The Cucuteni-Trypillia Culture
The Cucuteni-Trypillian culture inhabited Eastern Europe from approximately 5,400 to 2,700 BC. The area they inhabited extended from the Carpathian Mountains to the Dniester and Dnieper regions, in the area that is known as Moldova today. They covered a vast area of 350,000 square kilometers and created small, densely populated settlements that were 3-4 kilometers apart.
Their culture was advanced in agriculture, as they planted and harvested wheat, barley, peas, and legumes. Archeological evidence shows that they were also skilled in pottery-making, working with clay to create pottery, statues, and other figures. They also crafted jewelry and hooks out of copper.
The Cucuteni-Tripolye had a somewhat sophisticated social organization, with densely populated settlements, which were destroyed and relocated every 60-80 years. A strongly organized society would be required for such regular resettlement of the entire community. Within the culture, the women are said to have been the head of the household. They created textiles and pottery, and did the bulk of the agricultural work. The men are said to have done the hunting, made tools, and cared for the domesticated animals. They men hunted with both traps and tools such as bow and arrow, clubs, and spears, and other techniques such as camouflaging themselves and tracking animals. The religious beliefs of the culture focused on a female deity, the Great Goddess.
The diet of the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture likely consisted mainly of grains, although they were fairly sophisticated in both agriculture and animal husbandry. They grew club wheat, oats, proso millet, rye, barley, and hemp, all which would have been baked into bread. In addition to grains, they cultivated fruits and legumes such as apricots, cherry plums, grapes, peas, and beans. As far as livestock, evidence has indicated they raised domesticated cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep. There is some evidence, which has not been substantiated, to suggest that the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture also included domesticated horses. In addition to raising domesticated animals, the men also hunted roe deer, red deer, aurochs, wild boar, fox, and brown bear for consumption. They rounded out their diets by using harpoons and hooks for fishing.
One very interesting aspect of the Cucuteni-Trypillian culture is the way they treated their settlements and structures. They used stone and copper axes to cut down trees to build dwellings and structures, which consisted of wooden framing coated with clay or bran. Their structures were built both single and multi-story, with clay benches and altars. The inside floors and walls contained ornamental paintings in red and white, intended to provide protection from evil spirits. Evidence has been found of individual dwellings, temples, and public structures. These settlements were highly planned and well-constructed, so it is somewhat surprising to learn that the Cucuteni-Tripolye people would ritualistically burn down their settlements every 60-80 years, before moving on to a new area.