Session: #464

Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each

Although the term Neolithic appears to be vague in many respects, there seems to be a common consensus regarding the main characteristics it encompasses. These refer, for instance, to a consolidated lifeway including aspects such as sedentism, agropastoralism and concomitant developments in material culture and ideology. Nevertheless, in many occasions, the elements commonly viewed as belonging to an established “Neolithic package”, do not seem to coexist. Indeed, a closer examination of the record on both an inter- and intra-regional level reveals considerable variability in terms of cultural and socioeconomic manifestations. Thus, viewing the Neolithic as a strictly defined entity is not always justified by the available evidence. Rather than retaining linear narratives of social evolution, modern approaches to the subject should highlight variable expressions and trajectories transcending the perceived norms.
This session seeks to assemble and discuss different case studies in order to explore alternative or diverging ways of life within a temporal context that is primarily defined as ‘Neolithic’. The geographical area under consideration will include the Mediterranean region and the Balkans. The discussion will focus on communities or micro-regions presenting atypical or paradox traces that are not solely explained by cultural isolation and the transitional or early status of the neolithisation process. Contributions referring to alternative subsistence strategies, diverse expressions in the organisation of the built environment, differential degrees of mobility and interaction between contiguous communities, as well as other relevant issues, are strongly encouraged.

Neolithic, socioeconomic variability, atypical communities

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Dr Dimitris Kloukinas (Greece) ¹

Dr Ioannis Voskos (Greece) ²
Mr Niels Andreasen (Denmark) ³