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The article presents the history of research and the latest archaeological discoveries of the Greater Poland Neolithic in the Middle Warta River catchment. I propose focusing on new areas of research that have potential but have not yet been conducted. It focuses on two social groups, the Funnel Beaker culture (FBC) and the Brześć Kujawski culture (BKC). The unsatisfactory level of knowledge about the development of these cultural communities in the region may be supplemented by recently conducted research. The discovery and excavation of the first megalithic tombs in Greater Poland, conducted with the help of LiDAR, was of great importance. Following this, more such cemeteries have been located. The re-analysis of previously excavated materials from the site in Kotowo determined that the early phase of FCB occurred around 3700 BC. A fruitful area for future study is the acquisition of unique BKC settlement evidence obtained from the site in Kąkolewo. Another important area that can supplement current understandings of cultural relations in this area is understanding the environmental background, which is to be served by the proposed palaeoenvironmental research, particularly near the cemetery in Sobota. Considering this new information will allow for a proper estimation of the role of Greater Poland in the transmission of cultural patterns that created the image of the Central European Plain in 4500–3500 BC.

The barrows of the Yamnaya culture located along the middle Dniester River (southern Ukraine, Yampil region) became a matter of concern for a Polish-Ukrainian archaeological expedition. As a result of this joint effort, a series of earlier studies of the barrows were published and additional excavations were conducted. A total of seven barrows located at four archaeological sites were excavated. Consequently, a variety of new materials were obtained, which made it possible to perform extensive specialist analyses (radiocarbon, isotope, and aDNA, among others). The results of this research show a broader picture of local Yamnaya culture communities, allowing a comparison with Central European Corded Ware culture communities and contributing immensely to the discussion regarding the relations between these groups. 124 145 Treasures of Time: Research of the Faculty of Archaeology of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

Non-megalithic long barrows were the earliest type of monumental tombs that occurred in Europe. The oldest structures of this type, dating to 4800-4300 BC, are known from north- western France. Then, at the beginning of the 4 th millennium BC, unchambered structures occurred in southern and central England, northern and central Germany, Denmark, and Poland. In Poland, tombs representing the Funnel Beaker culture (TRB) are found in several distinct concentrations which do not correspond to the entire range of the settlement oecumene of this community. They are also quite diverse in terms of construction and size. Interestingly, their origin and purpose still remain a mystery. It seems likely, though, that for their creators they had much higher significance than just a place to bury some selected members of the community. Most probably, they were a kind of symbolic marker of a given area, testifying to the unity and power of the communities living in such a region. Some researchers associate their origin with the influence of hunter-gatherer communities on agricultural communities. Other approaches to this topic point to the importance of borrowing the house model of early Neolithic communities, which was symbolically transformed into a ‘house for the dead’, i.e. a tomb. In most regions of Poland, megaliths were only ‘rediscovered’ in the 19 th century by archaeologists, some of whom were amateurs. Unfortunately, this was not the case in Great- er Poland. The megalithic tombs of the TRB remained unrecognized there until the second decade of the 21 st century! What largely contributed to their discovery was technological progress, mainly the use of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Ongoing research aims to locate and verify occurrences of other cemeteries and to ‘embed’ them in the cultural and natural landscape of this region. 64 87 Treasures of Time: Research of the Faculty of Archaeology of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

The article describes an attempt to identify the raw material of the organic layers - mats identified within the roofs and floors of the graves in the Yampil Barrow Cemetery Complex. The use of gas chromatography and infrared spectroscopy combined with microscopic analysis of the extracted “mat” sections significantly supplements our knowledge in the field of weaving of the studied communities.

This study discusses the issue of ‘animal deposits’ in funerary practices of early barrow communities settling the Black Sea steppe and forest-steppe in the 4rd/3nd-2nd millennium. The focus of analytical studies is directly on the Yampil Barrow Cemetery Complex situated along the left bank of the Dniester, between the Murafa and Markivka rivers, or what is the Yampil Region (Vinnitsa Oblast) now. The chorological system developed by N.Ya. Merpert in his “Yamnaya Cultural-Historical Area” places this area within the Southwestern Variant (between the Southern Bug and Danube rivers) as the Yampil (Podolia) territorial centre. From the perspective of the research programme exploring the ‘bio-cultural border land between the West and East of Europe’, the Yampil Barrow Cemetery Complex is of special scholarly interest because of its western most location on the Dniester route of exchange for cultural patterns developed by communities settling the drainage basins of the Black and Baltic seas. The investigations followed the excavations of 23 barrows between 1984 and 2014.

The Yampil Region represents a concentration of densely populated barrow cemeteries. Some 156 mounds figure in the available cartographic studies, which are the basis of spatial analysis presented below. The aforementioned therefore shall involve an examination of parameters for the localisation of tumuli in respect to altitude, terrain surface incline, direction of exposition and distance from waterways and watershed ridges as well as an analysis of visibility for selected sites, which shall describe preferences in respect to the chosen place of construction.

The paper presents δ13C and δ15N isotope content measurements in human bones from 16 graves, being part of the Yampil Barrow Complex. From the results, conclusions may be drawn about the diet of barrow builders and users. It was based on vegetable foodstuffs and characterised by a varied share of terrestrial animal meat, depending on the period. High δ13C values suggest a share of C4-type plants in the diet, possibly millet.

This article presents the results of analyses of relics made out of wood that were discovered during the investigation of the Yampil Barrow Complex (Ukraine, Vinnitsa Oblast) in the period 2010-2015 in respect to the graves of Eneolithic communities, Yamnaya culture, Catacomb culture, Noua culture and the Iron Age. The research has documented a process of the selection of wood used in funerary rituals in the 4th to 2nd mill. BC and the choice of tree species present in stenothermal climax forests (Quercus sp., Fraxinus sp.).

