"The Widening Harvest presents research from a conference field in Venice in 1998: "The Neolithic Transition in Europe: Looking Back - Looking Forward." The participants come from a wide range of backgrounds, and they have all made significant contributions to the study of the Neolithic transitions. Here they look back on their own experience over the years in doing research on the shift from late forms of hunting and gathering to early agriculture. Contributors address the origins of agriculture, the Neolithic transition in southern, central, and northern Europe, genetic and linguistic aspects of the Neolithic, and future prospects for research and analysis."--Jacket.