A woman buried in Poland in the Neolithic era
The Eastern Linear Pottery Culture, also known as the Linear Pottery culture or LBK (from the German \Linearbandkeramik"), marks a significant era in the Neolithic period of Central and Eastern Europe, dating approximately from 5500 to 4500 BCE. This expansive culture is particularly notable for its influence on the spread of agricultural practices and permanent settlements across Europe. Its presence in regions such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, and parts of Austria, among others, highlights its extensive reach.
Geographic and Environmental Context
Kruszyn, located in modern-day Poland, represents one of the eastern fringes of the Linear Pottery culture. Situated in a landscape characterized by fertile plains and river valleys, this area provided an ideal environment for early agrarian societies. The region's moderate climate, rich soils, and access to water sources like the Oder and Vistula rivers supported the culture's agricultural endeavors.
Social and Economic Structure
The LBK society is often characterized by small, agrarian communities typically composed of extended family units. Settlements were described by clusters of longhouses—rectangular wooden structures that served both as living spaces and storage. These longhouses were often surrounded by fields that supported the cultivation of emmer wheat, barley, peas, and flax.
Economically, the culture marked a significant transition from a predominantly hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one based on agriculture and animal husbandry. The domestication of animals such as cattle, pigs, and goats supplemented their diet and provided labor. This shift allowed for more sustainable and predictable food resources, fostering population growth and social stability.
Technological and Artistic Achievements
The Linear Pottery culture is especially distinguished for its pottery, which gives the culture its name. Pottery items are characteristically decorated with linear bands and motifs created by incising or impressing designs with a variety of tools. These pottery styles were not merely functional but also held aesthetic significance, perhaps reflecting social or cultural identity.
Stone tools remained essential, with polished stone adzes and axes being vital for both agriculture and construction. Flint tools demonstrate advanced knapping techniques, highlighting their role in daily tasks such as hunting, food processing, and crafting.
Cultural and Ritual Practices
The LBK culture exhibited complex social and ritual behaviors, evidenced by burial practices and artistic expression. Graves were typically individual inhumations, often oriented east-west, which might reflect cosmological beliefs. Grave goods, including pottery, stone tools, and ornaments, suggest a belief in an existence beyond death or a form of status differentiation.
There is also evidence of ritual sites, some of which may have been used for social gatherings or community events. These could include enclosures and pits that potentially served ceremonial purposes, reaffirming community cohesion and shared beliefs.
Legacy and Influence
The Eastern Linear Pottery culture is significant for its role in disseminating Neolithic technologies and lifestyle across Europe. Its influence is visible in subsequent cultures that adopted and adapted its agricultural, architectural, and artisanal innovations. The LBK culture laid the groundwork for the development of more complex societies, contributing to the tapestry of European prehistory.
In conclusion, the Eastern Linear Pottery culture of Kruszyn exemplifies a pioneering Neolithic society that catalyzed fundamental changes in Europe's prehistoric landscape. Through their advances in agriculture, architecture, and art, they forged a template for future European cultures, leaving an indelible mark on the course of human development in the continent."
Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (lbk102) 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 (lbk102) 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 lbk102 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.
lbk102,0.1107692,0.1600516,4.2E-05,-0.0612436,0.0419392,-0.0278008,-0.00259,0.0012108,0.035862,0.0597952,-0.0016476,0.0087428,-0.0147212,-0.0088524,-0.0130184,0.0060164,0.0129628,0.0005548,0.001682,-0.0033076,-0.0016588,0.004344,-0.01042,-0.0163668,0.00418136
Genetic continuity, isolation, and gene flow in Stone Age Central and Eastern Europe
The genomic landscape of Stone Age Europe was shaped by multiple migratory waves and population replacements, but different regions do not all show similar patterns. To refine our understanding of the population dynamics before and after the dawn of the Neolithic, we generated and analyzed genomic sequence data from human remains of 56 individuals from the Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Eneolithic across Central and Eastern Europe. We found that Mesolithic European populations formed a geographically widespread isolation-by-distance zone ranging from Central Europe to Siberia, which was already established 10,000 years ago. We found contrasting patterns of population continuity during the Neolithic transition: people around the lower Dnipro Valley region, Ukraine, showed continuity over 4000 years, from the Mesolithic to the end of the Neolithic, in contrast to almost all other parts of Europe where population turnover drove this cultural change, including vast areas of Central Europe and around the Danube River.