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Evidence of gold processing in the fortified site of Bruszczewo (Poland) is the first testimony of the production of gold artefacts in a domestic Early Bronze Age site of Central Europe. This paper highlights the potential of macrolithic tool ensembles as a key element for the recognition of metallurgical work processes. Moreover, it presents an optimised methodological approach to tackle the application of stone tools in metallurgical production, based on technological characterisation, use-wear analysis, portable X-ray fluorescence, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Finally, the absence of gold sources in Central Europe raises the question about the origin of the metal, constituting an especially striking issue, as gold was a raw material of restricted access. As Bruszczewo was one of the few enclosed Early Bronze Age sites north of the Central European Mountain Range, the patterning of metal processing (including gold) sheds light on the mode of the production of metal artefacts, apparently restricted to central sites of power, which controlled the communication trails. 47 Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Visuose Marijos Gimbutienės darbuose ir indėlyje į archeologijos istoriją buvo svarbiausia žemyno indoeuropeizacijos samprata. Ji sujungė įvairias archeologės interesų kryptis, atskleidė teorinius ir metodologinius jos tyrimų pagrindus. Šiame darbe primenama pati koncepcija ir jos raida, taip pat jos svarba Europos archeologijai. Šios koncepcijos, kurią metaforiškai galima apibūdinti kaip triadą: recepcija – atmetimas – atgaivinimas, dalys iliustruoja archeologijos transformacijas XX a. antroje pusėje ir pirmaisiais XXI a. dešimtmečiais. Reikšminiai žodžiai: Europa, stepių sritis, kalbos pokyčiai, archeologijos istorija. The theory of Indo-Europeanization of the continent can be seen as a focal point in all Marija Gimbutas’s work and in her role in the history of archaeology. This theory has combined various directions of her interests and revealed the theoretical and methodological foundations of her research. This paper recalls the theory itself and its development, as well as its importance for European archaeology. The vicissitudes of this theory, which can be metaphorically described as the triad: reception – rejection – revitalization, illustrate the transformations of archaeology in the second half of the 20th century and in the first decades of the 21st century. Keywords: Europe, steppe area, language changes, history of archaeology.

The article presents the history and the most important results of archaeological research on the so-called Prokopiak’s Mount at Opatowice in the Kujawy region. Archaeologists from the Adam Mickiewicz University conducted surveys and excavations there for several years - from 1983 to 1998. Remains of settlements and graves discovered on the hill come mainly from the 4 th and 3 rd mill. BC and represent several units of the archaeological taxonomy: the Funnel Beaker culture, the Globular Amphora culture, the Corded Ware culture, the Neman culture, and the Proto-Bronze group. Since 2006, a special series of monographs of individual sites has been published. To date, five volumes have been published, and more are being prepared. Thanks to meticulous investigations as well as comprehensive and multifaceted scientific analyzes, the Prokopiak’s Mount at Opatowice is one of the best-recognized micro-regions of Late Neolithic settlement in Kujawy and is a reference point for extensive comparative research. This applies, for example, to the local scale of absolute chronology, various components of material culture, forms of settlements and camps, ceremonial and funeral practices, as well as economic activities. 102 123 Treasures of Time: Research of the Faculty of Archaeology of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

Artykuł prezentuje serię datowań radiowęglowych ze stanowiska Złota-Gajowizna. Są to pierwsze dane chronometryczne dla najważniejszej nekropolii grupy centralnej kultury amfor kulistych. Dzięki specyfice odkrytych na stanowisku konstrukcji możliwe było skorygowanie datowania radiowęglowego za pomocą dendrochronologii. Zaproponowana został również nowa interpretacja organizacji przestrzennej cmentarzyska, która stała się punktem wyjścia do rozważań nad rytuałem pogrzebowym kultury amfor kulistych z Wyżyny Sandomierskiej. The paper presents a new series of absolute age determinations from the Złota-Gajowizna site. Those are the first chronometric data from the most important necropolis of the central group of the Globular Amphora culture. The obtained denrochronological data, which are unique for the sites of the Late Neolithic in Poland, made it possible to specify the results of the calibration. A new interpretation of the arrangement of the cemetery has been proposed, which is the starting point for determining the GAC funeral rite in the Sandomierz Upland.

This paper is devoted to some questions from the prehistory of areas situated between two seas: the Balticin the north-west and the Black in the south-east. The territory in question is located between two big rivers –the Vistula and Dnieper. Despite many essential differences, in the 3rd millennium BC the areas between theVistula and Dnieper rivers were covered by a network of multi-directional circulation of peoples, cultural patternsand innovations. This particular set of movements gradually commanded an increasingly greater area,where agrarian societies as well as quasi-pastoral and early pastoral ones functioned. The intensity of theserelationships justifies using the name Baltic-Pontic contact space. In the 3rd mill. BC the territoriesbetween the Vistula and Dnieper rivers were coveredby a network of multi-directional circulation ofpeoples and cultural patterns, ideas and innovations.This particular set of movements graduallycommanded an increasingly greater area, whereagrarian societies as well as quasi-pastoral andearly pastoral ones functioned. In this context, itis possible to identify thanks to their presence,direct and indirect markers that indicate the riseof cultural and social transformations, as well aschanges that hitherto stable cultural boundariesunderwent. No doubt, this proved to be one of thesignificant foundation stones at the close of the 3rdand 2nd mill. BC for the reorganisation of culture asfar as the Baltic-Pontic region was concerned. An especially great challenge, of a Pan-Europeanrank, is posed by the question of relationsbetween Central European and Steppe societies,especially from the point of view of the originsof the CWC circle. For this question, the key areaappears to have been located between the Carpathians,the Western Bug and the Dniester or evenSouthern Bug rivers.

