AB Archaeologia Baltica 2351-6534 1392-5520 KU 03_MINKEVICIUS_ET_AL 10.15181/ab.v30i0.2564 Article New insights into the subsistence economy of the Late Bronze Age (1100–400 cal BC) communities in the southeastern Baltic https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3619-9686 Minkevičius Karolis karolis.minkevicius@gmail.com ∗ Lithuanian Institute of History, Archaeology Department, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5168-8568 Piličiauskienė Giedrė Lithuanian Institute of History, Archaeology Department, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7762-1102 Podėnas Vytenis Lithuanian Institute of History, Archaeology Department, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0860-1866 Micelicaitė Viktorija Lithuanian Institute of History, Archaeology Department, Vilnius, Lithuania Kontrimas Darius Directorate of the State Cultural Reserve of Vilnius Castles, Vilnius, Lithuania Šapolaitė Justina Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania Ežerinskis Žilvinas Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3105-8059 Garbaras Andrius Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8793-7255 Čivilytė Agnė Lithuanian Institute of History, Archaeology Department, Vilnius, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3428-3451 Luik Heidi Lithuanian Institute of History, Archaeology Department, Vilnius, Lithuania Tamulynas Linas Centre of Archaeology, Tauragnai, Lithuania Corresponding author. 30 58 79 28 12 2023 28 12 2023 20 12 2022 11 05 2023 25 05 2023 2023 Klaipėda University

This paper presents the findings of a research project aimed at reconstructing the subsistence

economy of the Late Bronze Age communities in eastern Lithuania. We focused on examining

archaeobotanical and zooarchaeological assemblages from three hillforts alongside δ13C and δ15N

stable isotope analysis of plant and animal remains. Our results suggest that local populations

primarily relied on growing domestic plants and animals for their subsistence. By the Late Bronze

Age, they had already adopted a diverse package of cultivated plants, with barley and millet being

the main crops. Also, inhabitants relied on pig and goat/sheep as a primary source for their

protein intake. Finally, δ13C and δ15N measurements suggest that farmers engaged in intensive

agriculture with semi-permanent field systems and moderate application of manure.

 Late Bronze Age agriculture archaeobotany zooarchaeology C and N stable isotopes