Open research questions in Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies

What the literature leaves open

• The volume highlights a gap in knowledge that arguably has not even been apparent to many specialists of the period. The paper identifies the potential pitfalls of basing understanding of late Roman and early medieval economic relations on a single form of material goods alone.

  Anna Flückiger & Jan Bemmann (ed). 2024. Coining values: bronze between money and scrap in late Roman and early medieval Europe (Limes und Legion 2). Wiesbaden: Reichert; 978-3-7520-0816-6 hardback €69. · 2026 · DOI

• The challenges in the secure dating of the different phases and events of the monuments. The need to overcome the challenges of analyzing archaeological material and genetic data. The complexity of understanding the social structure and development of megalithic societies.

  New Book Chronicle: Megaliths and Neolithic societies in northern and western Europe · 2026 · DOI

• More largescale discussions will follow to lead to a deeper understanding of the Neolithic societies and their megaliths, - Research is still very much ongoing

  New Book Chronicle: Megaliths and Neolithic societies in northern and western Europe · 2026 · DOI

• There is a lack of understanding of the function of Hunyadihalom culture sites. There is a need for more radiocarbon dates from other sites to confirm the chronological framework.

  A Middle Copper Age hunters' camp at Hajdúböszörmény-Ficsori-tó-dűlő, northeastern Hungary · 2026 · DOI

• The study faced challenges in terms of the limited availability of data. The study faced challenges in terms of the complexity of the typological classification.

  Medieval ranged weapons from the Vaganovo-1 burial mound in the Kuznetsk Cis-Salair Region · 2026 · DOI

• There is a lack of comprehensive analysis of the ranged weapons found at the Vaganovo-1 burial mound. There is a need to consider the typological diversity of medieval ranged weapons.

  Medieval ranged weapons from the Vaganovo-1 burial mound in the Kuznetsk Cis-Salair Region · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should focus on preserving the historical sites in the region and preventing illegal excavation activities. Further studies can build upon the paper's findings to examine the archaeological data in other regions. The paper's results can inform future archaeological studies in the region.

  An Evaluation of the Archaeological Data in Yenigüler Village, Ayancık, Sinop · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in the availability of historical and archaeological data specific to Yenigüler. The paper notes that the settlement's history is being rapidly destroyed by treasure hunters, which may limit the availability of future data.

  An Evaluation of the Archaeological Data in Yenigüler Village, Ayancık, Sinop · 2026 · DOI

• There is a lack of comprehensive analysis of Ptolemaic coins found in Central Europe. The paper aims to fill this gap by discussing a single find of a coin of Ptolemy XII from Brno-Řečkovice.

  Nález mince Ptolemaia XII. z Brna-Řečkovic (okr. Brno-město) · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of reliable historical sources limited the study's ability to reconstruct the contemporary model of demonic entities. The analysis of folk narratives and geographical data may not be representative of the entire region. The study's findings may not be generalizable to other regions or cultures.

  Geoinformatyka w badaniach nad identyfikacją słowiańskich miejsc kultu – przykład polskich Karpat · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of reliable historical sources has hindered progress in the study of Slavic cult places in the Polish Carpathians. The need for an interdisciplinary approach to better understand the region's cultural heritage. The lack of a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the geographical environment and the distribution of cults and beliefs.

  Geoinformatyka w badaniach nad identyfikacją słowiańskich miejsc kultu – przykład polskich Karpat · 2026 · DOI

• Further research could focus on other archaeozoological finds from the same period. The paper's findings could be compared to those from other cities and regions.

  Pheasants, salted herrings, crayfish and other archaeozoological finds from three early modern cesspits on Národní třída in Prague · 2026 · DOI

• There is a lack of research on the archaeozoological finds from early modern cesspits in Prague. The paper aims to fill this gap by providing new insights into the diet and waste management of the population.

  Pheasants, salted herrings, crayfish and other archaeozoological finds from three early modern cesspits on Národní třída in Prague · 2026 · DOI

• Further analysis of the skeletal material could provide more information about the soldiers. The study of the written monastery records could provide more context about the burial ground.

  Excavations of Prussian Soldiers' Burial Ground at the Břevnov Monastery : Preliminary Report · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies the need to analyze the crafts of the Turobin Entailed Estate in the first half of the 17th century. The study fills the gap in the historical context of the city's growth and decline.

  The Crafts of the Turobin Entailed Estate in the First Half of the 17th Century · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should focus on the analysis of additional burials attributed to the Złota culture. The study suggests that further investigation of the Globular Amphora and Corded Ware cultures could provide valuable insights into the complexity and variability of Eneolithic funerary traditions.

  Diverse deathscapes · 2026 · DOI

• The study identifies a gap in the understanding of the Złota culture's mortuary practices and material culture assemblages. The research highlights the need for more nuanced and contextualized approaches to the analysis of ancient funerary practices.

  Diverse deathscapes · 2026 · DOI

• Spatial coverage could be expanded in underrepresented massif sectors. Denser sampling would refine landscape-scale reconstructions. The pollen-to-vegetation modelling depends on parameter choices that would benefit from further sensitivity analysis and broader modern calibration datasets.

