Prehistoric demography and the spread of the Neolithic: mathematical models based on radiocarbon dates
by
Prof.Anvar Shukurov(School of Mathematics and Statistics, Newcastle University, U.K.)
→
Europe/Stockholm
Klein Auditorium
Klein Auditorium
Description
The transition from hunting and gathering to farming, associated with the
transition to the Neolithic (from about 7000 to 4000 BC in Europe)
was a pivotal development in history. This transition, often called
the "Neolithic revolution", introduced deep changes in the economic and
social development of humans. With the arrival of the Neolithic, hunting
and food gathering gave way to agriculture and stock breeding in many
parts of Europe; pottery-making spread into even broader areas. The
gradual spread of the farming technologies from the Near East to Europe
is well documented by numerous radiocarbon dates. We present a
mathematical model, based on a compilation of radiocarbon dates, of the
spread of the Neolithic. Our population dynamics model suggests the
presence of two waves of advance, one from the Near East (carrying
farming technologies), and another through Eastern Europe (introducing
pottery making). Thus, we provide a quantitative framework in which a
unified interpretation of the Western and Eastern Neolithic can be
developed.
