From 'Adam and Eve' to the Present Day: Family and Social Bonds in Biological and Cultural Perspective

This volume brings together a rich collection of interdisciplinary research that explores how family and social bonds have been formed, lived and honored from prehistory to modern times. Based on presentations from the 24th Funeralia Gnieznienskie conference, held in Gniezno, Poland in 2024, the publication highlights the latest discoveries in funeral archaeology and anthropology, with contributions from researchers across Europe and the Americas. Spanning a remarkable chronological and geographical range – from Bronze Age burials in Slovakia and Iron Age cemeteries in Poland to the lives of pre-Columbian children in Peru and modern Protestant communities – From 'Adam and Eve' to the Present Day examines the enduring importance of kinship, care and identity. The studies address linguistic evidence, genetic relationships, burial practices and commemorative rituals, revealing how the concept of ‘family’ has evolved yet remained central to human experience. This is the first English-language edition of Funeralia , opening Polish scholarship to a broader global audience. It offers not only an insight into the distant past, but also a reflection on how we understand and shape family ties today. It also is a valuable resource for archaeologists, anthropologists, historians and anyone interested in the deep roots of human connection.