The Neolithic period is the epoch of European prehistory during which humans settled down and began to practice agriculture. The age of the great Ice Age hunters was finally over. The process was accompanied by far-reaching social changes. The archaeological sources show that there was a significant change in demographic and social structures, with the emergence of territoriality and private property. In addition, humans started to intervene increasingly in the environment, reshaping it according to their needs. The process that was set in motion then has continued to the present day. This volume examines various aspects of the earliest agricultural societies, and clarifies the far-reaching consequences of the developments that started in the Neolithic period.