Abstract:

This volume presents the second part of the results of an international research project on the Early Neolithic site of Vráble, one of the largest LBK settlement agglomerations in Central Europe, that was started in 2012 and aims to explore the social implications of settlement concentration in the context of early farming communities, on the background of subsistence patterns and landscape use.

The second volume of “Archaeology in the Žitava valley” presents the finds, features and data uncovered and synthesised from our archaeological, geophysical, archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological and stable isotope studies on the LBK and Želiezovce settlement sites of Vlkas ‘Do hulského chotára’ and Úlany nad Žitavou ‘Dolné diely’ among other sites in south-western Slovakia. It puts these data into the wider context of LBK settlement patterns and absolute dating in Central Europe and explores possible land-use scenarios. Finally, it links this research back to the LBK settlement agglomeration of Vráble and analyses the relationship between this central place and lesser sites in its vicinity.

Contents

Prefaces

Section 1: Introduction

1.1. Introduction to the geographic setting and the archaeological research project in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Martin Furholt, Ivan Cheben, Knut Rassmann, Nils Müller-Scheeßel

Section 2: Spatial scales

2.1. The geographic environment in the settlement area of the LBK and its limits to its adjacent regions
Fynn Wilkes

2.2. Geophysical investigations at Úľany nad Žitavou and Vlkas in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Natalie Pickartz, Tina Wunderlich, Erica Corradini, Ercan Erkul, Diana Panning, Dennis Wilken, Martin Furholt, Wolfgang Rabbel

2.3. Prospection results of the LBK and Želiezovce settlement sites in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Bastian Breitenfeld

Section 3: Social scales

3.1. Built structures of the Early Neolithic in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Robert Staniuk, Nils Müller-Scheeßel, Martin Furholt, Ivan Cheben

3.2. Pottery and ornamental styles of the Early Neolithic in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Ivan Cheben, Alena Bistáková

3.3. The animal remains at the LBK and Želiezovce settlement sites Úľany nad Zitavou and Vlkas in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Rebekka Eckelmann, Nils Eberle

3.4. Availability and choice of plant resources at the LBK and Želiezovce settlement sites Úľany nad Žitavou and Vlkas in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia: Archaeobotanical and anthracological analyses
Dragana Filipović, Tim M. Schroedter, Tanja Reiser, Wiebke Kirleis

3.5. Integrated plant and faunal stable isotopic analysis from the archaeozoological and archaeobotanical assemblages of the LBK and Želiezovce settlement sites Úľany nad Žitavou and Vlkas in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Rosalind E. Gillis, Rebekka Eckelmann, Dragana Filipović

Section 4: Temporal scales

4.1. Radiocarbon dates from the Early Neolithic settlement sites Úľany nad Žitavou and Vlkas in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia
Nils Müller-Scheeßel, Robert Staniuk, John Meadows, Martin Furholt

4.2. The absolute dating of the Late LBK
Tine Karck, Nils Müller-Scheeßel

Section 5: Integrating scales

5.1. Simulating land use scenarios for the LBK and Želiezovce settlement site of Vráble, south-western Slovakia
Julian Laabs

5.2. Spatial modelling of LBK and Lengyel settlement territories in eastern Central Europe: A new approach to understanding population dynamics, social structures, and exchange networks
Sebastian Schultrich, Knut Rassmann, Kata Szilágyi, Martin Furholt

5.3. Prehistoric communities in the Žitava valley, south-western Slovakia – integrating scales
Maria Wunderlich, Ivan Cheben, Alena Bistáková, Martin Furholt, Nils Müller-Scheeßel, Robert Staniuk