| Abstract: | Summary: Research in the west Pontic region over the last twenty-five years has considerably increased the information available from the mesolithic through to the beginning of the Bronze Age, but, it is argued, there has been little consideration of the long-term cultural structure of the region. Taking the accepted differentiation of coastal and inland cultures throughout the period as reflecting 'structured'interaction, the article reviews the current state of evidence and discusses the similarities and differences between the two regions through time. It is argued that the cultural structure is maintained principally through ritual activities which show considerable continuity over time. the importance of these long-term phenomena in the interpretation of social organization in the region is stressed. |
