Preface of the Series EditorsWiebke Kirleis, Johannes MüllerIntroductionKata Furholt, Margaux L. C. Depaermentier, Michael Kempf, Martin FurholtPART 1. POPULATION AND SETTLEMENT DYNAMICSStarčevo-Körös-Criş regional and macro-regional palaeo-demographyTamara Blagojević, Marko Porčić, Sofija StefanovićExploring Neolithic site preferences in the river Tisza floodplain using point pattern analysis and multicomponent environmental modelsMichael Kempf, Gerrit Günther, Margaux L. C. DepaermentierThe possible effect of plant cover on wind comfort in the Late Neolithic: a case study using environmental reconstruction for the site of Makaranda (northern Serbia)Aleksandar Medović, Robert Hofmann, Martin Furholt, Tijana Stanković Pešterac, Ildiko Medović, Stefan Dreibrodt, Liudmyla Shatilo, Kata Furholt, Fynn Wilkes, Darko Radmanović, Nikola MrkšićNeolithic settlement structures on the lower reaches of the Tisza River, Vojvodina, Serbia: the results of archaeo-magnetic prospectionRobert Hofmann, Kata Furholt, Aleksandar Medović, Martin Furholt, Fynn Wilkes, Ildiko Medović, Tijana Stanković Pešterac, Till Kühl, Sebastian Schultrich, Raško Ramadanski, Lenkskaya MartinovaSzegvár-Tűzköves (Tisza region, Hungary): teaching an old site new tricksPál Raczky, András Füzesi, Gábor Mesterházy, Kata Furholt, Eszter Bánffy, Knut Rassmann, Máté Stibrányi, Gábor SerlegiPART 2. SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS AND INEQUALITIESSocial transformations of liminal areas in the Late Neolithic: a multidisciplinary approach to the site of Gradište (Serbia)Miroslav Marić, Silvia Amicone, Jelena Bulatović, Nemanja Marković, Neda Mirković MarićCircuits of reproduction: The opportunities and power to changeTamás PolányiApplying the Inequality Possibility Frontier and the Inequality Extraction Ratio to archaeological data: studying inequality in the Early Bronze Age cemetery of Jelšovce (Slovakia)Fynn Wilkes, Henry SkornaPART 3. ENCLOSURE AND COMMUNAL AREASUnderstanding the variability of deposition practices involving human remains in Neolithic settlements of the northern Carpathian Basin: the Neolithic site of Vráble (Nitra district, Slovakia)Martin Furholt, Ivan ChebenExploring the Late Neolithic ditch: new data on dating, subsistence and environment from a circular enclosure at Borđoš, Vojvodina, SerbiaRobert Hofmann, Aleksandar Medović, Slobodan B. Marković, György Sipos, Sarah Pleuger-Dreibrodt, Rundall A. Schaetzl, Milivoj B. Gavrilov, Milica G. Radaković, Ildiko Medović, Desanka Kostić, Stefan Dreibrodt, Fynn Wilkes, Tijana Stanković Pešterac, Martin FurholtPART 4. ECONOMY AND SUBSISTENCE STRATEGIESAnimal economy of the Lengyel Culture population in Slovakia and the case study of KiarovNoémi Beljak Pažinová, Katarína Šimunková, Alena BistákováContinuity in lithic tool production and raw material use at the Neolithic site of Karancsság, in the North-Hungarian Mountains (Nógrád county, Hungary)Kata FurholtSocial and cultural diversity in the later prehistory of the Carpathian Basin: some implicationsEszter BánffyThis volume presents various facets of recent archaeological investigations into Neolithic and Bronze Age societies in the Carpathian Basin spanning from the 7th and 2nd millennium BCE. It delves into population dynamics, settlement patterns, and the spread of the Neolithic way of life through methodological approaches such as demographic analysis and environmental modelling.Moreover, the book explores social transformations and the development of inequalities, emphasizing the role of cultural complexes and technological advancements in shaping prehistoric societies. Interdisciplinary studies encompassing the spatial scales from the archaeological site up to the supra-regional level shed new light on domestic practices, subsistence strategies, and integration into regional socio-economic networks. Several contributions deal with enclosures and communal areas, which are reinterpreted to unveil their ritual significance and community dynamics. This is particularly evident in those cases that include burials. Ritual practices surrounding burial sites are seen as responses to social crises and complex situations, reflecting the negotiation of individuality and community identity.Overall, the book underscores the multifaceted nature of Neolithic and Bronze Age societies, showcasing their adaptability, social complexity, and elaborate interactions with the environment and neighbouring communities.