Autoren: Julia Längauer, Cornelia Hascher, Franz Pieler, Maria Teschler-Nicola, Johanna Irrgeher, Michael Schober, Markus Puschenreither, Olivier Duboc, Jakob Maurer
Abstract: The research project “United by Crisis? A transdisciplinary look at the early Neolithic communities in the Schletz settlement cluster” (projekt 2022–2025) aims to investigate a cluster of Early Neolithic (Linearbandkeramik – LBK, LPC) sites surrounding the LBK settlement of Asparn/Schletz (Lower Austria), which is famous for the large number of human skeletal remains with perimortal traumas discovered there, indicating a violent event approximately 7000 years ago. Within our research project, joint work with Citizen Scientists is a core feature, additionally motivated by extra resources granted for a “Citizen Science add-on” by the funding body (GFF NÖ – Gesellschaft für Forschungsförderung Niederösterreich). The Citizen Science activities within the project include collecting and processing of soil samples for isotope analysis by local schoolchildren, extensive line walking surveys and processing finds by lay experts and other volunteers. As part of our cooperation with Citizen Scientists, we also organise lectures and joint interpretation workshops. In our contribution, we want to give a short over-view on first experiences with the implementation of the Citizen Science aspects in the project so far.