LBK Realpolitik: An Archaeometric Study of Conflict and Social Structure in the Belgian Early Neolithic

Mark Golitko

• Publisher: Archaeopress
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781784910884
• eBook ISBN: 9781784910891
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

The causes and consequences of violence and warfare have long interested social scientists, historians, and philosophers. While economic motivations for conflict are among the most commonly discussed drivers of human violence, prehistorians have often downplayed economic factors when studying non-state society. This volume explores linkages between conflict and socioeconomic organization during the early Neolithic of eastern Belgium (c. 5200-5000 BC), using compositional analysis of ceramics from Linienbandkeramik villages to assess production organization and map intercommunity connections against the backdrop of increasing evidence for conflict.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Chapter 1
• Figure 1. Map of northwestern Europe, showing the distribution of the LBK culture. The Hesbaye region of Belgium is indicated by a black square.
• Figure 2. Map of the Hesbayen LBK distribution, showing distribution of enclosed sites and sites included in the present study.
• Chapter 2
• Chaper 3
• Figure 3. Distribution of earliest LBK sites, showing limits of LBK settlement and the distribution of La Hoguette ceramics (1. Baja 2. Fajsz 3. Becseheley 4. Medina 5. Vörs-Máriaasszonysziget 6. Zalavár 7. Szentgyörgyvölgy-Pityerdomb 8. Gellénháza 9. Bal
• Figure 4. Furthest limits of LBK settlement with distribution of Limburg ceramics indicated. (LBK sites: 1. Zofipole 2. Olszanica 3. Zeliezovce 4. Keszthely 5. Skoroszowice 6. Schletz-Asparn 7. Mold 8. Bylany 9. Aiterhofen 10. Leipzig-Plaussig 11. Rehms
• Figure 5. Raw material sources mentioned in the text (1. Volynian flint 2. Šweiciochów flint 3. Polish banded flint 4. “Chocolate” flint 5. Tokaj (obsidian) 6. Jurassic flint 7. Szentgál (radiolarite) 8. Wittlingen (chert) 9. Odenwald (amphibolite) 10. V
• Figure 6. Distribution of enclosed LBK villages, with period of occupation indicated.
• Chapter 4
• Figure 7. Map of the western Hesbaye region of Belgium, showing principal geological units and modern communities.
• Figure 8. Map of eastern Belgium and the Dutch Limburg showing the distribution of LBK sites and important raw material sources.
• Figure 9. LBK sites in eastern Belgium (1. Vaux-et-Borset Gibour 2. Vieux-Waleffe 3. Dommartin 4. Harduémont ‘Petit Paradis’ 5. Hollogne-aux-Pierres 6. Liège Place St. Lambert 7. Fexhe le haut Clocher Voroux-Goreux 8. Donceel Ferme de l’Abbaye 9. Omal ru
• Figure 10. Fineware vessels from Waremme-Longchamps: a. Vessel 87023_B-87040_B, a typical IIc style pot with punctate decoration b. 88010_T-88024_X-88024A_B, a IId style pot decorated with comb impressions. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 11. Map of Waremme-Longchamps, showing distribution of predominant ceramic style and ceramic refits (black lines) between features.
• Figure 12. Map of Darion-Colia.
• Figure 13. Radiocarbon dates from Hesbayen LBK sites. Dates included in two-phase Bayesian models are indicated: p = pioneer, v = village, e = early, l = late.
• Figure 14. Results of the ‘pooled-short lived’ Bayesian model, with date ranges shown plotted on the IntCal 13 atmospheric curve, as well as modelled probability ranges for the beginning and end of Hesbayen LBK settlement (insert).
• Figure 15. Modelled probability ranges for phase begin and end dates in the ‘pioneer/village’ model.
• Figure 16. Modelled probability ranges for phase begin and end dates in the ‘early/late’ model.
• Figure 17. Map of Oleye al Zêpe. Pits highlighted in grey contained pottery indicative of a IIc or earlier assignment, while pits highlighted in black contained pottery indicative of a IId assignment.
