Isotope and archaeobotanical analysis reveal radical changes in mobility, diet and inequalities around 1500 BCE at the core of Europe
The transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age (around 1500 BCE) in the Carpathian Basin was parallel by drastic cultural changes in Central-Europe, which strongly influenced the dynamic of prehistoric Europe. The cultural fragmentation of the Middle Bronze Age (2000 - 1500 BCE) Carpathian Basin was followed by a more homogeneous development at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age (1500 - 1300 BCE), with the appearance of the Tumulus culture. In the beginning of this period, the long-used tell-settlements were abandoned, furthermore new pottery styles and metal types appeared. Whether these changes were caused by immigration, or a local adaptation to external influxes, has long been a matter of debate. Our study investigates this transition from the point of view of diet and mobility from several key-sites of Hungary. Our results show (1) low migration rates and a shift of migration trajectories; that (2) the beginning of the systematic consumption of Panicum miliaceum was from 1540 - 1480 BCE; that (3) the decrease of average animal protein intake was parallel by an increase of cereal consumption and a tendency to less unequal diet. Overall, our results shed new light on the dynamics of complex change in Bronze Age Europe.
Authors
- Kristóf Fülöp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9763-672X)
- István Futó
- Gabriella Darabos
- Beatriz Gamarra Rubio
- Vajk Szeverényi
- Magdolna Vicze (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0893-9632)
- Géza Szabó (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4848-0459)
- Tamás Szeniczey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1546-7140)
- István Major (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4675-9875)
- Claudio Cavazzuti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7911-194X)
- Mario Novak (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4567-8742)
- Viktória Kiss (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6577-9081)
- Gabriella Kulcsár (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3295-1156)
- Annamária Bárány
- János Dani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4327-0038)
- Enikő K. Magyari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2844-8937)
- Klára P. Fischl (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5941-2275)
- Edit Mester
- Z. Szabó (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6322-8542)
- Anett Gémes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5107-8364)
- Ashley McCall (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7968-5564)
- János Gábor Tarbay (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2363-7034)
- Erika Gál (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4226-3218)
- Tamás Hajdu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3604-1125)
- Erika Molnár (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6660-9239)
- László Palcsu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6542-7537)
- Ákos Pető (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3811-1155)
- Anikó Horváth
Institutions
- Eötvös Loránd University (HU)
- Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem (HU)
- University of Debrecen (HU)
- HUN-REN Institute for Nuclear Research (HU)
- University of Miskolc (HU)
- University of Szeged (HU)
- Hungarian Natural History Museum (HU)
- Hungarian National Museum (HU)
- Pázmány Péter Catholic University (HU)
- Institute for Anthropological Research (HR)
- Tarzana Treatment Centers (US)
- Wosinsky Mór County Museum (HU)
- ELTE Research Centre for the Humanities (HU)
- Salisbury University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2025-05-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-01113-z
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 17.32
Funders
- Eötvös Loránd Tudományegyetem