This is the first book to investigate inter-regional contact and interaction in and around the early Black Sea, as well as potential insularity or remoteness from it ¿ both important themes in archaeological research. A central emphasis here lies on the material culture of connections and the significance of local social contexts. Each author in this collection addresses a range of key issues, including archaeological evidence for cultural connectivity or isolation; the means through which interactions took place and the physical parameters enabling/constraining such interactions; and the motivations and effects of inter-regional exchange for the societies concerned. This cutting-edge volume establishes the study of the pre-classical Black Sea as a significant field of research in its own right, demonstrated through some of the best recent research in the field.