• Figure 18. Upper margin of feature HSG85035, one of the lithic atelier pits excavated at Darion-Colia. Scanned from the original excavation photo.
• Figure 19. Feature OZ87046 (1. clay 2. grinding stone 3. clay 4. coarseware jar containing processed clay 5. deposit of grog temper 7. grinding stone 8. clay 9. grinding stone 10. clay 11. burnishing pebble). Scanned from the original excavation photo.
• Figure 20. Vessel 88127_CrG, a small coarseware vessel from Waremme-Longchamps interpreted as a ‘learner’s’ pot. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 21. Fineware pots from Waremme-Longchamps feature 88021 exhibiting identical decoration and form. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 22. Map of Hesbayen LBK sites, showing proposed exchange links between sites as reconstructed by van Berg from morphological and stylistic analysis of fineware pots.
• Figure 23. Axe and adze raw material zones in eastern Belgium. Redrawn from data in Toussaint and Toussaint (1982: 514-517): I. Predominance of volcanic and metamorphic rocks of foreign origin II. Predominance of volcanic and metamorphic rocks of foreign
• Figure 24. RMS B artifacts surface collected at Waremme-Longchamps: a. end scraper on Wommersom quartzite b. asymmetrical trapeze on SGG flint. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 25. Non-LBK style ceramics excavated at Fexhe le haut Clocher- Podrî l’Cortri. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 26. Vessels WLP88009_R (a.) and WLP88009_Q (b.), non-LBK style bone-tempered pots excavated at Waremme-Longchamps. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 27. LBK site sub-clusters in the Hesbaye as proposed by Quick (2010).
• Chapter 5
• Figure 28. Accuracy as estimated from 72 replicate measurements of New Ohio Red clay.
• Figure 29. Precision as estimated from 72 replicate measurements of New Ohio Red clay.
• Figure 30. Ceramic sample analyzed by LA-ICP-MS. DA = Darion-Colia, WLP = Waremme-Longchamps, OZ = Oleye al Zêpe, REM = Remicourt en bia flo II, FHC = Fexhe le haut Clocher-Podrî l’Cortri.
• Figure 31. Map of Darion-Colia indicating numbers of ceramic samples taken from sampled features.
• Figure 32. Map of southeastern corner of Waremme-Longchamps indicating numbers of ceramic samples taken from sampled features.
• Figure 33. Map of western portion of Oleye al Zêpe indicating numbers of ceramic samples taken from sampled features.
• Figure 34. Map of Remicourt en bia flo II indicating numbers of ceramic samples taken from sampled features.
• Figure 35. Map of Fexhe le haut Clocher-Podrî l’Cortri indicating numbers of ceramic samples taken from sampled features.
• Figure 36. Geological map of the Hesbaye, showing locations from which clay samples were collected. 1km and 7km buffers around each study site are indicated.
• Figure 37. Clay sampling location BUR007, showing location of clay sample HBC099, a Campanian clay taken from the banks of the Burdinale stream.
• Figure 38. Raw material samples analyzed by geological unit.
• Chapter 6
• Figure 39. Average concentrations of potentially mobile elements in LBK coarseware, LBK fineware, loess samples, and daub. Concentrations are displayed on a logarithmic scale.
• Figure 40. Box and whisker plot of ceramic phosphorus concentrations by site. Outliers exceeding two and three standard deviations from the mean are denoted individually.
• Figure 41. R-Q mode biplot of the first two principal components extracted from the ceramic correlation matrix, showing patterning consistent with silica dilution. Numbers in parenthesis denote the amount of variability expressed on each component.
• Figure 42. Scree plot showing eigenvalues, % variance, and cumulative % variance for the first 16 components generated from a principal components analysis of dilution corrected elemental concentrations in ceramics.
• Figure 43. Eigenvalues, % variance, and cumulative % variance for the first 16 components generated from a principal components analysis of dilution corrected elemental concentrations in ceramics.
• Figure 44. Elemental loadings on the first 16 components generated from a principal components analysis of dilution corrected elemental concentrations in ceramics.
