The site “Nad Wawrem at Złota (woj. świętokrzyskie) lies some 7 km SW of Sandomierz (Fig. 1) on the SE margin of the Sandomierz Highland, close to where it borders on the valley of the Vistula River (J. Kondracki 1994, 212). The settlement occupies an extensive loess elevation in the form of spur bounded by the valleys of the Koprzywianka and Polanówka streams (Fig. 1). Such location is consistent with many of the features characteristic of Funnel Beaker Culture pattern of settlement distinguished in the Sandomierz Highland (H. Kowalewska-Marszałek 1992, 246–250). The present study is an analysis of finds recovered from the Funnel Beaker settlement, found in the collection of the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw. In 1926–1930 R. Jakimowicz, Z. Szmit and J. Żurowski, on behalf of Państwowe Grono Konserwatorów Zabytków Przedhistorycznych (Corps des Conservateurs d’Ètat des Monuments Préhistorique), explored a multi-culture site close to the village of Złota. Work on the site “Nad Wawrem was carried out mainly in 1926, 1927 and 1929. Some 3 ha were excavated and 572 features uncovered. The Funnel Beaker settlement at the site “Nad Wawrem occupies a central place of the studied area. Most probably the site was investigated in full. Existence of planned layout may be traced in the distribution of pits, which apparently were arranged around a central open space (Fig. 2). Material associated with Funnel Beaker culture was recovered from 10 pits, presumably used for different economic purposes. Basing on their shape, as seen in cross-section, features were distinguished into types one and two. Type one was basin-like in section while the section of type two pits was irregular with many internal divisions (Table 1). The first group included pits no. 387, 397, 407, the latter a set of four pits, (Fig. 8, 9, 26). All were circular in outline, measuring 1.5–1.6 m in their upper section and had a maximum depth of 0.50 m, with uniform fill. Features of the other group having an irregular and segmented section included pits no. 378, 401, 402, 404, 406, 416 (Fig. 5, 6, 10, 11, 15, 16, 19, 20, 25, 28). Their interior was rather complex, with recesses branching out at the pit bottom or sides, stairs, steps; their fill was far from uniform and included a number of distinct layers. In their upper section these pits measured between 2.9 and 4.3 m, reaching the maximum depth of 1.7 m. Unlike the basin-sectioned pits of the first group, type two pits produced a rich and varied assortment of material evidence. Pits with a basin-like section may probably be interpreted as remains of small sunken cellars protected against the elements by some type of roofing difficult to reconstruct (B. Balcer 1989, 349–351). Alternately, they may be traces of clay extraction for building purposes i.e., clay-pits (B. Balcer 1989, 352; S. Kadrow 1992, 36) or traces of other activities pursued by inhabitants of the settlement (J. M. Michalak-Ścibior, H. Taras 1995, 78). Interpretation of the function served by the other group of pits is more difficult. In view of the rich assortment of finds recovered from them they may be linked with construction of raised dwellings. Although excavations failed to produce direct evidence of the presence such structures their existence is suggested by the presence of fragments of construction daub inside the fill of these pits (B. Balcer 1989; Z. Krzak 1963, 81–82). A small number of structures associated with raised dwellings is known from other Funnel Beaker settlements (B. Burchard 1977, 65–67, fig. 4; A. Kulczycka-Leciejewiczowa 1993, 126, fig. 41; A. Pelisiak 1985, 23–24, fig. 11, 12, 15, 16; J. Romanow, K. Wachowski, B. Miszkiewicz 1973, 23–29, 81–83, fig. 8–10; H. Schirning 1979b, 242; 1979c, 244–245; H. Wiklak 1975, 49; 1986, fig. 3, 4; W. H. Zimmermann 1979, 247, fig. 16). Structures presumably associated with cult were also recorded in megalithic tombs (W. Chmielewski 1952, 18–19; K. Gorczyca 1979/1981, 6, 17–18, fig. 4–9; I. Jadczykowa 1970, 135). It is also worth recalling that the function of the discussed group of pits may have been changed over the period they were in use (B. Balcer 1989, 351). At the present level of knowledge it is difficult to establish what location the discussed features occupied within the settlement. They may have been found inside buildings, under their floor or alternately, outdoors, protected by the roof of the building or a greater distance from the dwellings. B. Balcer proposed a similar location in case of trapezoid pits in his study of the settlement at Ćmielów (B. Balcer 1989, fig. 19). 