Beyond the sum : evaluating the potential and limitations of analysing Neolithic population dynamics based on fluctuations in radiocarbon dates and sites (Scheldt basin, Northern France and Belgium)

This study presents a multiproxy palaeodemographic perspective by combining radiocarbon dates with counts of archaeological site phases in the western Scheldt basin, spanning from the beginning of the Neolithic to the Early Bronze Age. The results were assessed critically, accounting for differences in research methodology, soil conditions and changes in building traditions. The results indicate a dynamic region characterized by almost continual growth. Moreover, two distinct sub-regions of the basin could be compared, thereby elucidating the sub-regional differences. It is clear that palaeodemographic studies are only feasible when a multiproxy analysis is used on a detailed, highly scrutinized dataset.