A new study suggests that Neolithic farming communities in Central Europe lived without social hierarchy, challenging long-held assumptions about early agricultural societies.
Researchers from the University of Vienna and Harvard University analyzed DNA from more than 250 individuals, offering the most detailed genetic insights yet into the Linear Pottery Culture (LBK).
The findings, published in Nature Human Behaviour, reveal an egalitarian lifestyle with no evidence of social divisions, providing a fresh perspective on how early farmers lived and expanded across Europe.
Farming expansion and cultural homogeneity
The spread of agriculture into Central Europe occurred during the 6th millennium BCE. Farmers from the Balkans moved swiftly along the Danube River, reaching modern-day France, Hungary, and Ukraine within a few generations.
Archaeological evidence indicates that the cultural practices of these communities were remarkably consistent over thousands of kilometers.
However, researchers face challenges in understanding their social structures. While cultural remains show homogeneity, gaps in genetic data have made it difficult to determine whether these societies practiced social equality or which individuals participated in long-distance migrations.
Key discoveries from LBK genetic studies
To bridge the gaps, a team of over 80 geneticists, anthropologists, and archaeologists analyzed genetic data alongside burial contexts, radiocarbon dates, and dietary information. Their findings confirmed that LBK communities expanded over vast areas in a short time frame.
“We have successfully found distant relatives in Slovakia and others in Western Germany, more than 800 km away,” said Pere Gelabert, a scientist at the University of Vienna. This discovery highlights the extensive kinship networks of LBK communities, reflecting their mobility and connectivity.
Ron Pinhasi, another lead researcher, emphasized the equality within these groups. He said that at sites in Slovakia and Hungary, people ate similar foods, were buried with comparable grave goods, and shared common origins. This suggests no evidence of inequality based on family or biological sex.
The collapse of the LBK culture
The Linear Pottery Culture came to an end around 5000 BCE, possibly due to social and economic crises. Evidence points to episodes of widespread violence, including the Massacre of Asparn-Schletz in Lower Austria.
At this site, over 100 individuals were found in a ditch with clear signs of violent deaths, including fractures and other injuries.
Genetic studies of the victims revealed fewer than 10 were related, challenging theories that the massacre targeted a single community.
Earlier findings by bioanthropologist Maria Teschler-Nicola also noted an absence of young women among the victims, with many children present instead. This raises questions about the motives behind the violence, leaving multiple interpretations open.
This research provides a clearer picture of Neolithic communities, highlighting the mobility, equality, hierarchy, and challenges faced by early farming societies. The findings underscore the complexity of human history during the dawn of agriculture and hint at the broader forces that shaped the first European communities.
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