Modelling the effect of Mesolithic populations on the slowdown of the Neolithic transition |
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Authors: | Neus Isern Joaquim Fort |
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Affiliation: | Complex Systems Lab, Departament de Física, Universitat de Girona, C/ Maria Aurèlia Capmany 61, 17071 Girona, Catalonia, Spain |
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Abstract: | The expansion of the Neolithic transition in Europe took place gradually from the Near East across the whole continent. At Northern Europe, observations show a slowdown in the speed of the Neolithic front in comparison to other regions of the continent. It has been suggested that the presence of high population densities of hunter-gatherers at the North could have been the main cause for this slowdown. This proposal has recently been described by a mathematical model that takes into account: (i) the resistance opposed by the Mesolithic populations to the advance of Neolithic populations in their territory, and (ii) a limitation on the population growth dynamics due to the competition for space and resources. But these two effects are not equally responsible for the slowdown of the spread. Indeed, here we show that the limitation on the population growth dynamics seems to have been the main cause of the delay of the expansion of farming in Northern Europe. |
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Keywords: | Neolithic transition Slowdown of Neolithic expansion Northern Europe Neolithic&ndash Mesolithic interaction Reaction&ndash diffusion equations |
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