Figurative representations of the fourth millennium BC in Central, Western and Southeastern Central Europe

Abstract The fourth millennium BC in western, central and southeastern central Europe is mostly known for its overarching cultural phenomena like the Baden and Funnel Beaker cultures, the invention of the wheel and the widespread use of animal traction. However, it also features a diverse range of figurative finds: figurines, vessels, petroglyphs, incised and applied human and animal representations. In this paper, their origins will be explored, after which their shapes and decorations will be analyzed, after which they will be considered in front of their chronological and geographical backgrounds. When reflecting on the possible use of these objects, they can be seen as a mirror of what drove and moved societies and allow drawing far-reaching connections that span an area from the Paris Basin to the Black Sea.