  Petr Pokorný – Petr Šída (eds.): Hinterland. Archeologie severočeských pískovcových krajin. Kodudek, Praha 2025. · 2026 · DOI

• The paper identifies a gap in the understanding of Holocene environmental change and human occupation in sandstone landscapes. The study highlights the need for a multi-proxy approach to integrate archaeological and environmental data. The authors note the importance of considering the region's unique history and ecology in conservation and management decisions.

  Petr Pokorný – Petr Šída (eds.): Hinterland. Archeologie severočeských pískovcových krajin. Kodudek, Praha 2025. · 2026 · DOI

• The challenge of determining the primary function of stone grooved hammers. The difficulty of confirming the hypothesis that these tools were used in metallurgical activities. The need to consider the context of discovery when interpreting the function of archaeological artefacts.

  Stone grooved hammers from the Šumperk region in North Moravia and their possible association with metallurgical activity in the Late Bronze Age · 2026 · DOI

• The book identifies the challenge of interpreting the emergence of European civilisation. It highlights the need to balance scientific synthesis with essayistic reflection and philosophical commentary.

  Jan Turek: První Evropané. Archeologie počátků evropské identity. Academia, Praha 2026. · 2026 · DOI

• The book identifies a gap in the understanding of the long-term cultural foundations of Europe. It highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the Neolithic period and its transformative processes.

  Jan Turek: První Evropané. Archeologie počátků evropské identity. Academia, Praha 2026. · 2026 · DOI

• Further excavation and analysis of the Krems-Wachtberg site. Study of other Gravettian sites in eastern Austria. Analysis of the spatial organisation of other Palaeolithic occupation layers.

  Reflections on the spatial organisation of a Gravettian occupation layer at Krems-Wachtberg · 2026 · DOI

• The preservation of Palaeolithic sites is often incomplete. The distribution of finds in the preserved occupation surface's peripheral zones is incomplete. There is a lack of understanding of the spatial organisation of Gravettian occupation layers.

  Reflections on the spatial organisation of a Gravettian occupation layer at Krems-Wachtberg · 2026 · DOI

• The research was limited to a small area of the site (300 square meters). The excavations were conducted over a short period (between May and October 2024).

  The Archaeological Site Negrilești - Schoolyard, from Galați County. The Preventive Research at the „Manor” Point · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies

• Theory and Experiment in the Study of Technological Change · Current Anthropology · 1987 · 279 citations
• Daily Practice and Social Memory at Çatalhöyük · American Antiquity · 2004 · 210 citations
• ‘Always momentary, fluid and flexible’: towards a reflexive excavation methodology · Antiquity · 1997 · 160 citations
• The Residues of Feasting and Public Ritual at Early Cahokia · American Antiquity · 2002 · 138 citations
• Upper Palaeolithic fibre technology: interlaced woven finds from Pavlov I, Czech Republic, c. 26,000 years ago · Antiquity · 1996 · 109 citations
• The use of forensic botany and geology in war crimes investigations in NE Bosnia · Forensic Science International · 2006 · 90 citations
• Khirigsuurs, ritual and mobility in the Bronze Age of Mongolia · Antiquity · 2005 · 66 citations
• A Palaeolithic ‘Pompeii’ at Kostenki, Russia · Antiquity · 2003 · 52 citations
• Birth and death: infant burials from Vlasac and Lepenski Vir · Antiquity · 2004 · 47 citations
• The Kostënki 18 child burial and the cultural and funerary landscape of Mid Upper Palaeolithic European Russia · Antiquity · 2017 · 38 citations

Most recent work

• A large mass grave from the Early Iron Age indicates selective violence towards women and children in the Carpathian Basin · Nature Human Behaviour · 2026
• Origin and Function of Bitumen-Coated Torpedo Jars from the Sasanian to Early Islamic Period Fort of Fulayj in Oman · Molecules · 2026
• A Middle Copper Age hunters' camp at Hajdúböszörmény-Ficsori-tó-dűlő, northeastern Hungary · Archaeologiai Értesítő · 2026
• The Unusual Construction of Kurgans of the Scythian Elite from the 4th Century BC in a Burial Ground near the Village of Vodoslavka in the Northern Sivash Region (Ukraine) · Arts · 2026
• Medieval ranged weapons from the Vaganovo-1 burial mound in the Kuznetsk Cis-Salair Region · VESTNIK ARHEOLOGII ANTROPOLOGII I ETNOGRAFII · 2026
• A composite belt from the period of the First Turkic Khaganate discovered in Northern Altai · VESTNIK ARHEOLOGII ANTROPOLOGII I ETNOGRAFII · 2026
• An Evaluation of the Archaeological Data in Yenigüler Village, Ayancık, Sinop · TYB Akademi Dil Edebiyat ve Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi · 2026
• Nález mince Ptolemaia XII. z Brna-Řečkovic (okr. Brno-město) · Numismatické listy · 2026
• Geoinformatyka w badaniach nad identyfikacją słowiańskich miejsc kultu – przykład polskich Karpat · Studia Religiologica · 2026
• The Cultural-Historical Significance of Brskovo in the Medieval Period: From Historical Importance to Tourism Valorization · Bulgarian Historical Review · 2026

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