The timing and process of the dispersal of domestic animals from the Near East to Europe is an old and familiar question to researchers of the Neolithic. Every generation tackles it with new methodologies and from different perspectives. This time researchers from four countries have joined forces to examine human and animal dispersal through ancient DNA and Isotopes analysis of human and animal bones, especially cattle and sheep under framework of a new EU Horizon 2020 program called NEOMATRIX. (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952317)
Dr. Argyro Nauplioti from the Foundation of Research and Technology in Heraklion and Dr. Dimitra Mylona (INSTAP Study Center for East Crete) are seen above selecting cattle and sheep bones from two early Cretan Neolithic sites, Pelekita Cave in east Crete and the Aposelemis cemetery in central Crete to add to the body of data on the topic. We look forward to learning the results of their study.