen isotope, lipid biomarker and compound specific carbon isotope analysis was undertaken on ‘foodcrusts’, charred deposits adhering to vessel surfaces, and absorbed residues from different vessel types. In addition, three archaeological seal bones were analysed for bulk collagen and compound specific carbon isotope analysis to establish collagen-lipid offsets to inform interpretation of the data. The results show that the majority of the vessels were used for processing aquatic products. At Nida the data suggest exploitation of freshwater resources and, in the later stages of occupation, dairying. Analysis of a small number of Subneolithic vessels from Šventoji produced results that are also consistent with processing of aquatic products. Other substances identified include Pinaceae sp. resin or tar and beeswax. These data demonstrate that identifying patterns in pottery use contributes to understanding Neolithisation processes

Organic residue analysis shows sub-regional patterns in the use of pottery by Northern European hunter–gatherers

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 subregional 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

The transition from foraging to farming (7000–500 cal BC) in the SE Baltic : A re-evaluation of chronological and palaeodietary evidence from human remains

Our knowledge of the timing and completeness of the transition from foraging, fishing and hunting to food production in boreal northeastern Europe is far from clear. Here, we present new bone collagen AMS 14C dates, and δ13C and δ15N isotope values for 20 humans and 17 animals from a 6500-year period dating from the Late Mesolithic to the Bronze Age in Lithuania. AMS 14C dates revealed large discrepancies in comparison to previously obtained radiocarbon dates, thus highlighting the need to re-date all prehistoric human remains where chronology was based on 14C dating of bone collagen. Stable isotope data indicate that inland Mesolithic-Subneolithic hunter-gatherers (7000–3000 cal BC) relied on a balance of freshwater food and game animals with regard to protein intake. The coastal Subneolithic groups (ca. 3000 cal BC) relied heavily on lagoon fishing, while seals and forest game were of lesser importance. Animal husbandry, most likely of sheep or goats, was a main source of protein for Neolithic Corded Ware Culture people (2900–2400 cal BC), although a significant contribution of freshwater food is also evident. Significant intra-individual variation in stable isotope values may demonstrate that a highly flexible subsistence strategy was adopted by the CWC people. Unusually high δ13C values indicate that millet had been already introduced into the farming economy of the Late Bronze Age around 1000 cal BC

Carbon, nitrogen and sulphur isotope data of archaeological fish and mammal bone collagen from Lithuania

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 globular amphora culture in the Eastern Baltic : new discoveries

Until now, Šventoji in northwest Lithuania was considered the most northern site of the Neolithic Globular Amphora Culture (hereafter GAC; ca. 3400–2500 cal BC) in Europe. Recently, however, ceramics typologically resembling GAC ware were identified among the materials from the multi-period sites of Abora 1 and Iča in Latvia and further to the north from Tamula in southeast Estonia. Here we present the multi-disciplinary analyses of these ceramics, including their morphology, function and chronology, to ascertain whether they could represent sporadic migrations of GAC groups into the region or exchange and increasing social contacts with the indigenous hunter-gatherers during the period from ca. 3000–2600 cal BC. Overall, our results align with previous studies showing that GAC groups in the Eastern Baltic possibly reorientated their economy from animal husbandry towards fishing, as recently evidenced by the composition of zooarchaeological assemblages, and the organic residue analysis of ceramic vessels, which markedly differ from the GAC communities of Central Europe. Indeed, in several coastal and southern regions of Lithuania, it would appear that some GAC migrants replaced the indigenous Subneolithic forager groups, whilst in other areas, they had little to no impact on the local cultural and economic development

Diet, cuisine and consumption practices of the first farmers in the south-eastern Baltic

With the arrival of the Early Neolithic Globular Amphora and Corded Ware cultures into the south-eastern Baltic, ca. 2900/2800-2400 cal BC, a new type of economy was introduced, animal husbandry. However, the degree to which this transformed the subsistence economy is unknown. Here, we conducted organic residue analyses of 64 ceramic vessels to identify their contents. The vessels were sampled from 10 Lithuanian archaeological sites dating across the Subneolithic-Neolithic transition to the Early Bronze Age (ca. 2900/2800-1300 cal BC). Our results demonstrate that regardless of location or vessel type, many ceramics were used to process aquatic resources. Against our expectations, this association continued even after marked economic change concurrent with the migration of pastoralists from central and south-eastern Europe, as evidenced by recent aDNA analysis of human remains. Moreover, we observed dairy fats in pottery from all cultures of the Early Neolithic (i.e. Rzucewo, Globular Amphora and Corded Ware cultures) but unlike other regions of Europe, it seems that these were incorporated into indigenous culinary practices. Furthermore, some vessels were used to process plant foods, and others may have been used for the production and/or storage of birch bark tar. However, evidence for domesticated plant processing, for example millet, was absent. We show that organic residue analysis of pottery provides a different picture of past consumption patterns compared to the stable isotope analysis of human remains from isolated burials where a clear dietary shift is evident

Garnys : an underwater riverine site with delayed Neolithisation in the southeastern Baltic

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 impact of farming on prehistoric culinary practices throughout Northern Europe

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