three largest settlements probably represent consecutive relocations, each moving c. 12–15km north-east along the edge of the steppe/forest-steppe ecotone, with a community growing to around 10 000–14 000 people, from Dobrovodi (250ha) to Tal'ianki (450ha) to Maidanets'ke (270ha), over about 150–200 years. (Diachenko (2010) reduces the size estimates of these sites to 211ha, 341ha and 214ha respectively). Ryzhov contributes a related study of the relative chronology of the giant-settlements based on typological evidence, assuming that migrations between Tripol'ye regions are the explanation for observed changes in ceramic style, a conception broadly shared by the other contributors. Ryzhov's stylistic descriptions are greatly expanded in his second article, a typology of the spatial and chronological evolution of Tripol'ye pottery styles. This attention to style has potential advantages for fine-grained social analysis, though this specific use of style is generally neglected. Ryzhov and Kruts agree that changes in ceramic styles coinciding with the growth of the giant-settlements indicate that these sites began with a significant infusion of new people who moved from the Dniester-Prut region—where these styles originated—to the South Bug River at c. 3800 BC. The local Tripol'ye population retained its regional ceramic styles only in sites near the Dnieper, where they became an 'eastern Tripol'ye' group with smaller site sizes that resisted assimilation by the 'western Tripol'ye' group in the giant-settlements.
The last of the five articles is by Diachenko, the archaeologist responsible for the introduction of improved mathematical methods and demographic models to Tripol'ye archaeology. His recalculated site areas for the giant-settlements are quoted above (Diachenko 2010); in the current book he uses only broad size categories. His statistic that 78.4–100 per cent of the structures at Maidanets'ke were occupied at the same time (p. 123) confirms the contemporaneity of the entire settled area. He adds useful data on length of occupation, spatial connections between settlements, satellite communities, and possible ecological pressures on resources. He attributes the defensive concentrations of population to inter-regional migration processes and conflicts between eastern and western Tripol'ye communities.
Most of the authors cite soil exhaustion and, in particular, a decrease in forest resources as reasons for the end of the giant-settlements, but the evidence for ecological degradation is not presented or discussed in detail. Population pressure and ecological degradation are cited as the causes of migrations that led to the founding of the giant-settlements—and are also cited as the causes for their decline.
Although the underlying theories and approaches of these authors are at times different from Western models, a lot of valuable information and important new fieldwork is reported on a phenomenon that challenges our expectations, regardless of theoretical background. Collaborative projects such as this must be applauded and can only improve our joint understanding.