A man buried in Italy in the Middle Neolithic era
The Middle Neolithic period in Sicily, which is part of the broader Mediterranean Neolithic, represents a fascinating era of transformation and cultural development. This era is generally considered to span from around 4800 to 4200 BCE, marking a significant phase in the prehistoric timeline of the region.
Geographical Context
Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, served as a crucial crossroads for various cultures due to its strategic location. The island's diverse landscape, which includes fertile plains, rugged mountains, and extensive coastlines, provided abundant resources and facilitated early human settlement.
Cultural Influences
During the Middle Neolithic, Sicily was influenced by a variety of external cultures due to its proximity to the Italian Peninsula and North Africa. This period is characterized by the diffusion of agricultural practices and technologies, as well as the establishment of more permanent settlements.
Settlements and Architecture
Neolithic communities in Sicily began to develop more complex forms of settlements. Villages were typically established near water sources or fertile lands that were conducive to agriculture. Archaeological evidence suggests that dwellings were constructed using organic materials such as wood, clay, and reeds. These structures were often simple, single-room units with thatched roofing.
Agriculture and Subsistence
Agriculture played a central role in the Middle Neolithic economy. The introduction and cultivation of crops like wheat, barley, and legumes indicate advancements in farming techniques. Additionally, animal domestication, including sheep, goats, and pigs, complemented plant-based subsistence strategies. The surplus production enabled population growth and the diversification of labor.
Ceramics and Material Culture
The material culture of Middle Neolithic Sicily is particularly noted for its pottery. Ceramic production was highly developed, with terracotta vessels often decorated with geometric patterns, incised lines, and sometimes painted motifs. These artifacts not only served practical purposes but also held symbolic and social significance, reflecting the aesthetic expressions of the time.
Social Organization
While detailed records of social structure are scarce, it is believed that Neolithic communities in Sicily were organized around kinship and familial ties. Social stratification likely remained minimal, but roles may have become more specialized as communities grew. Elders or individuals with specialized knowledge, such as those skilled in agriculture or pottery, may have held respected positions within these societies.
Trade and Interaction
Evidence of trade is noticeable through the exchange of raw materials and finished goods, such as obsidian, flint, and pottery, indicating that Middle Neolithic Sicilians engaged in long-distance trade networks. These interactions contributed to the cultural dynamism of the era, facilitating the exchange of ideas, technology, and goods.
Religion and Rituals
Though concrete evidence of religious practices from this period is limited, it is likely that Middle Neolithic communities participated in ritualistic activities centered around agriculture or fertility, as seen in various Mediterranean cultures. The presence of figurines and other symbolic artifacts might suggest the role of ritual and religion in societal cohesion.
Overall, the Middle Neolithic period in Sicily represents a key stage in the island's prehistory characterized by increased settlement complexity, agricultural advancement, and a rich material culture. The integration within Mediterranean networks allowed this era to be one of not just survival but significant cultural and technological flourishing.
Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I4064) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.
Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (I4064) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles modern populations from different geographic regions.
These results complement the ancient ancestry components shown in the previous section, offering a different perspective on the individual's genetic profile by comparing it with modern reference populations rather than prehistoric ancestral groups.
The G25 coordinates for the sample I4064 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.
I4064,0.10922794,0.1602428,0.00978924,-0.05837152,0.05003418,-0.02793952,-0.00341902,0.00374028,0.04113238,0.06713108,-0.00159472,0.0110928,-0.01881942,-0.01285846,-0.01328976,0.00602776,0.014358,2.378E-05,-0.00016602,-0.00280724,-0.00084454,0.00390982,-0.0110829,-0.0182822,0.00396993
The spread of steppe and Iranian-related ancestry in the islands of the western Mediterranean
Steppe-pastoralist-related ancestry reached Central Europe by at least 2500 BC, whereas Iranian farmer-related ancestry was present in Aegean Europe by at least 1900 BC. However, the spread of these ancestries into the western Mediterranean, where they have contributed to many populations that live today, remains poorly understood. Here, we generated genome-wide ancient-DNA data from the Balearic Islands, Sicily and Sardinia, increasing the number of individuals with reported data from 5 to 66. The oldest individual from the Balearic Islands (~2400 BC) carried ancestry from steppe pastoralists that probably derived from west-to-east migration from Iberia, although two later Balearic individuals had less ancestry from steppe pastoralists. In Sicily, steppe pastoralist ancestry arrived by ~2200 BC, in part from Iberia; Iranian-related ancestry arrived by the mid-second millennium BC, contemporary to its previously documented spread to the Aegean; and there was large-scale population replacement after the Bronze Age. In Sardinia, nearly all ancestry derived from the island's early farmers until the first millennium BC, with the exception of an outlier from the third millennium BC, who had primarily North African ancestry and who-along with an approximately contemporary Iberian-documents widespread Africa-to-Europe gene flow in the Chalcolithic. Major immigration into Sardinia began in the first millennium BC and, at present, no more than 56-62% of Sardinian ancestry is from its first farmers. This value is lower than previous estimates, highlighting that Sardinia, similar to every other region in Europe, has been a stage for major movement and mixtures of people.