The fifth millennium BC was an exciting period in the Carpathian Basin: the age of the flourishing Late Neolithic cultures saw the appearance of stratified tell settlements, a site type of Balkanic origin, often ringed by multiple ditched enclosures and of extensive, single-layer, rural settlements. The easterly regions of Hungary were settled by the communities of the Tisza-Herpály-Csőszhalom culture, while the westerly areas by the people of the Lengyel culture, each with its own colourful pottery styles. This period is characterised by elaborate rites, a highly diverse material culture and the use of various prestige articles (such as Spondylus and copper).

In the wake of the countless excavations conducted over the past decades, several thousand burials are now known from this period, which will be the springboard for presenting the lives of women, a subject that was accorded little attention or downright neglected in previous scholarship. In addition to many similarities, e.g. in the diet, several local variations can be demonstrated within the period's larger cultural units, reflecting changes in rites, costume and gender representation. My paper will explore the background to these changes, covering issues of diverse origins, different female roles, diverse constructions of gender and social inequality. The presentation will integrate the archaeological evidence with recent bioarchaeological findings.

The project is financed by a grant from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund (Grant K124326).