Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T06:10:26.609Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Early Neolithic communities in southern Dalmatia: Farming seafarers or seafaring farmers?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Bryon Bass
Bryon Bass*
Affiliation:
University of Zurich, Switzerland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Palaeoenvironmental data and vegetation histories derived from local datasets are examined in the light of Early Neolithic agro-pastoral activities and resource exploitation in the southeastern Adriatic Sea. Palynological evidence is summarized from three locations within the study area and compared to contemporaneous archaeological evidence. Coastal marine archaeological assemblages in the study area indicate that Early Neolithic inhabitants expended significant energy on terrestrial and marine hunting and gathering, and long distance maritime travel, well after the regional introduction of agro-pastoralism.

Données paléo-environnementales et histoire de la végétation, dérivées des ensembles de données locales sont examinées sous l'angle des activités agro-pastorales du Néolithique ancien et de l'exploitation des ressources dans la mer Adriatique du sud-est. On revient sur les évidences palynologiques provenant de trois endroits au sein de la région d'étude, et on les compare à des preuves archéologiques contemporaines. Les ensembles archéologiques marins et côtiers de la région étudiée indiquent que les hommes du Néolithique ancien déployaient considérablement d'énergie à la chasse terrestre et marine, au ramassage ainsi qu'aux voyages maritimes à longue distance; et cela longtemps après l'introduction régionale de l'agro-pastoralisme.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden Daten zur Paläo-Umwelt und zur Vegetationsgeschichte, die aus lokalen Datenserien gewonnen wurden, im Bezug auf ackerbäuerlich-viehzüchterische Aktivitäten und Ressourcenausbeutung der südöstlichen Adria untersucht. Von drei Plätzen im Bearbeitungsgebiet werden palynologische Belege zusammengefasst und mit Daten aus gleichzeitigen archäologischen Kontexten verglichen.

Marine archäologische Fundkomplexe des Küstenraumes des Arbeitsgebietes weisen darauf hin, dass die frühneolithischen Bewohner noch eine geraume Zeit nach der regionalen Einführung der bäuerlichen Lebensweise große Energie für das Jagen und Sammeln zu Land und zu Wasser sowie für weitreichende Reisen über See aufwendeten.

Keywords

Adriaticarchaeo-ethnobotanyDalmatiaEarly Neolithicmarine resource exploitationMljetpalaeoenvironmentpalynologySušacAdriatiquearchéo-ethnobotaniqueDalmatieNéolithique ancienexploitation des ressources maritimesMljetpaléo-environnementpalynologieSušacAdriaDalmatienMljetSušacFrühneolithikumAusbeutung mariner RessourcenPaläo-UmweltArchäoethnobotanikPalynologie
Type
Articles
Information
European Journal of Archaeology , Volume 11 , Issue 2-3 , 2008 , pp. 245 - 265
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Sage Publications 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adams, L. 1999. Maritime Connections in the Adriatic: 6000-2000 BC. Unpublished MA dissertation: Department of Archaeology, University of Southampton.Google Scholar
Andersen, S. and Bertelsen, F., 1972. Scanning electron microscope studies of pollen of cereals and other grasses. Grana 12(2):79–86.Google Scholar
Andrič, M. 2007. Holocene vegetation development in Bela krajina (Slovenia) and the impact of first farmers on the landscape. The Holocene 17(6):763–776.Google Scholar
Barić, A., Gačić, M., Grbec, B., Margeta, J., Miloš, B., Onofri, I. and Veldič, V., 1996. Implications of expected climatic changes for the Kaštela Bay region of Croatia. In Jeftić, L., Kečkeš, S. and Pernetta, J.C. (eds), Climatic Change in the Mediterranean, Vol. 2:143–249. London: Arnold Publishers.Google Scholar
Bass, B., 1997. An Archaeological Assessment of the Prehistoric and Protohistoric Evidence from the Island of Korčula, Croatia. Unpublished PhD dissertation: University of Edinburgh, Scotland.Google Scholar
Bass, B., 1998. Early Neolithic offshore accounts: remote islands, maritime exploitations, and the trans-Adriatic cultural network. journal of Mediterranean Archaeology 11(2):165–190.Google Scholar
Bass, B., 2004. The maritime expansion of Early Neolithic agro-pastoralism in the eastern Adriatic Sea. Atti della Società per la Preistoria e Protostoria della Regione Friuli-Venezia Giulia XIV 2003(2004):45–60.Google Scholar
