LBK Realpolitik: An Archaeometric Study of Conflict and Social Structure in the Belgian Early Neolithic

Mark Golitko is the Regenstein Research Scientist at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. He has conducted archaeological research in Europe, Papua New Guinea, and the Americas. A specialist in applications of the physical sciences and network analysis to archaeological research, his research explores how patterns of interaction structure human society and change in response to evolutionary, environmental, and social forces.

'...this volume constitutes an important reference point for future research into the economic and social organisation of LBK societies, not only in the Belgian Hesbaye but across the wider LBK territory and beyond. It is hoped that this publication will encourage other researchers to apply chemical analyses for sourcing raw materials - this is clearly the way forward for the study of exchange networks in past societies.' - Philippe Crombe (2016): Antiquity

• Chapter 1: Introduction ; Anthropological and Archaeological Perspectives on Warfare ; Explaining the Occurrence and Frequency of Warfare ; Archaeological Correlates of Warfare ; The Linienbandkeramik in Belgium Research Significance ; Project Methodology ; Overview ; Chapter 2: Warfare and Economy in Stateless Society ; Warfare and Exchange ; Warfare and Exchange in Prehistory ; Linking Warfare and Exchange in the Archaeological Record ; Chapter 3: The Linienbandkeramik ; The Central European Late Mesolithic ; The Linienbandkeramik ; LBK Settlements and Settlement Patterns ; Linienbandkeramik Economic Structure ; Mechanisms of LBK Expansion ; Linienbandkeramik Sociopolitics ; Conflict ; Conflict and Socioeconomic Structure in the Linienbandkeramik ; Chapter 4: Linienbandkeramik Settlement in the Hesbaye Region of Belgium ; Hesbayen Geography and Geology ; The Late Mesolithic in Belgium ; Linienbandkeramik Settlement of the Hesbaye ; Chronology of Settlement ; Fortified Settlements and the Chronology of Conflict in the Hesbaye ; The Hesbayen Bandkeramik Economy ; Conflict, Economy, and Social Structure in the Hesbayen early Neolithic ; Research Questions ; Chapter 5: Method and Sample ; Chemical Proveniencing of Archaeological Ceramics ; LA-ICP-MS Protocol ; Petrography ; Statistical Methods and Chemical Reference Groups ; Sample ; Chapter 6: Results of Compositional Analysis ; Results of Ceramic Analyses ; Petrographic Analyses ; Provenience Interpretation of Ceramic Chemical Groups ; Ceramic Compositional Variability and Inference of Community Ties ; Chapter 7: Conflict and Social Structure in the Hesbayen Bandkeramik ; Changing Patterns of Ceramic Production and Acquisition ; Changes in Lithic Production and Distribution ; Discussion ; Chapter 8: Conclusion—Conflict and Economy in the Hesbayen Linienbandkeramik and Beyond ; Summary of Findings ; Future Research Directions ; LBK Conflict in Broader Context ; References ; Appendices