We are One: Figural finds from the eastern border of the Linear Pottery Culture distribution

Abstract

This paper discusses anthropomorphic representations from two Ukrainian sites that can be dated to the Linear Pottery Culture. They can be categorized as applications and incised human representations. Although their posture is similar, their significance was likely different. The applications were fixed to vessels' walls in such a way that they look inside the container, whereas the incised representations look outward, facing anyone that would approach them. We may conclude that applications like the ones from the Ukrainian sites are part of a common set of beliefs comprising collective consumption from the same vessel, but we can only speculate about the original content, which may have been something extraordinary like alcohol or something ordinary like meat, milk or soup. On the other hand, the incised representations with their faces directed away from the vessel wall may be seen as guardians of the vessels' content.

Verifying the chronology of Ukrainian Neolithic

“…The pairs of dates (1: Кі-6689 and Кі-6688 24 Bardetskiy, 2012;Zlatohorskyi / Bardetskyi, 2010. 25 Bardec'kyi et al 2016Bardec'kyi et al , 2018Bardetskiy et al 2017;Becker et al 2018;Mazanec et al 2020; Saile 2020. 26 Kotova / Tuboltsev 1996, 29-44 (primary publication), the most recent summary -Kotova 2013, 40.…”

Chipped lithic assemblage from Linear Pottery culture site Rovanci - Hnidavska Hirka, Lutsk Oblast (Volhynia, west Ukraine)

“…The oldest period of occupation of this site corresponds to the Linear Pottery culture. This is confirmed by settlement features and relatively large numbers of various artefacts (Zlatogorskiy and Bardetskiy 2010;Dębiec and Saile 2015;Bardec'kij et al 2016; Bardetskiy et al 2017;Becker et al 2018;Saile et al 2018). There were also flint, stone and obsidian artefacts discovered in the LBK context.…”

Macro and Micro Scale Neolithisation Processes in SE Poland against the Background of Central-Eastern Europe

“…The spread of anthropomorphic plastic specimens (Pavúk 1969;Becker et al 2018), including facial imaginations, was also transcultural and at least Central European in nature (Virág 2009, Fig. 6).…”

“…Human intentions, actions, and their motives are always and only carried out by individuals. They gain their collective social and cultural dimension thanks to habitus (Bourdieu 1972) or routinisation (Giddens 1984).…”