Isotope and archaeobotanical analysis reveal radical changes in mobility, diet and inequalities around 1500 BCE at the core of Europe

Cavazzuti, Claudio and Horváth, Anikó and Gémes, Anett and Fülöp, Kristóf György and Szeniczey, Tamás and Tarbay, János Gábor and McCall, Ashley and Rubio, Beatriz Gamarra and Vicze, Magdolna and Bárány, Annamária and Pető, Ákos and Magyari, Enikő Katalin and Darabos, Gabriella and Futó, István and Lisztes-Szabó, Zsuzsa and Molnár, Erika and Novak, Mario and Gál, Erika and Pusztainé Fischl, Klára and Kulcsár, Gabriella and Szeverényi, Vajk and Szabó, Géza and Mester, Edit and Dani, János and Palcsu, László and Kiss, Viktória and Major, István and Hajdu, Tamás (2025) Isotope and archaeobotanical analysis reveal radical changes in mobility, diet and inequalities around 1500 BCE at the core of Europe. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 15 (1). No. 17494. ISSN 2045-2322

Preview

Text Cavazzuti_et_al_2025.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

The transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age (around 1500 BCE) in the Carpathian Basin was parallel by drastic cultural changes in Central-Europe, which strongly influenced the dynamic of prehistoric Europe. The cultural fragmentation of the Middle Bronze Age (2000 − 1500 BCE) Carpathian Basin was followed by a more homogeneous development at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age (1500 − 1300 BCE), with the appearance of the Tumulus culture. In the beginning of this period, the long-used tell-settlements were abandoned, furthermore new pottery styles and metal types appeared. Whether these changes were caused by immigration, or a local adaptation to external influxes, has long been a matter of debate. Our study investigates this transition from the point of view of diet and mobility from several key-sites of Hungary. Our results show (1) low migration rates and a shift of migration trajectories; that (2) the beginning of the systematic consumption of Panicum miliaceum was from 1540 − 1480 BCE; that (3) the decrease of average animal protein intake was parallel by an increase of cereal consumption and a tendency to less unequal diet. Overall, our results shed new light on the dynamics of complex change in Bronze Age Europe.

Actions (login required)

Edit Item