Globular Amphora culture
Cucuteni-Trypillia culture | |
| Followed by | Corded Ware culture |
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The Globular Amphora culture (GAC, German: Kugelamphoren-Kultur (KAK); c. 3400–2800 BC, is an archaeological culture in Central Europe. Marija Gimbutas assumed an Indo-European origin,[1] though this is contradicted by newer genetic studies that show a connection to the earlier wave of Early European Farmers rather than to Western Steppe Herders from the Ukrainian and south-western Russian steppes.[2]
The GAC preceded the Corded Ware culture in its central area. Somewhat to the south and west, it was bordered by the Baden culture. To the northeast was the Narva culture. It occupied much of the same area as the earlier Funnelbeaker culture. The name was coined by Gustaf Kossinna because of the characteristic pottery, globular-shaped pots with two to four handles.
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Extent
The Globular Amphora culture was located in an area defined by the Elbe catchment on the west and that of the Vistula on the east, extending southwards to the middle Dniester and eastwards to reach the Dnieper. West of the Elbe, some globular amphorae are found in megalithic graves. The GAC finds in the steppe area are normally attributed to a rather late expansion between 2950 and 2350 cal. BC from a centre in Wolhynia and Podolia.
Economy
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The economy was based on raising a variety of livestock, pigs particularly in its earlier phase, in distinction to the Funnelbeaker culture's preference for cattle. Settlements are sparse, and these normally just contain small clusters pits. No convincing house-plans have yet been excavated. It is suggested that some of these settlements were not year-round, or indeed may have been temporary.
Burials
The GAC is primarily known from its burials.
Interpretation
The inclusion of animals in the grave is seen as an intrusive cultural element by
Genetics
Tassi et al. (2017) extracted fifteen samples of
Mathieson et al. (2018) included a genetic analysis of eight males of the Globular Amphora culture. Three of them carried haplogroup I2a2a1b and a subclade of it; two carried I2a2; one carried I2; one carried BT and one carried CT.[5] According to admixture analysis they also had approximately 70% EEF ancestry and 30% WHG ancestry, some of them with negligible Eastern Hunter-Gatherer and Yamnaya traces.[6]
Schroeder et al. (2019) examined 15 skeletons from the
Gallery
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Globular Amphora tomb -
Copper ornament -
Pottery -
Stone cist burial -
Burial -
Cattle burial -
Pottery -
Pottery and axes
See also
- Unetice culture
- Havelland culture
Notes
- ^ "All individuals had been brutally killed by blows to the head, but buried with great care.... From a population genetic viewpoint, the individuals are clearly distinct from neighboring Corded Ware groups because of their lack of steppe-related ancestry. Although the reason for the massacre is unknown, it is possible that it was connected with the expansion of Corded Ware groups, which may have resulted in violent conflict."[7]
References
- ISBN 978-0520229150.
- ^ Tassi, F. et al. (2017). Genome diversity in the Neolithic Globular Amphorae culture and the spread of Indo-European languages. Proc. R. Soc. B 284:20171540. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1540
- ^ J. P. Mallory and D. Q. Adams, Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, London and Chicago, 1997., "Globular Amphora culture"
- ^ Tassi 2017.
- ^ Mathieson 2018.
- ^ Mathieson 2018, Extended Data Figure 2: Supervised ADMIXTURE analysis.
- ^ a b Schroeder 2019.
Sources
- Mikhail M. Charniauski et al. (eds.), Eastern exodus of the globular amphora people: 2950-2350 BC. Poznań, Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Prehistory 1996, Baltic-Pontic studies 4.
- J. P. Mallory, "Globular Amphora Culture", Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.
- Mathieson, Iain (February 21, 2018). "The Genomic History of Southeastern Europe". PMID 29466330.
- Schroeder, H (May 28, 2019). "Unraveling ancestry, kinship, and violence in a Late Neolithic mass grave". PMID 31061125.
- Tassi, Francesca (November 27, 2017). "The Genomic History of Southeastern Europe". PMID 29167359.
External links
Media related to Globular amphora culture at Wikimedia Commons