Ancient DNA was analyzed in altogether 28 Late Eneolithic and Bronze Age human skeletons form 4 sites in southern Ukraine. More than 0,3% of human DNA was preserved only in 13 skeletons. The results of our analyses provide evidence that recovery of DNA molecules suitable for genetic analyses is more dependent on the specificity of the archaeological site and is not strongly correlated with particular environmental factors.

The present paper discusses the results of an interdisciplinary study of human remains in the form of two ulnae from a female skeleton found in grave 10, Porohy 3A site (Middle Dniester Area), dated to Early Bronze Age: 2650-2500 BC. The paper describes the technical aspects of applying the decorations revealed in the examination of the aforementioned bones.

This paper presents a newly developed model that links the destruction processes of wattle-and-daub houses and the internal chronology of sites. By examining the weight and spatial distribution of burned daub, our model explicates the relative chronological sequence of the structures and nearby associated features. A three-step analytical procedure allows for the specification and self-checking of model outcomes. We verify the model by its application to data from Mrowino site 3 (western Poland) and confirm its utility for re-assessing the sequence of Funnel Beaker culture settlement structures. The obtained results are confirmed by previous work detailing the stratigraphy of pits, the distribution and seriation of pottery and radiocarbon dating.

The paper discusses the 2010-2015 studies of the radiocarbon chronology of Podolia ‘barrow cultures’ on the left bank of the middle dniester . The studies have relied on series of 14 C dates for the Klembivka 1, Pidlisivka 1, Porohy 3a and Prydnistryanske 1 sites determined in Kyiv and Poznań laboratories . They are the first attempt to construct a regional (‘Yampil’) radiocarbon scale for ‘Early Bronze’ funerary rites (4th/3rd-2nd millennium BC) as practised by barrow builders – the communities of the Tripolye and Yamnaya cultures – and the secondary barrow users – the designers of necropolises located on barrows – belonging to the Catacomb, Babyno and Noua cultures. This publication constitutes the fruits of the National Programme for the Development of the Humanities (grant no. 0108/NPH3/H12/82/2014).

Anthropological examinations were performed on skeletal material from four barrow necropolises located in the Yampil Region (Ukraine) and dated to the Eneolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age. The purpose of the examinations was the determination of sex and age at death of individuals, reconstruction of their stature and assessment of their status of health. The examinations covered 61 individuals: 17 children and 44 adults. Their health status was assessed using four common indicators: linear enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis and dental caries.

The paper presents excavation results and analytical studies concerning the taxonomic classification of a funerary site identified with the communities of the early ‘barrow cultures’ settling the north-western Black Sea Coast in the 4th/3rd-2nd millennium BC. The study focuses on the ceremonial centres of the Eneolithic, Yamnaya, Catacomb and Babyno cultures.

The paper presents the results of excavations and analytical studies regarding the taxonomic classification of a unique funeral site associated with the societies of early ‘barrow cultures’ of the north-western Black Sea Coast in the 4th-3rd millennium BC. The study discusses the ceremonial centres of the Tripolye culture-Gordineşti group, as well as Yamnaya and Catacomb cultures.

The paper presents the results of excavations and analytical studies regarding the taxonomic classification of a funeral site associated with the societies of ‘barrow cultures’ of the north-western Black Sea Coast in the first half of the 3rd and the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. The study discusses the ceremonial centres of the Eneolithic, Yamnaya and Noua cultures. This publication constitutes the fruits of the National Programme for the Development of the Humanities (grant no. 0108/NPH3/H12/82/2014).

The article presents the results of magnetometric surveys carried out in the village of Pridnistryanske on two barrow sites . In the site 1, the principal objectives were to capture the course of barrow ditches – not covered by the excavations – and investigate the space between the mounds . On site 2 relying on photographs was a group of nearby barrows selected for geophysical investigations The project was funded with measures National Science Center awarded by decision numer DEC-2012/07/ B/ HS3/01917. We would like to acknowledge and at the same time express our sincere gratitude for the generosity shown by the following at the Adam Mickiewicz Uni- versity in making this publication possible: the Dean of the Faculty of History, Institute of Archaeology and Institute of Eastern Studies

The paper presents excavation results and analytical studies concerning the taxonomic classification of a funerary site identified with the communities of the ‘barrow cultures’ settling the north-western Black Sea Coast in the first half of the 3rd and the middle of the 2nd millennia BC . The study focuses on the ceremonial centres of the Eneolithic communities of the Babyno and Noua cultures . This publication constitutes the fruits of the National Programme for the Development of the Humanities (grant no. 0108/NPH3/H12/82/2014).

The paper discusses a structure of the settlement pattern of the Late Band Pottery culture – the Lengyel culture, Brześć Kujawski group, in a part of the Kujavia Plateau. In the first part, a microregional analysis of three selected sites is presented, in addition to discussing a special character of the associated artefacts. The second part focuses on the geography of settlement.

Archaeological site no. 3 at Mrowino is located on the Polish Lowland, in the Greater Poland region. It was excavated from 1973 until 1980. The excavation produced very rich movable finds, with the core of them being formed by Funnel Beaker culture (FBC) ceramics. The collections hold over 37,500 FBC pottery shards and several intact or reconstructed vessels. The vast majority of pottery comes from an FBC settlement dated to 3300-3150 BC. The pottery set includes vessels of clear Baden culture connections. For the mineral-ogical and petrographic study, 40 samples were selected to identify mineral and rock components of the ceramic body and compare the ways of raw-material preparation. In the studied samples, boulder clay in all probability was used to make the vessels. All studied samples were made from clay with grog and a small amount of sand as temper. In addition, several samples contained igneous rock crumbs. To find out if this was a deliberate or accidental admixture, it is necessary to carry out further research.