Do We Finally Know What the Neolithic Is?

Abstract: Over 20 years ago, an inspiring text by Lech Czerniak (The Neolithic – What’s That?) on understanding the concept of the Neolithic was published. For the present author, the Lech Czerniak’s discourse on the Neolithic was for many years and, to a large extent still is, a conceptual basis for understanding and presenting this issue. This contribution is an examination of the current relevance of Lech Czerniak’s theses. Furthermore, starting from this basis, a subjective attempt will be made to put the topic in some order, since a lack of clarity as to what the Neolithic is and what is not hampers and complicates research activities. Particularly, perhaps a fundamental issue will be assessed whether the concept of Neolithic in any measure reflects the past reality or reflects only our perceptions of that past. Conclusions resulted of the argumentation assume that there were indeed different and real Neolithics in the past. However, these Neolithics had a common denominator, in the form of “new” socio-organizational, ideological, mental, and consequently also meaning structures. They were a prerequisite for the existence of the Neolithic formation. Situations that can be labelled as the Neolithic are reflected archaeologically by the predominance of elements of the “Neolithic package” within a given sector of the cultural system.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Standort: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Umfang: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Do We Finally Know What the Neolithic Is? ; volume:8 ; number:1 ; year:2022 ; pages:332-342 ; extent:11 ; Open archaeology ; 8, Heft 1 (2022), 332-342 (gesamt 11)

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Urheber: Nowak, Marek

Weitere Informationen

• DOI: 10.1515/opar-2020-0204
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022071914484329391736
• Rechteinformation: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 15.08.2025, 07:32 MESZ