TY - JOUR

T1 - Muddying the Waters

T2 - reconsidering Migration in the Neolithic of Britain, Ireland and Denmark

AU - Cummings, Vicki

AU - Hofmann, Daniela

AU - Bjørnevad-Ahlqvist, Mathias Paul

AU - Iversen, Rune

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - This paper explores the current narratives of migration for the start and spread of the Neolithic with a particular focus on the role that the new ancient DNA data have provided. While the genetic data are important and instructive, here it is argued that archaeologists should also consider other strands of evidence. More nuanced appreciations of migration as a long-term process can be created by exploring modern mobility studies alongside considerations of continued mobility throughout the Neolithic in Europe. We can also re-interpret the material evidence itself in the light of these approaches to help trace multiple possible links and migrations from multiple different origin points. This involves the investigation of complex, but connected, practices, such as monument construction and deposition across wider areas of northern Europe than are currently normally investigated. Such an approach will enable us to address long-term processes of movement, migration and interaction and investigate how new, shared social experiences emerged in a setting in which mobility and migration may have been the norm.

AB - This paper explores the current narratives of migration for the start and spread of the Neolithic with a particular focus on the role that the new ancient DNA data have provided. While the genetic data are important and instructive, here it is argued that archaeologists should also consider other strands of evidence. More nuanced appreciations of migration as a long-term process can be created by exploring modern mobility studies alongside considerations of continued mobility throughout the Neolithic in Europe. We can also re-interpret the material evidence itself in the light of these approaches to help trace multiple possible links and migrations from multiple different origin points. This involves the investigation of complex, but connected, practices, such as monument construction and deposition across wider areas of northern Europe than are currently normally investigated. Such an approach will enable us to address long-term processes of movement, migration and interaction and investigate how new, shared social experiences emerged in a setting in which mobility and migration may have been the norm.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Early Neolithic

KW - Migration and mobility

KW - aDNA-produced narratives

KW - Practice-based approach

KW - The North Sea

KW - Monuments

U2 - 10.7146/dja.v11i.129698

DO - 10.7146/dja.v11i.129698

M3 - Journal article

VL - 11

SP - 1

EP - 25

JO - Danish Journal of Archaeology

JF - Danish Journal of Archaeology

SN - 2166-2282

ER -