3087 pottery fragments were analysed; two entire vessels survived intact (Fig. 12n, 22g), nine were reconstructed (Fig. 7k, 17a, 21e,j, 27b). On the basis of so fragmentary an inventory little may be said about the assortment of vessel forms but appears to have been relatively rich. A large group was formed by funnel beakers and vessels having a funnel-like neck and by pot-like storage vessels with a large opening. Amphorae, amphora-like vessels, cups with ansa lunata handles and collared flasks, represent a much smaller group. Vessels of small dimensions were also encountered. It is probable that the assortment of pottery also included bowls and jugs. In dimension the vessels ranged from very small specimens through a series of intermediate specimens to large, storage vessels. Predominant forms were presumably slender vessels with a high-set shoulder. Among funnel beakers two types and three variants were distinguished (A I 1–3, A II) as well as one type of S-shaped beakers profile (A III). Amphorae were distinguished into four types: B I–IV. Micromorphological differences in pottery consisted mainly in the different modelling of vessel rims. The modelling of the vessel base was in all specimens similar, differing only in the different degree of sloping out of the vessel wall near the base, a feature dependent on the vessel form and the modelling of a distinct vessel foot. In terms of production technique the ceramic material largely resembles pottery known from other sites of the Funnel Beaker culture, SE group (W. Gumiński 1989, 39–40). Ceramic vessels were characterised by highly uniform preparation of the raw material, firing and surface finish. Technological group A was distinguished including subgroups A 1–3 identified on the basis of secondary attributes i.e., manner of surface finish, thickness of vessel walls and amount of temper used. Mineral temper was used in the form of fine-grained sand and ground potsherds which was added in substantial quantity and mixed quite uniformly in the entire ceramic mass. The temper is not apparent on vessel surface and may be seen only in the breaks. Group B was also distinguished on the basis of heavy post-depositional surface wear of potsherds which otherwise were typified by the same technological attributes characteristic for the technological group A. Ornamentation consisted mostly of one or two, more rarely, a larger number of designs. The most typical patterns consisted of one or two elements arranged horizontally, more seldom, vertically or horizontally and vertically. The ornament was made externally under the vessel rim, at the point of junction of the neck and the vessel body more rarely, below the handles, on their edges or on the vessel body. Exceptionally there was an all-over ornament (pinched ornament on storage vessels). Individual vessel types tended to be associated with specific ornamentation motifs. It was typical for funnel beakers to be decorated with an ornament of stamps of diverse shapes arranged in rows (Fig. 12h, 17f, 21a,b, 29a,g) or zigzags (Fig. 12i, 22e, 29f,ł) and the stab-and-drag lines (Fig. 7b,g, 17g,o,r,u, 21c, 22f, 27d, 29c). A more rare form of plastic ornament were cordons placed at the neck and vessel body junction or U- and M-shaped cordons placed below the curve of the neck (Fig. 17t, 21e, 27d, 29k). Sporadically, a notched ornament was observed forming a zigzag enclosing from below a band of stamps (Fig. 17o) or cord impressions in the form of a horizontally arranged line (Fig. 18a, 21j), at times interrupted by flat bosses (Fig. 29k). Storage vessels tended to be decorated with a plastic ornament by thickening the vessel rim to form a ledge or a cordon below the vessel mouth additionally covered with a pinched ornament (Fig. 17p) or stamp impressions (Fig. 4a). A characteristic ornament for these vessels are the narrow slats finger-impressed (Fig. 4c, 22a). A striking form of decoration is seen on storage vessels only where the entire vessel body and the neck were covered with a pinched ornament (Fig. 17e,h). Amphorae were decorated only rarely with a plastic ornament in the form of a cordon placed at the vessel neck and body junction, occasionally additionally notched (Fig. 27a). Other striking objects of fired clay were also recovered from the analysed features: a fragment of a cylindrical loom-weight (Fig. 7j), four entire clay spindlewhorls (including a stamp-ornamented specimen) and their three fragments (Fig. 12b,f, 17j, 22j,l), two fragments of small clay battle axes (Fig. 22k) and a realistically rendered representation of a ram’s head originally crowning a vessel handle (Fig. 29n). Technologically these items do not differ from pottery vessels. The only difference, in case of spindlewhorls, is the content of mineral temper, higher than in vessels. An interesting find from the recess of pit no. 401 was a clay pipe (Fig. 13j). A similar specimen is known from a Funnel Beaker settlement at Ćmielów, pit no. 49 (Z. Podkowińska 1950, 129, pl. XXXIX:4). Objects resembling the find from Złota have been interpreted variously as aids used in feeding babies (so-called biberons), spoons, mortars, pipe stems or crucibles used in copper metallurgy (J. A. Bakker, J. C. Vogel, T. Wiślański 1969, 227; W. Gumiński 1989, 114) – unlikely items having a different chronology, formed