Between the East and the West of Europe: The Eneolithic and the Beginning of the Bronze Age in Light of Studies on Bio-Cultural Borderlands

Abstract

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.