The Odyssey project is organizing a session on the 19th EAA meeting in Pilzen called: Something out of the ordinary? Interpreting the diversity in the uniformity of the Early Neolithic Linearbandkeramik in Central and Western Europe.

• Research into the Early Neolithic Linearbandkeramik (LBK, 5500-4900 cal BC) has over the past two decades presented us with a wealth of new information regarding the settlement and social structure of the earliest farmers in large parts of Central and Western Europe. Apart from traditional excavation archaeology, both isotope and aDNA research recently added a distinct perspective regarding life histories and mobility of humans and animals. This has brought us closer to the dynamics of early Neolithic life in this area and moreover demonstrates the presence of distinct spatio-temporal variation in its regional cultural characteristics. The longstanding formal uniformity of the LBK is gradually yielding and reveals an underlying diversity that is becoming increasingly data-rich.
  The development of these new dimensions in our understanding is anchored in archaeological research ranging from burial customs and deposition practices, to social issues of settlement structure, raw material networks, violence, and mobility. These present the basis for creating a more heterogeneous picture of Early Neolithic groups contrasting with the well-known image of uniform loess-based sedentary farmers with linear ware.In this session papers are invited to discuss LBK diversity in relation to four broad themes:

  • Regional and local inter- and intra-site patterning highlighting particularities in site location choice and settlement structure
  • Expressions of regional style and choice in pottery fabrication and decoration, food economy and raw material (networks)
  • Mortuary and deposition practices that offer a perspective on the manifold choices regarding ritual expressions
  • LBK-life dynamics, isotopic, aDNA and associated research highlighting diversity in (community) life histories

  Contributors are requested to present their research into the aforementioned topics, but also to specifically reflect on how their results relate to our common knowledge of the LBK and to what extent the diversity documented rather befits a difference of degree or of kind.

  Important dates
  The deadline for the submission of papers is on 15 th March 2013
  The deadline for early fee registration is on 1st June 2013

  Organisers: Luc Amkreutz (National Museum of Antiquities, The Netherlands), Ivo van Wijk (Archol BV, The Netherlands) and Fabian Haack (Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany)