Old Europe (archaeology)
| Geographical range | Southeast Europe and adjoining areas of Central Europe and Eastern Europe |
|---|---|
| Period | Neolithic, Copper Age, Prehistoric Europe |
| Dates | c. 6795—3500 BC |
| Preceded by | Mesolithic Europe |
| Followed by | Bronze Age Europe |
Old Europe or Danubian civilisation was a relatively homogeneous pre-Indo-European Neolithic and Copper Age culture or civilisation in Southeast Europe, centred in the Lower Danube Valley. The term was coined by the Lithuanian-American archaeologist Marija Gimbutas.
The term "Danubian culture" was earlier coined by the archaeologist Vere Gordon Childe to describe early farming cultures (e.g. the Linear Pottery culture) which spread westwards and northwards from the Danube Valley into Central and Eastern Europe.