Czech archaeologists have discovered the remnants of a Neolithic settlement approximately 7,000 years old near Kutná Hora, east of the capital Prague.
Remarkably, no other settlements have been constructed at this site for millennia, and it has been well-preserved, including the layout of four long houses. The lives of these early Neolithic inhabitants were not simple and were closely tied to nature. They survived through farming, herding, foraging, or hunting.
Discovery of a 7,000-year-old Neolithic settlement in the Czech Republic. (Photo: Czech Academy of Sciences).
Despite facing numerous challenges in farming without plows and only using wooden tools, this community thrived. Within a few centuries, they spread across most of Europe, replacing the original hunter-gatherer populations.
The prehistoric people settled in Dobren near Kutná Hora on the fringe of a region with fertile land and a climate suitable for prehistoric agriculture. Daniel Pilař from the Archaeological Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences stated: “This site was discovered in early spring this year. We were surprised to find remains of a settlement that is not typical for this area. When we saw the design of the houses, we knew immediately that this was a Neolithic settlement.”
This previously unknown settlement from the early Stone Age was established over 7,000 years ago by the oldest farming community that migrated to Czech territory from Southeastern Europe. Archaeologists also found the floor plans of four long houses—typical structures from that era. These houses typically measured 4 to 6 meters wide and 10 to 40 meters long.
These houses themselves have not survived as they were constructed from wood. The posts were most densely built at the outer rows, forming the walls of the house. In some cases, the posts stood right next to each other, while the inner rows had greater spacing—often over a meter apart—allowing for movement between them without any issues.
Although such houses no longer exist today, features such as pits and ancient remnants can be found during research. In addition to the houses, researchers discovered many surrounding pits. These pits were used to extract clay for building houses. The experts primarily found pottery in the pits, which was used daily for cooking, living, and even storage. Tools such as flint blades, polished axes, and grinding stones were also found in the pits.
In the coming months, experts will work to process the data they have collected on-site, using methods like radiocarbon dating, luminescence dating, phytolith analysis, prehistoric plant analysis, tool trace analysis, and plant genetic studies. This will involve a large group of specialists from various fields.
