New insights into the subsistence economy of the Late Bronze Age (1100–400 cal BC) communities in the southeastern Baltic
Volume 30 (2023), pp. 58–79
Pub. online: 28 December 2023
Type: Article
Open Access
Open Access
Received
20 December 2022
20 December 2022
Revised
11 May 2023
11 May 2023
Accepted
25 May 2023
25 May 2023
Published
28 December 2023
28 December 2023
Abstract
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.