The Cultural Project: Formal Chronological Modelling of the Early and Middle Neolithic Sequence in Lower Alsace

A significant hiatus between the end of the Linear Pottery culture (LBK) and the start of the Hinkelstein group, dating to around 4000 cal BC, has been identified in Lower Alsace, part of the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley. This gap suggests a broader phenomenon across the Rhineland, with full landscape reoccupation only occurring during the Grossgartach phase. The study employed Bayesian statistical modelling of radiocarbon dates to analyze ceramic changes and settlement patterns, revealing a dynamic Neolithic period marked by frequent relocations, adjustments, and cultural shifts. Radical transitions were also documented at the end of the Middle Neolithic, offering new insights into the pace and nature of cultural change in this region.

Denaire, A., Lefranc, P., Wahl, J., Bronk Ramsey, C., Dunbar, E., Goslar, T., Bayliss, A., Beavan, N., Bickle, P., & Whittle, A. (2017). The Cultural Project: Formal Chronological Modelling of the Early and Middle Neolithic Sequence in Lower Alsace. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 24(4), 1072–1149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-016-9307-x