The article presents the present state of research on the general issue of the dniester region of cultural contacts between communities settling the Baltic and Pontic drainage basins . Some five domains of research shall be brought to discussion in which it is possible to see fresh opportunities for archaeological study, on the basis of ‘Yampil studies’ on dniester-Podolia (forest-steppe) barrow-culture ceremonial centres from the latter half of the 4th millennium and first half of the 3rd millennium BC . This relates to the peoples of the Eneolithic and the Early Bronze age . in terms of topogenesis, embracing the Pontic-Tripolye, Yamnaya and Catacomb cultures, as well as Globular amphora and Corded ware in central prehistoric Europe . This publication constitutes the fruits of the National Programme for the Development of the Humanities (grant no. 0108/NPH3/H12/82/2014).

Objective: We aim to identify maternal genetic affinities between the Middle to Final Neolithic (3850–2300 BC) populations from present-day Poland and possible genetic influences from the Pontic steppe.Materials and methods: We conducted ancient DNA studies from populations associated with Złota, Globular Amphora, Funnel Beaker, and Corded Ware cultures (CWC). We sequenced genomic libraries on Illumina platform to generate 86 complete ancient mitochondrial genomes. Some of the samples were enriched for mitochondrial DNA using hybridization capture.Results: The maternal genetic composition found in Złota-associated individuals resembled that found in people associated with the Globular Amphora culture which indicates that both groups likely originated from the same maternal genetic background. Further, these two groups were closely related to the Funnel Beaker culture-associated population. None of these groups shared a close affinity to CWC-associated people. Haplogroup U4 was present only in the CWC group and absent in Złota group, Globular Amphora, and Funnel Beaker cultures.Discussion: The prevalence of mitochondrial haplogroups of Neolithic farmer origin identified in Early, Middle and Late Neolithic populations suggests a genetic continuity of these maternal lineages in the studied area. Although overlapping in time – and to some extent – in cultural expressions, none of the studied groups (Złota, Globular Amphora, Funnel Beaker), shared a close genetic affinity to CWC-associated people, indicating a larger extent of cultural influence from the Pontic steppe than genetic exchange. The higher frequency of haplogroup U5b found in populations associated with Funnel Beaker, Globular Amphora, and Złota cultures suggest a gradual maternal genetic influx from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. Moreover, presence of haplogroup U4 in Corded Ware groups is most likely associated with the migrations from the Pontic steppe at the end of the Neolithic and supports the observed genetic distances.

SummarySeveral major migrations and population turnover events during the later Stone Age (after c. 11,000 cal. BP) are believed to have shaped the contemporary population genetic diversity in Eurasia. While the genetic impacts of these migrations have been investigated on regional scales, a detailed understanding of their spatiotemporal dynamics both within and between major geographic regions across Northern Eurasia remains largely elusive. Here, we present the largest shotgun-sequenced genomic dataset from the Stone Age to date, representing 317 primarily Mesolithic and Neolithic individuals from across Eurasia, with associated radiocarbon dates, stable isotope data, and pollen records. Using recent advances, we imputed >1,600 ancient genomes to obtain accurate diploid genotypes, enabling previously unachievable fine-grained population structure inferences. We show that 1) Eurasian Mesolitic hunter-gatherers were more genetically diverse than previously known, and deeply divergent between the west and the east; 2) Hitherto genetically undescribed hunter-gatherers from the Middle Don region contributed significant ancestry to the later Yamnaya steppe pastoralists; 3) The genetic impact of the transition from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers to Neolithic farmers was highly distinct, east and west of a “Great Divide” boundary zone extending from the Black Sea to the Baltic, with large-scale shifts in genetic ancestry to the west. This include an almost complete replacement of hunter-gatherers in Denmark, but no substantial shifts during the same period further to the east; 4) Within-group relatedness changes substantially during the Neolithic transition in the west, where clusters of Neolithic farmer-associated individuals show overall reduced relatedness, while genetic relatedness remains high until ~4,000 BP in the east, consistent with a much longer persistence of smaller localised hunter-gatherer groups; 5) A fast-paced second major genetic transformation beginning around 5,000 BP, with Steppe-related ancestry reaching most parts of Europe within a 1,000 years span. Local Neolithic farmers admixed with incoming pastoralists in most parts of Europe, whereas Scandinavia experienced another near-complete population replacement, with similar dramatic turnover-patterns also evident in western Siberia; 6) Extensive regional differences in the ancestry components related to these early events remain visible to this day, even within countries (research conducted using the UK Biobank resource). Neolithic farmer ancestry is highest in southern and eastern England while Steppe-related ancestry is highest in the Celtic populations of Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall. Overall, our findings show that although the Stone-Age migrations have been important in shaping contemporary genetic diversity in Eurasia, their dynamics and impact were geographically highly heterogeneous.