Linear Ceramic Culture refers to a prehistoric archaeological culture that flourished during the early and middle Neolithic period in Central Europe, specifically in the region of the Danube River valley and its surrounding areas. It is characterized by its linear decorations on ceramic vessels, which give the culture its name.
This culture emerged around 5500 BCE and lasted until approximately 4500 BCE, making it one of the earliest Neolithic cultures in the region. It is also associated with the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to an agricultural one, as evidence of domesticated crops and animal husbandry has been found in Linear Ceramic Culture sites.
The people of this culture built small, dispersed agricultural communities and engaged in farming, pottery production, and animal husbandry. The Linear Ceramic Culture is known for its distinctive pottery, which is often decorated with intricate linear designs, such as wavy lines, zigzags, swirls, or impressions made with a comb-like tool.
These pottery vessels were not only utilitarian, but they also held significant symbolic and cultural meaning, serving as expressions of identity and social status within the community. The Linear Ceramic Culture is also notable for its burial practices, with the dead being buried in cemeteries near the settlements and accompanied by grave goods, suggesting a belief in an afterlife or spiritual importance associated with death.
Overall, the Linear Ceramic Culture played a pivotal role in the transition from hunter-gatherer societies to settled agricultural communities in Central Europe, leaving behind a rich archaeological legacy that provides valuable insights into the development of human civilization during the Neolithic period.
