WEAPONRY OF SOCIETIES OF THE NORTHERN PONTIC CULTURE CIRCLE: 5000-700 BC

Viktor I. Klochko's research derives its inspiration from the accomplishments of Scythology and constitutes an attempt to apply its achievements to early agrarian societies from the period before the Iron Age. The work both summarises and concludes a series of earlier publications by the author, which presented selected issues connected with the problem and appeared in earlier volumes of "Baltic -Pontic Studies" (cf. vols. 1, 2, 3, 6). The involvement of the Editorial Board in promoting the results of Viktor Klochko's research also stems from a deep conviction that there is a pressing need to encourage converging research programmes in other research centres of the physiographic and cultural border zone between the East and the West.10Baltic-Pontic Studie

Wychodnie rud miedzi na terenie ukrainy zachodniej jako baza surowcowa metalurgii kolorowej w okresie funkcjonowania kultury trypolskiej

The article presents a study of copper ore from western Ukraine aimed at explanation of possibilities of their exploitation for the color metallurgy development during the period of Tripolye culture. It gives a short characteristics of lithological, mineralogical, and geochemical composition of copper ores from the Dneper area, Volhynia, and the Carpathians plateau. It further presents results of chemical and spectral analysis of ore-bearing rocks, evaluation of its current state and potential possibilities of their use in the past. Based upon a statement that metal objects produced during the existence of the Tripolye culture were made of pure copper two methods of its procurement were considered: (a) from a virgin copper, and (b) from oxygenated copper ore of sedimentary origin in which a small number of admixtures was noticed. The paper shows the potential of studies aimed at explanation of the correlation between contemporary and past copper ores and some copper goods from archaeological sites of the Tarnopol region.The article presents a study of copper ore from western Ukraine aimed at explanation of possibilities of their exploitation for the color metallurgy development during the period of Tripolye culture. It gives a short characteristics of lithological, mineralogical, and geochemical composition of copper ores from the Dneper area, Volhynia, and the Carpathians plateau. It further presents results of chemical and spectral analysis of ore-bearing rocks, evaluation of its current state and potential possibilities of their use in the past. Based upon a statement that metal objects produced during the existence of the Tripolye culture were made of pure copper two methods of its procurement were considered: (a) from a virgin copper, and (b) from oxygenated copper ore of sedimentary origin in which a small number of admixtures was noticed. The paper shows the potential of studies aimed at explanation of the correlation between contemporary and past copper ores and some copper goods from archaeological sites of the Tarnopol region

COMPUTER ORIENTED SYSTEMS AS A MEANS OF EMPOWERMENT APPROACH IMPLEMENTATION TO TRAINING MANAGERS IN THE ECONOMIC SPHERE

At the present stage of the development of information society, the latest educational strategy involves the realization of the person-centered paradigm based on the empowerment approach aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of the personality by inspiring, encouraging, increasing enthusiasm, confidence, realization of the job satisfaction, directed to the achievement of an efficient process of professional training of future managers. During the years of global information system development, the important task of modern education is to form the ability to use the computer oriented management system by the future managers in their professional activities, which favors the process of self-improvement, personal development, self-education, creative development, increase in competitiveness, formation of informational and professional culture. The paper reveals the aims, the content as well as the ways for the realization of the empowerment approach during the professional training of future managers with the use of computer oriented management systems in the process of solving tasks of the network planning. Theoretical and methodological principles of the empowerment approach are the development of adaptability, flexibility, dynamism, creative capacities, ability to take a risk, dedication to problem solving, anticipation of the results of your own activities, responsibility for decision making etc. The suggested technique for overcoming difficulties in teaching the information and dynamic simulation with the use of computer oriented management systems will allow the students to manage the projects in their future professional activities on the basis of the developed plans by creating the network models, determining the logical interconnections and work results necessary for the optimum planning. The experience gained during the training process may be applied in the future professional activities and will enable future managers to quickly overcome the difficulties and to become successful under the dynamic conditions of information society development