and function all lumped together. The finds from Złota and Ćmielów were subjected to spectrogaphy analysis by specialists of the State Archaeological Museum to determine the chemical composition of residue substances found on them. This helped to exclude metallurgy and suggested at the same time possible connection of analysed residue with remains of plant ashes (L. Koziorowska 1995). Of 54 flint finds associated with Funnel Beaker culture recovered at Złota, site “Nad Wawrem most were made of the local Świeciechów flint. The variety from Volhynia and banded flint were much less common (Table 2). Flint objects appear to have been heavily used. Many tools show substantial degree of wear (axes with damaged blades (Fig. 18g,h, 30e,f), change of function (axes showing traces of reuse as hammerstones (Fig. 18c, 30c) and repair (retouched blades with steeply retouched edges (Fig. 18d, 27f, table 3, 4). Generally the structure of the analysed flint inventory (Table 5) is typical for settlements of flint tool users (B. Balcer 1975, 186). 10 tools represent stone finds. All were subjected to petrography analysis (P. Bylina, R. Michniak – archive of the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw) mainly, to identify their raw material and its source of origin (Table 6). It was established that different stone material was used in manufacturing stone tools. Inhabitants of the settlement at Złota used material from local deposits – stone from the main ridge and the foreland of the Central Polish Highlands (Góry Świętokrzyskie) and material found in the direct vicinity of the site at Złota, from erratics of the Middle Polish or Northern Polish glaciation in the valley of Kamienna River and from the Polish Lowlands. Material was also brought over greater distances, as e.g., serpentine marble from Silesia and silicificated marl probably from Carpathian Mts. Field notes from the excavation also noted that quernstones were found in the pit fill (some 5 specimens) but unfortunately they were not collected from the site after the excavation. According to J. Żurowski, head of the expedition, one of the quernstones was made of granite. The inventory of bone objects included 29 tools (entire and in fragments) and a fragment of an ornament. Nearly a half of all implements were various types of awls – 13 items (Fig. 13a–e,i, 14l, 18j,k,ł,m, 22n,o). The next largest group are adzes – 7 specimens (Fig. 7ł, 13g,h,k, 14ł, 30h,i). Other bone tools included two perforators (Fig. 14k, 18i), two dagger fragments, which may originally have belonged to a single specimen (Fig. 13f), a point, (Fig. 14j), a punch (Fig. 7l), four fragments of indeterminate tools (Fig. 12a, 14h, 22m, 30g) and an amulet fashioned from a horse tooth (tusk) (Fig. 18n, table 7). All the analysed items are characterised by careful execution. They were produced from bone of both domesticated and wild animals (Table 8) (See Annex). Classification of bone tools into individual groups clearly shows that the morphology and properties of the bone material strictly conditioned their shape. The style of ceramic vessels places the Funnel Beaker settlement, site “Nad Wawrem at Złota, in the classical phase of development of the SE group. The set of Funnel Beaker pottery from the discussed settlement shows high homogeneity and should clearly be associated with the classical phase of the SE group of Funnel Beaker Culture, the Bronocice phase II (BR II), dated to the period between 3540–3340/3180 BC cal. (2900–2700/2600 bc conv.) (J. Kruk, S. Milisauskas 1983, 310), with which it shares the largest number of elements. A small number of features should be linked also with phases BR I and BR III. Features characteristic for phase BR II in evidence in the discussed material include: the slender form of vessels which taper near the base (Fig. 4h, 7k, 17a), sack-like vessels with an “arcade ornament of the rim (Fig. 4c, 22a), amphorae with a broad proportioned or biconical body with knee-shaped handles set at the greatest vessel diameter (Fig. 12n), collared flasks (Fig. 12j, 17c, 29d), amphorae with handles extended with plastic projections (Fig. 17l), small beakers with small arc-like cordons below the neck curve (Fig. 21e, 27d, 29k) and slender ansa lunata handles (Fig. 29m). The prevailing ornamentation technique are stamp impressions arranged into diverse motifs (Fig. 12d,h,i, 17f, 21a,b, 22b,e, 29a,f,g,ł). Analogically as in other assemblages associated to phase BR II sporadically encountered ornamentation includes engraved lines (Fig. 21e,j), and incisions (Fig. 17o, 29b). Also in terms of the manner of execution and preparation of the ceramic mass materials from the discussed settlement have their counterparts in phase BR II (B. Burchard 1977, 75; A. Kokowski 1995, 155; J. Kruk, S. Milisauskas 1981a, 89–92; 1983). Different categories of artifacts analysed in the study show traces of intensive use, damage and reworking. This probably sheds some light on t