A sexual division of labour at the start of agriculture? A multi-proxy comparison through grave good stone tool technological and use-wear analysis

This work demonstrates the importance of integrating sexual division labour into research transition to Neolithic and its social implications. During spread in Europe, when migration led dispersal domesticated plants animals, novel tasks tools, appear archaeological record. By examining use-wear traces from over 400 stone tools funerary contexts earliest central Europe we provide insights what could have been carried out by women men. The results this analysis are then examined for statistically significant correlations with osteological, isotopic other grave good data, informing on sexed-based differences diet, mobility symbolism. Our data demonstrate males were buried used woodwork, butchery, hunting or interpersonal violence, while those working animal skins, expanding range known out. also show variation along an east-west cline Slovakia eastern France, suggesting that (or at least representation death) changed as farming westwards.