The present work attempts to provide understanding of the issue of Mesolithic archaeobotany, especially in terms of plant use, woodland clearance, and discussion concerning Mesolithic agriculture. Special attention is also paid to taxa occurring within archaeological context at European Mesolithic sites and some methodological implications. Also, specific patterns in food preparation and consumption are considered, particularly with emphasis on certain archaeological features. The thesis also brings new original data from the Czech Republic. In this regard, assemblage from Dvojitá Brána u Rohlin has provided hints towards the study of the Neolithisation process in the Czech Republic, whereas case study from the Schwarzenberg Lake has brought considerable focus on the issue of depositional/postdepositional processes, especially when dealing with shallow sandy sediments. The thesis also strongly reflects the growing need for interdisciplinary work to address issues related to Mesolithic hunter-gatherers.

1 Abstract Plant macro remains from archaeological situations were studied in order to trace the history of gradual formation of today's synanthropic vegetation. Synanthropic plants represent a heterogeneous group of species with various qualities and strategies, as well as with various immigration histories. In general, the synanthropic flora is rich in aliens, so it is important to know, when exactly these species immigrated to our territory (to know their residence time). Besides the determination of the residence time of alien plants, also the dynamics of formation of urban flora and vegetation was studied. Special attention was paid to the Medieval Period, when the urbanisation process started. The emergence of urban agglomeration may have been the cause of the emergence of new habitats, followed by formation of new plant associations - the predecessors of the today's ones. In general, towns represent a special case of anthropogenic environment with many various synanthropic habitats, causing their species richness. Questions 1. When exactly the synanthropic flora of medieval towns emerged? Was the transition from the Prehistory to the Medieval Period rather gradual or sudden? 2. What particular species took place in the medieval change of synanthropic vegetation? Where did these species come from? Was...

The study presented deals with the phenomenon of increased hunting activity on the transition of the Neolithic and Eneolithic Age, the reasons of which have been so far investigated only in regard to environmental conditions of locations. The phenomenon is observed on locations of a wide area of Middle Europe. Nevertheless, there exist locations with prevailing agricultural economy. On the basis of a detailed comparative analysis of the material culture of the Western culture circle and Bohemia and Moravia, the study aims to trace the reflection of the phenomenon in archaeological materials - differences between locations with predominant domestic sources, and locations with predominant wild sources. Alongside, the study deals with a possible environmental impact on increasing hunting tendencies. In order to created a database, a detailed catalogue of locations has been compiled. The catalogue holds the most essential information on material culture with regard to expected agricultural manners. The catalogue also serves as a clue for setting particular indicators of the database, the purpose of which is to organise the data in a comparable form. Subsequently, a descriptive database has been compiled. The database traces the reflection of agricultural base of the individual locations. By means of a...