Úvahy nad Archeologii pravěkých Čech

The author comments on the eight-volume Archeologie pravěkých Cech [Archaeology of Prehistoric Bohemia] from the position of an active participant in the preparation of the synthesis of information concerning prehistoric Bohemia in 1978 and 2007-2008. This new synthesis provides a satisfactory summary of the results of Czech field research as well as the state of the processing of sources. However, in the opinion of the author, the factographic limits of domestic sources together with today's unsatisfactory integration of the results of the humanities and natural sciences restricts the possibilities of their cohesive interpretive use. Further progress, or even the survival of the field, will depend in part on the success of the integration of Czech research into the framework of Europe and in part on the ability of archaeologists to convince the public that care and management of archaeological sources is a vital social mission of supranational importance.