Settlement and temporal dynamics during the LBK and post-LBK transition

This study examines the settlement dynamics of Linearbandkeramik (LBK) and post-LBK communities across the loessic corridor spanning the Rhineland, Limburg, and Hesbaye (Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium). By applying Bayesian chronological modelling to radiocarbon dates and regional ceramic typochronologies, we reassess the timing and tempo of LBK expansion, population growth, and the subsequent post-LBK transition. Two alternative models are presented to accommodate the challenges posed by sparse datasets: one prioritising the existing typochronological frameworks, the other emphasising the currently available radiocarbon dates. Our results reveal a rapid initial increase in LBK settlement densities, followed by a phase of intensification linked to enclosure construction during the mid-51st-century BC, and a heterogeneous post-LBK transition marked by regional variability in continuity and abandonment. These findings contribute to broader debates on the expansion, social dynamics, and environmental interactions of early farming communities in Northwestern Europe. Moreover, they highlight the potential of, and need for, renewed engagement with absolute dating.