Neolithic transition in Southern Italy: an isotopic approach

Neolithic transition was one of the most important events in human history: Europe as a whole was profoundly affected by demographic, socio-economic and cultural changes which led to the birth of agricultural and breeding systems. Many questions related to Neolithic transition are largely debated and yet without answers; first of all, the one that regards in which way agriculture spread (diffusion of people or ideas?). The study aims to resolve this issue through stable isotope analyses in order to evaluate dietary habits and mobility of early farmers in Southern Italy and economic change associated with the arrival of agriculture. We reported preliminary isotopic results from human and faunal remains excavated from Neolithic sites of Apulia, Latium and Basilicata and pre-agricultural sites of Calabria and Sicily. The application of chemical-physical surveys, such as isotopic analyses, to ancient samples can provide a valuable molecular approach to anthropological studies.