• Figure 45. R-Q mode biplot of the first two principal components extracted from the dilution corrected ceramic correlation mat ix. Numbers in parenthesis denote the amount of variability expressed on each component.
• Figure 46. R-Q mode biplot of the first two principal components extracted from the dilution corrected ceramic correlation matrix, with chemical Groups 1-8 plotted as individual symbols and surrounded by their corresponding 90% confidence ellipses. Numb
• Figure 47. Bivariate plot of logged (base-10) Sb and K concentrations in the eight identified chemical groups and unassigned ceramic sherds. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges.
• Figure 48. Bivariate plot of logged (base-10) Rb and Th concentrations. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges.
• Figure 49. Bivariate plot of logged (base-10) Rb and Cr concentrations. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges.
• Figure 50. Bivariate plot of logged (base-10) Ho and Ni concentrations. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges.
• Figure 51. Biplot of principal components 4 and 5, showing the principal elemental distinctions between ceramic chemical Groups 1 and 2. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges. Numbers in parenthesis denote the amount of variability expressed on each com
• Figure 52. Bivariate plot of logged (base-10) Li and Be concentrations. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges.
• Figure 53. C1 chondrite-normalized average Y and REE concentrations for each of the eight identified ceramic chemical groups.⤀
• Figure 54. Mahalanobis distance based probabilities of membership in ceramic chemical Groups 1 and 2 for non-LBK style sherds.
• Figure 55. Bivariate plot of logged (base 10) Rb and Cr concentrations showing non-LBK style ceramics projected against the 90% confidence ellipses for chemical Groups 1, 2, 4, 5, and 8.
• Figure 56. Results for sherds analyzed in petrographic thin-section.
• Figure 57. Representative micrographs (4x magnification) of ceramic and raw material thin-sections.
• Figure 58. Summary of petrographic results by chemical group.
• Figure 59. Bivariate plot of P and U concentrations in clay samples with a linear regression line indicating correlation between the two elements likely due to secondary vivianite formation in some samples.
• Figure 60. Bivariate plot of logged (base 10) Li and Na concentrations, showing distinctions among clays from sampled geological units. Ellipses denote 90% confidence ranges for units with more than four measured samples.
• Figure 61. C1 chondrite-normalized average Y and REE concentrations for major sampled geological units. Note that concentrations are plotted on the same vertical scale as ceramic chemical group values in Figure 53.
• Figure 62. Mahalanobis distance based probabilities of membership in ceramic chemical Groups 1 and 2 for all analyzed geological and raw material samples.
• Figure 63. Bivariate plot of logged (base-10) Li and Be concentrations with ceramic chemical Groups 1, 2, and 8 samples projected against the 90% confidence ellipses for the most widely distributed geological units in the Hesbaye.
• Figure 64. C1 chondrite-normalized average concentrations for ceramic chemical Groups 1, 2, 5, and 8 plotted over chondrite-normalized averaged concentrations for geological samples.
• Figure 65. Sherds assigned to Group 4: a. DA027 b. DA047 c. DA048 d. DA049 e. OZ043 f. WLP015. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 66. Decorated fineware vessel 87022_J-87040_F (sample WLP050) from Waremme-Longchamps, assigned to chemical Group 5. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 67. Sample FHC4243, fragments of a decorated fineware vessel from Fexhe le haut Clocher-Podrî l’Cortri assigned to chemical Group 6. Scale bar units = 1cm.
• Figure 68. Distribution of the eight identified chemical groups across the five study sites.
• Chapter 7
• Figure 69. Frequency of ceramic chemical groups by chronological assignment.
• Figure 70. Frequency of likely local Hesbayen versus non-Hesbayen produced ceramics by chronological assignment.
• Figure 72. Relative frequencies of non-Hesbayen ceramic chemical groups by chronological assignment divided by site.
• Figure 73. Relative frequencies of local Hesbayen ceramic chemical groups by chronological assignment.
