The two cultures have different pottery
styles, agricultural techniques and settlement systems, though of course they
appear to be genetically related (the TRB originated within the LBK). The
LBK (= Linear Pottery) people penetrated mainly river valleys and practised
fix-plot farming on alluvial plains. TRB people began to clear forests
and to colonise the uplands of Central Europe. The average population density
increased considerably at that time. Eventually, systematic forest clearing
(coupled with the effects of the Subboreal climatic episode) led to the
denudation of some areas and accelerated the formation of forest-steppe
grasslands. This in turn favoured the switch of emphasis from agriculture to
animal herding in some Central European groups. Towards the end of the TRB
period there was a drastic population slump (e.g. by 75% in the Bronocice
region), possibly as a result of warfare (aggressive pastoral communities of the
Globular Amphora culture and the Corded Ware "movement"?).
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 5:34 PM
Subject: [tied] Re: Danubian homeland?
Again I don't think the calendical dates are as important as
the
general sequence. It appears that the Linear Pottery, LBK, and in
some districts the early TRB form a single continuum. This is from
early
to the beginnings of intensive agriculture. I'm not entirely
sure why this
complex was subdivided? This appears to cover the
processes of local
incorporation, aggregation, emergent complexity,
and agricultural
intensification. This appears to be followed by a
slow decline and general
collapse.