COMPLEX OF METAL GOODS BETWEEN THE VISTULA AND DNIEPER RIVERS AT THE TURN OF THE 4TH/3RD TO THE 3RD MILLENNIUM BC. CONCEPT OF THE CARPATHIAN – VOLHYNIA “WILLOW LEAF” METALLURGY CENTRE

In 2009, the 14th volume of Baltic-Pontic Studies (BPS) ran a series of papers summing up the state of research at that time into the routes between the Baltic and Black seas between the 4th and 1st mill. BC. They are an expression of an early reflection prompted by the need to look more closely at the impact Pontic cultural environments – where composite metallurgy was practised, designated as Early Bronze in this volume – had on the Decline Neolithic and Proto-Bronze settlement centres in the Baltic drainage basin. It is to this question that successive volumes of the BPS shall be devoted. Specifically, according to the research programme aims mentioned above (initial fruits being the papers included in BPS, vol. 18) the environments of Northern Pontic cultures – Yamnaya, Catacomb and Babyno – and the Trzciniec cultural circle were identified as generators of the Ingul-Donets Early Bronze Civilization or their immediate neighbours. In proposing this modification of the gamut of phenomena making up the prologue to the European Bronze Age, we intend to suggest the need for a more integrated (‘extra-taxonomic’) and at the same time, territorially wide-ranging reading of Northern Pontic civilization environments and its cultural interaction in the period from the 3rd to the first half of the 2nd mill. BC. More arguments in favour of the above opinion can be found in the introductory paper: The Baltic Drainage Basin in the Reconstruction of the Mental Map of Central Europe Held in Common by Northern-Pontic Early-Bronze Civilization Communities; 3200 – 1600 BC, An outline of research programme

MACES OF THE NEOLITHIC-BRONZE AGE OF THE NORTHERN PONTIC REGION

Fluted maces (Kannelierte Streitkolben) have not been an object of a monographic study so far. The reasons for this deficiency was the paucity of assemblage finds (mainly grave ones) and the fact that they occurred in the borderland between the East and West of Europe. Both reasons made it difficult to identify them chronologically and keep a full record of finds. The present monograph sums up almost 25 years of studies that at the outset were limited to Poland and only gradually were expanded to include the whole continent. This was made possible owing to the goodwill of many people and institutions from the Danube area, the Balkans and the Russian Plain. The present volume of Baltic-Pontic Studies consists of two parts devoted, respectively, to the current state of knowledge on the position of the mace in the Near East and North Pontic civilizations, and the forms, chronology, origins, functions and socio-organizational significance of one of its types, namely the fluted mace. As in previous volumes in this series, our intention is to inspire team, interdisciplinary studies involving scholars from different centres and countries. Only such a wide-range co-operation will bring about new developments in the areas discussed in this volume

Transit Routes between the Baltic and Black Seas: Early Development Stages – from The 3rd to the Middle of The 1st Millennium BC. An Outline of Research Project

As regards the identification of the early forms of Europe's long-distance routes, the area lying between the Baltic and Black seas can be said to be one of relative neglect. Specifically, little research has been devoted to the development stages of the area's socio-cultural map, i.e. to neighbourly forays, itineraries, routes (of varied continuity, range and transport technique), stable segments of roads leading to water crossings, networks of fords and the communication channels running along watersheds. The foremost issue, at present one of great difficulty with respect to a study embracing the whole region in question, is the cultural context of these innovations and the related mechanisms that saw their creation in regard to the socio-economic basis and ritual-epistemological nature of ancient peoples in these regions. The study by Marija Gimbutas [Gimbutas 1965] of 'amber routes', joining the west and east of Europe, may be considered the first attempt to tackle the issue of the region's early communication channels and was accordingly referred to in the analyses of the distribution of stone 'fluted maces', regarded as hypothetical markers of Baltic-Pontic routes [Kośko 2001; 2002]. Generally, this conceptual leaven can be said to have provided broader intellectual stimuli for the international academic community of 'Archaeology Bimaris'. The turning point in the nascent study of ancient routes has been thus given a clear framework: an inter-university and interdisciplinary discussion (see the Poznań-Obrzycko symposium Routes Between the Seas: Baltic-Bug-Boh (Southern Bug)-Pont held in October 2008). The papers included in this volume are a partial record of the discussion. The intentional selectiveness here is seen therefore in the conscious limitation of the scope of papers ('piecemeal' treatment of linguistic or ethnological and anthropological analyses). Moreover, there is a special focus on one of the inter-regional routes, namely the Baltic-Bug-Boh (Southern Bug)-Pont, or more specifically, its early evidence (generally speaking, prior to - widely known to the academia - its use in the times of Goth migrations)