• Figure 74. Relative frequencies of local Hesbayen ceramic chemical groups by chronological assignment divided by site.
• Figure 75. Results of chi-square tests for local Hesbayen ceramic chemical group frequencies by site.
• Figure 76. Frequency of local Hesbayen chemical groups divided by site, ware type, and chronological association.
• Figure 77. Ceramic volumetric measures by site, ware type, and chronological association.
• Figure 78. Oleye al Zêpe feature 87159, containing dense layers of broken coarseware pottery interpreted as production wasters. Scanned from original excavation photo.
• Figure 79. Chipped-stone raw material percentages from Darion-Colia, Waremme-Longchamps, and Oleye al Zêpe, divided by chronological association. SGH = fine-grained Hesbayen flint, SGG = coarse-grained Hesbayen flint, GQW = Wommersom quartzite, BQY = Bl
• Figure 81. Measures of lithic production intensity at Darion-Colia, Waremme-Longchamps, and Oleye al Zêpe for primary Hesbayen flint types, divided by chronological association.
• Figure 82. Examples of groundstone axes and adzes from Waremme-Longchamps: a. phtanite Schuleistenkeil b. gres micaceous adze c. metamorphic adze d. sedimentary adze e. phtanite adze rough out f. hematite axe.
• Figure 83. Frequencies of groundstone axe and adze raw materials at Waremme-Longchamps divided by chronological association.
• Figure 84. Weight percentages for different axe raw materials at Waremme-Longchamps divided by chronological association.
• Figure 85. Counts of gres micaceous (top) and phtanite (bottom) adzes and axes surface collected from Belgian LBK sites reported by Toussaint and Toussaint (1982).
• Figure 86. Counts of potentially Mesolithic style projectile points, objects made of Wommersom quartzite (GQW) and likely LBK-style projectile points recovered at Darion-Colia, Waremme-Longchamps, and Oleye al Zêpe.
• Figure 87. Frequencies of potentially Mesolithic style projectile points, objects made of Wommersom quartzite (GQW) and likely LBK-style projectile points relative to total tool counts at Darion-Colia, Waremme-Longchamps, and Oleye al Zêpe.
• Figure 88. Frequencies of Group 1 ceramics relative to all local Hesbayen ceramics (Groups 1, 2, and 8) as a function of distance from Darion-Colia, divided by chronological association. Linear regression lines and correlation coefficients for both time
• Figure 89. Matrix of site by site pair-wise Brainerd-Robinson coefficients calculated on chemical group frequencies for early period assemblages.
• Figure 90. Matrix of site by site pair-wise Brainerd-Robinson coefficients calculated on chemical group frequencies for late period assemblages.
• Figure 91. Site by site pair-wise Brainerd-Robinson coefficients displayed as graphs with link weights indicated by line thick ess and sites positioned geographically. Links below BR = 34 are omitted.
• Figure 92. Straight-line distances between Wange-Neerhespenveld and selected sites in the Hesbaye including all fortified villages and villages included in the present study.
• Chapter 8
• Figure 93. Site by site summary of evidence for craft production and exchange patterns by chronological association.
• Figure 94. Ceramic samples analyzed by LA-ICP-MS. DA = Darion-Colia, FHC = Fexhe le haut Clocher Podrî l’Cortri, OZ = Oleye al Zêpe, REM = Remicourt en bia flo II, WLP = Waremme-Longchamps.
• Figure 95. Geological and raw material samples analyzed by LA-ICP-MS.
• Figure 96. Mahalanobis Distance based probabilities of group membership for all analyzed ceramic samples relative to chemical Groups 1 and 2, calculated on the basis of the first 16 principal components extracted from the correlation matrix of the comple
• Figure 97. Mean concentration values and standard deviations for ceramic chemical groups. All values are listed as parts per million concentrations except where otherwise noted. Numbers in brackets next to each group name are the numbers of sherds belo g
• Figure 98. Mean concentration values and standard deviations for geological samples by unit. All concentrations are listed as parts per million concentrations except where otherwise noted. Numbers in brackets to the right of unit names are the number o