Bass, B., Radić, D. and Kirigin, B., 1997. Sušac 1997. Obavijesti Hrvatskog Arheološkog Društva (Zagreb) 29(3):70–72.Google Scholar
Batović, Š., 1966. Stariji Neolit u Dalmaciji. Zadar: Arheološki Muzej Zadar.Google Scholar
Bertović, S., 1963. Pflanzensoziologische Kartierungen in Kroatien und in anderen Teilen Jugoslawiens. In Tüxen, Reinhold (ed.), Bericht über das Internationale Symposion für Vegetationskartierung in Stolzenau/Weser: 231–243. Weinheim: Cramer.Google Scholar
Beug, H.-J., 1961. Beiträge zur postglazialen Floren und Vegetationsgeschichte in Süddalmatien: Der See ‘Malo Jezero’ auf Mljet. Flora 150:600–631.Google Scholar
Beug, H.-J., 1962. Über die ersten anthropogenen Vegetationsgeschichte in Süddalmatien an Hand eines neuen Pollendiagrammes vom ‘Malo Jezero’ auf Mljet. Veröffentlichung des Geobotanischen Instituts der ETH, Stiftung Rübel 37:9–15.Google Scholar
Beug, H.-J., 1967. On the forest history of the Dalmatian coast. Review of Pal aeobotany and Palynology 2(1):271–279.Google Scholar
Beug, H.-J., 1977. Vegetationsgeschichte Untersuchungen im Küstenbereich von Istrien (Jugoslawien). Flora 166:357–381.Google Scholar
Beug, H.-J. 1982. Vegetation history and climatic changes in central and southern Europe. In Harding, A. F. (ed.), Climatic Change in Later Prehistory: 85–102. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.Google Scholar
Brande, A., 1973. Untersuchen zur postglazialen Vegetationsgeschichte im Gebiet der Neretva-Niederungen. Flora 162:1–44.Google Scholar
Brusić, M., 1995. Naselje iz starijeg neolitska na Vrbici kod Bribir. Diadora 16–17:1–49.Google Scholar
Čečuk, B., and Radić, D. 1995. Vela Špilja: Pretpovijest Otoka Korčule. Katalog Izložbe Dubrovnik: Knežev Dvor.Google Scholar
Chapman, J., and Müller, J., 1990. Early farmers in the Mediterranean Basin: the Dalmatian evidence. Antiquity 64(242):127–134.Google Scholar
Chapman, J., Schwartz, C., Turner, J. and Shlel, R. 1990. New absolute dates for prehistoric and Roman Dalmatia. Vjesnik za Arheologiju I Historiju Dalmatinsku (Split) 83:29–46.Google Scholar
Chapman, J., Shiel, R. and Batović, Š, 1996. The Changing Face of Dalmatia. London: Leicester University Press and Society of Antiquaries of London.Google Scholar
Della Casa, P., 1996. Velika Gruda II, Doe bronzezeitliche Nekropole Velika Gruda (Opš. Kotor, Montenegro). Bonn: Habelt GmbH.Google Scholar
Edwards, K.J., Halstead, P. and Zvelebil, M., 1996. The Neolithic transition in the Balkans - archaeological perspectives and palaeoecological evidence: a com-ment on Willis and Bennett. The Holocene 6(1):120–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Forenbaher, S., 1999. The earliest islanders of the eastern Adriatic. Collegium Antropologicum 23:521–530.Google Scholar
Forenbaher, S., Gaffney, V., Hayes, J., Kaiser, T., Kirigin, B., Leach, P. and Vujnović, N. 1994. Hvar, Vis, Palagruža: A preliminary report on the Adriatic Island Project. Vjesnik za Arheologiju i Historiju Dalmatinsku (Split) 86:13–52.Google Scholar
Hopf, M. 1964. Untersuchung der Getreidefunde im Hüttenlehrn aus Danilo. In Korošec, J. (ed.), Danilo in danilska kultura: 107–108. Ljubljana: Filozofske Fakultete.Google Scholar
Horvat, J., 1954. Pflanzengeographische Gleiderung Siidosteuropas. Vegatatio 5/6:434–447.Google Scholar
Huntley, B. and Bikics, H.J.B., 1983. An Atlas of Past and Present Pollen Maps for Europe: 0–13000 Years Ago. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Huttunen, P., 1980. Early land use, especially the slash-and-burn cultivation in the commune of Lammi, southern Finland, interpreted mainly using char-coal and pollen analysis. Acta Botanica Fennica 113:1–45.Google Scholar
Huttunen, A., Huttunen, R.L., Vasarl, Y., Panovska, H. and Božmova, E., 1992. Late-glacial and Holocene history of flora and vegetation in the Western Rhodopes Mountains, Bulgaria. Acta Botanica Fennica 144:63–80.Google Scholar
Jahns, S., 1991. Untersuchungen über die holozäne Vegetationsgeschichte von Süddalmatien und Südgriechenland. Göttingen: Cuvilier Verlag, Georg-August-Univ.Google Scholar
Jahns, S., 2002. An improved time scale for the Holocene history of vegetation and environment on the south Dalmatian Island of Mljet. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 11(4):315–316.Google Scholar
Jahns, S. and Van Den Bogaard, C., 1998. New palynological and tephrostrati-graphical investigations of two salt lagoons on the island on Mljet, south Dalmatia, Croatia. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 7(4):219–234.Google Scholar
