In a recent study led by the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1266 at Kiel University, researchers have unveiled nutritional strategies that sustained Europe’s prehistoric mega-settlements, known as the Trypillia mega-sites.

Credit: Susanne Beyer, University of Kiel

These sprawling communities emerged around 6,000 years ago in the forest steppe northwest of the Black Sea, encompᴀssing the present-day territories of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. With areas reaching up to 320 hectares and accommodating around 15,000 residents, these mega-sites are considered the oldest cities in Europe, predating even the urbanization of Mesopotamia.

Contrary to previous ᴀssumptions that these settlements relied on subsistence farming, the study challenges this notion. Dr. Frank Schlütz, a paleoecologist from Kiel and one of the authors of the study, stated, “The provisioning of the residents of the mega-sites was based on extremely sophisticated food and pasture management.”

Contrary to common belief, the research revealed that these ancient communities primarily relied on a diet of grain and peas, challenging the notion that meat was a staple in their nutrition. This dietary choice, informed by isotope analysis, showcased the early recognition of the nutritional significance of peas, which, despite being underrated by science, emerged as a highly beneficial component due to their rich protein content.

The Trypillia mega-settlement Maidanetske in Central Ukraine encompᴀssed ca. 200 ha. Even without ground intervention, the archaeomagnetic results of a geophysical survey show the archaeologists the numerous streets, public buildings, squares and thousands of burnt houses. The latter were located in a very specific concentric arrangement along a surrounding main road around a central undeveloped area. This spatial layout was intended to ensure the population as equal access as possible to the communal infrastructure. Credit: Insтιтute for Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology, Kiel University

Professor Wiebke Kirleis, an archaeobotanist involved in the study, explained: “The isotopes can be used to make statements about how domestic animals were kept thousands of years ago, whether the cultivated crops were fertilized, and what role plants and animals played in human nutrition.”

The isotopic analysis of carbon and nitrogen revealed that a substantial portion of cattle and sheep in these settlements were kept in fenced pastures. The resulting animal dung served as intensive fertilizer for peas, creating a symbiotic relationship between livestock farming and crop production.

Peas and grains emerged as the cornerstone of the Trypillia diet, not only providing essential nutrition but also ensuring a balance of essential amino acids. The resulting pea straw likely served as feed for livestock grazing in the pastures. This close connection between crop production and stockbreeding enabled the residents of the mega-sites to maintain a healthy and sufficient diet while significantly reducing the labor-intensive and resource-consuming production of meat.

The meticulously planned layout of the mega-sites, featuring organized neighborhoods and meeting houses facilitating communal gatherings and decision-making processes, characterized the social structure of the Trypillia society. However, this pinnacle of prosperity lasting approximately 500 years came to an end around 3000 BCE.

Dr. Robert Hofmann, an archaeologist involved in the study, noted, “As we know from previous studies, social tensions arose as a result of increasing social inequality. People turned their backs on large settlements and decided to live in smaller settlements again.”

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, challenges preconceptions about the capabilities of Neolithic technology in sustaining large communities.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, challenges preconceptions about the capabilities of Neolithic technology in sustaining large communities.

More information: Schlütz, F., Hofmann, R., dal Corso, M., Pashkevych, G., Dreibrodt, S., Shatilo, M., … Kirleis, W. (2023). Isotopes prove advanced, integral crop production, and stockbreeding strategies nourished Trypillia mega-populations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(52), e2312962120. doi:10.1073/pnas.2312962120