THE BALTIC DRAINAGE BASIN IN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE MENTAL MAP OF CENTRAL EUROPE HELD IN COMMON BY NORTHERN-PONTIC EARLY-BRONZE CIVILIZATION COMMUNITIES - 3200-1600 BC

In 2009, the 14th volume of Baltic-Pontic Studies (BPS) ran a series of papers summing up the state of research at that time into the routes between the Baltic and Black seas between the 4th and 1st mill. BC. They are an expression of an early reflection prompted by the need to look more closely at the impact Pontic cultural environments – where composite metallurgy was practised, designated as Early Bronze in this volume – had on the Decline Neolithic and Proto-Bronze settlement centres in the Baltic drainage basin. It is to this question that successive volumes of the BPS shall be devoted. Specifically, according to the research programme aims mentioned above (initial fruits being the papers included in BPS, vol. 18) the environments of Northern Pontic cultures – Yamnaya, Catacomb and Babyno – and the Trzciniec cultural circle were identified as generators of the Ingul-Donets Early Bronze Civilization or their immediate neighbours. In proposing this modification of the gamut of phenomena making up the prologue to the European Bronze Age, we intend to suggest the need for a more integrated (‘extra-taxonomic’) and at the same time, territorially wide-ranging reading of Northern Pontic civilization environments and its cultural interaction in the period from the 3rd to the first half of the 2nd mill. BC. More arguments in favour of the above opinion can be found in the introductory paper: The Baltic Drainage Basin in the Reconstruction of the Mental Map of Central Europe Held in Common by Northern-Pontic Early-Bronze Civilization Communities; 3200 – 1600 BC, An outline of research programme

THE SOCIETIES OF CORDED WARE CULTURES AND THOSE OF BLACK SEA STEPPES (YAMNAYA AND CATACOMB GRAVE CULTURES) IN THE ROUTE NETWORK BETWEEN THE BALTIC AND BLACK SEAS

As regards the identification of the early forms of Europe's long-distance routes, the area lying between the Baltic and Black seas can be said to be one of relative neglect. Specifically, little research has been devoted to the development stages of the area's socio-cultural map, i.e. to neighbourly forays, itineraries, routes (of varied continuity, range and transport technique), stable segments of roads leading to water crossings, networks of fords and the communication channels running along watersheds. The foremost issue, at present one of great difficulty with respect to a study embracing the whole region in question, is the cultural context of these innovations and the related mechanisms that saw their creation in regard to the socio-economic basis and ritual-epistemological nature of ancient peoples in these regions. The study by Marija Gimbutas [Gimbutas 1965] of 'amber routes', joining the west and east of Europe, may be considered the first attempt to tackle the issue of the region's early communication channels and was accordingly referred to in the analyses of the distribution of stone 'fluted maces', regarded as hypothetical markers of Baltic-Pontic routes [Kośko 2001; 2002]. Generally, this conceptual leaven can be said to have provided broader intellectual stimuli for the international academic community of 'Archaeology Bimaris'. The turning point in the nascent study of ancient routes has been thus given a clear framework: an inter-university and interdisciplinary discussion (see the Poznań-Obrzycko symposium Routes Between the Seas: Baltic-Bug-Boh (Southern Bug)-Pont held in October 2008). The papers included in this volume are a partial record of the discussion. The intentional selectiveness here is seen therefore in the conscious limitation of the scope of papers ('piecemeal' treatment of linguistic or ethnological and anthropological analyses). Moreover, there is a special focus on one of the inter-regional routes, namely the Baltic-Bug-Boh (Southern Bug)-Pont, or more specifically, its early evidence (generally speaking, prior to - widely known to the academia - its use in the times of Goth migrations)