Catacomb cultural and historical unity: problems, discussions, and prospects of investigation

The paper is an attempt to characterize the present-day situation in investigation of Catacomb cultural and historical unity, a wide-scale phenomenon in the Bronze Age of the South-eastern part of the European steppe. A series of problems related to singling out separate Catacomb cultures and their relationships is pointed out. Of special importance is recently outlined early Catacomb Azov culture placed between the Early Bronze Age entities (Novotitorovka culture) and classical Catacomb cultures (Donets, West- and East-Manych, Ingul groups). Numerous data evidence mainly local way of formation of Catacomb unity and its separate variants, which seriously question migrationist hypotheses, so popular not long ago. Many problems remain unsolved, such as the role Early Bronze Age "wagon burials" played in formation of the Catacomb world, the factors that caused its convergent development, and the processes of its destruction, and the like. Taking into account new materials and hypotheses, it seems necessary to pay serious attention to the traditionally difficult problem of interaction between the steppe and Central European cultures in the Bronze Age.