Plants and animals originally domesticated in the Near East arrived in Europe between 7000 and 4000 BC. Was the new technology introduced by migrants, or was it an 'inside job'? How were the new species adapted to European conditions? What were the immediate and long-term consequences of the transition from hunting and gathering to farming? These central questions in the prehistory of Europe are discussed here by leading specialists, drawing on scholarship in fields as diverse as genetics and IndoEuropean linguistics. Detailed studies document the differences between European regions, and fresh generalisations about the origins of European agriculture are also proposed and debated.

"this is an excellent example of an edited volume organized around a theme. Scholars interested in the origins of food-producing societies, as well as those interested more generally in Old World archaeology, should read this book." Canadian Journal of Archaeology

"[The authors] move towards a richly complex explanation that simply can no longer be explained as ex Orient lux (from east, the light0. Well supplied with regional maps, lists of important radiocarbon dates, and a scattering of site plans and artifact illustrations, this is clearly a book for colleges, universities, and professionals, indeed a necessary addition to their libraries." Choice

"Well supplied with regional maps, lists of important radiocarbon dates, and a scattering of site plans and artifact illustrations" Choice April 2001