The problem of dating the beginning of the central settlements of the Brześć Kujawski culture. The case of radiocarbon dating of site 3 at Żegotki, Strzelno commune

One of the most characteristic elements of the Brześć Kujawski culture (4350-4000 cal. BC) were central settlements distinguished by dense development in the form of longhouses and associated graves, a large area (on average 3-6 ha), and a long period of use. A controversial issue is the dating of the beginning of this type of settlement (4600/4500 cal. BC versus 4350 cal. BC) and, consequently, of a given culture.The article aims to analyse six radiocarbon dates from a previously unpublished central settlement in Żegotki, Strzelno commune (Site 3), excavated in 1995. Each date refers to a separate house, giving a general picture of the settlement chronology within the range of 4300-3980 cal. BC. This finding is consistent with the general BKC dating model (Czerniak et al. 2016) and the dating of the settlement in Osłonki (Budd et al. 2020).