Kaiser, T. and Kirigin, B., 1994. Palagruža, arheološko srce Jadrana. Arheo (Ljubljana) 16:65–71.Google Scholar
Kaiser, T. and Vujnović, N., 1995. Krajicina Spilja: An Early Bronze Age cave, island of Vis. Obavijesti Hrvatskog Arheologkog Društva (Zagreb) 27(2):30–36.Google Scholar
Karg, S. and Müller, J., 1990. Neolithische Getreidefunde aus Pokrovnik, Dalmatien. Architologisches Korrespondenzblatt 20:373–386.Google Scholar
Krigin, B., 1995. Mali otok u velikom Muzeju - Palagruža u Toronto. Obavijesti Hrvatsko Arheološkog Društva (Zagreb) 27(2):61–66.Google Scholar
Magri, D., 1996. The Neolithic and palaeoecology in the Balkans: a comment on Willis and Bennett. The Holocene 6(1):119–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miracle, P., 1997. Early Holocene foragers in the karst of northern Istria. Poročilo O. Raziskovanju Paleolitika, Neolitika in Eneolitica v Sloveniji 23 (Ljubljana):43–61.Google Scholar
Müller, J., 1988a. Cultural definition of the Early Neolithic and its interaction in the eastern Adriatic. Berytus 36:101–125.Google Scholar
Müller, J., 1988b. Škarin Samograd-eine frühneolitische Station mit mono-chromer Ware und Impresso Keramik an der Ostadria. Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 18:219–35.Google Scholar
Müller, J., 1991. Die ostadrische Impresso-Kultur: zeitliche Gliederung und kulturelle Einbindung. Germania 69:311–358.Google Scholar
Müller, J., 1994. Das Ostadriatische Frühneolithikum. Die Impresso-Kultur und die Neolithisierung des Adriaraumes. Berlin: Wissenschaftsverlag Volker Spiess (Prähistorische Archäologie in Südosteuropa, Band 9).Google Scholar
Oldfleld, F., Asioll, A., Accorsi, C.A., Mercurl, A.M., Jugons, S., Langone, L., Rolph, T., Trincardi, F., Wolff, G., Gibbs, Z., Vigliotti, L., Frignani, M., Van Der Post, K. and Branch, N., 2003. A high resolution late Holocene palaeo-environ-mental record from the central Adriatic Sea. Quaternary Science Reviews 22(2–4):319–342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rackham, O., 1982. Land use and the native vegetation of Greece. In Bell, M. and Limbrey, S. (eds), Archaeological Aspects of Woodland Ecology: 177–198. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports (International Series 146).Google Scholar
Radić, D., Bass, B. and Della Casa, P., 1998. Arheologka istraZivanja na otoku Sugcu: sezona 1998. Obavijesti Hrvatskog Arheologkog Drugtva (Zagreb) 30(3):55–59.Google Scholar
Radić, D., Bass, B. and Della Casa, P., 2000. Arheološka istraživanja na otoku Sugcu: sezona 2000. Obavijesti Hrvatskog Arheologkog Društva (Zagreb) 32(3):59–62.Google Scholar
Roberts, N., 1989. The Holocene: an Environmental History. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.Google Scholar
Samaja-Korjonen, K., 1992. Fine interval pollen and charcoal analysis as tracers of early clearance periods in S. Finland. Acta Botanica Fennica 146:1–75.Google Scholar
Schwartz, C., 1988. The Neolithic animal husbandry of Smilčić and Nin. In Chapman, J.C., Bintliff, J., Gaffney, V. and Slapšak, B. (eds), Recent Developments in Yugoslav Archaeology: 45–75. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports (International Series 431).Google Scholar
Spartaro, M., 2002. The First Farming Communities of the Adriatic: Pottery Production and Circulation in the Early and Middle Neolithic. Trieste: Edizioni Svevo (Società per la Preistoria e Protostoria della Regione Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Quaderno 9).Google Scholar
Srdoć, D., Sliepčević, A., Bronić, I. K. and Horvatinić, N., 1984. Rudjer Boskovic Radiocarbon Measurements IX. Radiocarbon 26(3):449–460.Google Scholar
Willis, K.J., Bennett, K.D., 1994. The Neolithic transition - fact or fiction? Palaeoecological evidence from the Balkans. The Holocene 4(3):326–330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wmus, K.J. and Bennett, K.D., 1996. The Neolithic transition in the Balkans: replies to Magri and to Edwards et al. The Holocene 6(1):123.Google Scholar
Wunsam, S., Schmidt, R. and Müller, J., 1999. Holocene lake development of two Dalmatian lagoons (Malo and Veliko Jezero, Isle of Mljet) in respect to changes in Adriatic sea level and climate. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Pal aeoecology 146:251–281.Google Scholar
Zohary, D. and Hopf, M., 1994. Domestication of Plants in the Old World. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar