The President of Poland has awarded dr. hab. Lech Czerniak, prof. of UG the title of professor of humanities.

Prof. dr hab. Lech Czerniak from the Faculty of History of UG specialises in research on Neolithisation and Neolithic of Central Europe and Neolithic of Anatolia as well as protection of archaeological heritage. He is a specialist in excavation research methodology. Since 2017, he has led the excavation and research of the Neolithic ceremonial centre ('roundel') at Nowy Objezierz.

- 'The conferment of the title of professor is the culmination of my research, which I conduct in three fields,' says prof. Lech Czerniak from the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Faculty of History of the University of Gdansk.

- 'The first is the Neolithic Age in the Central European Lowlands. To mention only the most recent works, I will mention the excavations at the monumental site at Nowe Objezierz, which served as a ceremonial centre in the period 4800-4500 BC. The second field covers the problems of the Neolithic Age in Anatolia,' - said, prof. Lech Czerniak. This research is based on the results of excavations which prof. Lech Czerniak carried out in 2001-20011, leading a Polish expedition (together with prof. A. Marciniak from UAM) in Çatalhöyük ('Çatalhöyük Research Project' directed by I. Hodder from Stanford University). The staff of the Institute of Archaeology of the UG ( dr. hab. Joanna Pyzel and dr. hab. Marcin Wąs) also took part in this research, as well as students, of whom dr. Marek Barański wrote his master's and doctoral thesis.

- 'The third, and most recent, field on which my scientific research is focused is the archaeology of the household of Neolithic communities. This is a field focused on the recognition of the social construction of groups forming the smallest community, which was capable of satisfying basic personal and social needs,' - explains the Professor. In his opinion, this concept provides conceptual and methodological tools which make it possible to look at a house as a social institution, and not only as an object providing shelter.

We congratulate the Professor on receiving the title.