The analysis of fat traces in over one hundred pottery vessels reveals deep changes in food consumption and preparation by communities living in central Germany between the Early Neolithic and the Late Bronze Age, as well as in their relation with innovations in pottery styles and decorations. In a groundbreaking study, researchers identified a generalized inclusion of dairy products in prehistoric diets, a preference in consuming pork with the arrival of communities from the Eurasian Steppe, and the importance of dairy products in funeral rites. Central Germany was a key region for the emergence of great prehistoric cultures, such as the Linear Pottery Culture, the Corded Ware Culture, the Bell Beaker populations and the Unetice Culture, one of the first state societies in Europe.
