Dispersals as demographic processes: testing and describing the spread of the Neolithic in the Balkans.

Abstract

Although population history and dispersal are back at the forefront of the archaeological agenda, they are often studied in relative isolation. This con- tribution aims at combining both dimensions, as population dispersal is, by definition, a demographic process. Using a case-study drawn from the Early Neolithic of South-Eastern Europe, we use radiocarbon dates to jointly investigate changes in speed and population size linked to the new food pro- duction economy and demonstrate that the spread of farming in this region corresponds to a density-dependent dispersal process. The implications of this characterization are evaluated in the discussion. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Cross-disciplinary approaches to prehistoric demography’.