Archaeologists have uncovered one of the first instances of interaction between Neolithic farmers and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in central Europe, indicating a level of technology transfer not observed before.
As Neolithic farmers first migrated into central Europe, they targeted areas that had fertile soils. The northernmost outpost they reached initially was the site of Eilsleben in Germany.
It is one of the most extensively researched archaeological sites in Germany, with over 10,000 square metres excavated, but we’re still learning new things about the people who lived there.
Recent geomagnetic research indicates the site was much larger than expected, containing over 80,000 square metres of settlement structures enclosed by possible defensive lines.
These extensive fortifications make the site unique in comparison to its contemporaries, supporting evidence for increased conflict and territorialisation in early Neolithic central Europe.
However, despite Eilsleben clearly being an agricultural site with Neolithic tools, fitting in with the wider Linear Pottery Culture of the Early Neolithic, a rich assemblage of seemingly Mesolithic artefacts has now been uncovered.
Antler tools, such as axes, and an antler mask similar to that of the iconic Bad Dürrenberg ‘shaman’ indicate contact with local Mesolithic foragers. Antler flakes show the artefacts were produced on-site.
This indicates clear interaction and technology transfer between hunter-gatherers and farmers on Europe’s Neolithic frontier, where Neolithic settlers were likely using and producing tools in the traditions of the local Mesolithic peoples.
In the borderland between Early Neolithic and Late Mesolithic worlds, there seems to have been much more interaction and technological exchange than previously observed.