Practice and Prestige: An Exploration of Neolithic Warfare, Bell Beaker Archery, and Social Stratification from an Anthropological Perspective

Drawing on the author’s recent study that assessed the bone morphology of skeletons in Bell Beaker burials for signs of specialised archery activity, this book contextualises the osteological findings and explores the evidence for warfare and archery throughout the Neolithic period in general and the Bell Beaker period in particular.

Practice and Prestige: An Exploration of Neolithic Warfare, Bell Beaker Archery, and Social Stratification from an Anthropological Perspective investigates the appearance of the ‘archer’s package’ in select Bell Beaker burials raising questions of daily life, warfare, and social stratification during the Neolithic period. It draws on a recent study by the author that applied an anthropological methodology to assess the bone morphology of these skeletons for signs of specialised archery activity. These analyses revealed results at both a population as well as an individual level. In order to contextualise these osteological findings, the book explores the evidence for warfare and archery throughout the Neolithic period in general and the Bell Beaker period in particular. This perspective considers warfare to be a primary function of archery, thereby associating ‘archer’ burials with concepts of warfare and the warrior. A second perspective delves into prehistoric concepts of specialisation and social hierarchy in order to situate archers, archery, and warfare within potentially stratified populations. These two perspectives allow for the contextualisation of the anthropological results within a broad archaeological framework in which archers and archery were prominent parts of a complex Bell Beaker society.

Introduction Archaeological background Neolithization The Early and Middle Neolithic periods The Pre-Bell Beaker Final Neolithic period The Bell Beaker period Part 1: Neolithic warfare During the Neolithic period Anthropological evidence Fortifications Imagery Horses: domestication and riding Weapons Bows Arrows During the Bell Beaker period Anthropological evidence Fortifications Imagery Bow-shaped pendants Weapons Bows Arrows Wristguards A glance at Bronze Age warfare Part 2: Neolithic social organization Specialization The problem of child burials Social hierarchy Early indications and genetic evidence Structures and metalworks Examples from Bulgaria A return to warfare Part 3: The anthropological connection The anthropological study The Bell Beaker skeletal collection Traumas The suspected archers and their contexts Results summary Interpretations at the population level Interpretations at the individual level The anthropological results within an archaeological framework Burial contexts Bell Beaker society A note on sex and sexism in archaeology Closing remarks Acknowledgements Bibliography, Introduction Archaeological background ;
Neolithization The Early and Middle Neolithic periods ;
The Pre-Bell Beaker Final Neolithic period ;
The Bell Beaker period ;
Part 1: Neolithic warfare During the Neolithic period ;
Anthropological evidence Fortifications Imagery Horses: domestication and riding Weapons Bows Arrows During the Bell Beaker period ;
Anthropological evidence Fortifications Imagery Bow-shaped pendants Weapons Bows Arrows Wristguards A glance at Bronze Age warfare ;
Part 2: Neolithic social organization Specialization ;
The problem of child burials Social hierarchy ;
Early indications and genetic evidence Structures and metalworks Examples from Bulgaria A return to warfare ;
Part 3: The anthropological connection The anthropological study ;
The Bell Beaker skeletal collection Traumas ;
The suspected archers and their contexts ;
Results summary ;
Interpretations at the population level ;
Interpretations at the individual level ;
The anthropological results within an archaeological framework ;
Burial contexts Bell Beaker society A note on sex and sexism in archaeology Closing remarks ;
Acknowledgements Bibliography