Seminar in memory of Andrzej Z. Bokiniec (1961–2021), Toruń, 22 October 2025

Abstract

On 22nd of October, 2025, a seminar entitled ‘Nim z prochów naszych nowe ulepią dzbany‘ was held at the Institute of Archaeology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń (NCU), to pay tribute to the legacy of the late Dr Andrzej Zdzisław Bokiniec. Dr Andrzej Z. Bokiniec was a long-time employee of the Institute of Archaeology at the NCU, an archaeologist specialising in, the late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age and focusing on ethnoarchaeology of cultural border and hybridisation, as well as being, a democratic opposition social activist. The seminar was attended by over 100 people, of whom were numerous employees of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and other scientific and cultural institutions, together with family members, colleagues and associates of Dr Andrzej Bokiniec.

The seminar was opened by Prof. Waldemar Rozynkowski, dean of the Faculty of History at the NCU, accompanied by Prof. Wojciech Chudziak, director of the Institute of Archaeology at the NCU. The head of the Department of Prehistory Dr hab. Jacek Gackowski presented memorial volume entitled ‘Na północnych peryferiach wczesnobrązowego świata. Księga poświęcona pamięci Andrzeja Z. Bokińca edited by Łukasz Kowalski, Andrzej Kowalski, Jacek Gackowski and Kamil Adamczak.

The programme comprised six presentations, which were held over two separate sessions. In the inaugural session, chaired by Leszek Kucharski, senior curator and head of the Department of Archaeology at the District Museum in Toruń, first contribution was delivered by Prof. Wojciech Polak of the Centre for on History of ‘Solidarność‘ and Social Resistance in the Polish People's Republic at the NCU, who discussed the activities of  Dr Andrzej Z. Bokiniec as a democratic opposition figure. A speech was given by Dr hab. Jacek Kowalewski on the history of ethnoarchaeology at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Concluding the first session was Prof. Andrzej P. Kowalski of the University of Gdańsk, who exhibited the incomplete monograph of Dr Andrzej Z. Bokiniec entitled ‘Potomkowie Kaina‘.

The final session was chaired by Prof. Andrzej P. Kowalski. Dr Łukasz M. Dominiak of the Institute of Sociology at the NCU proceeded to present a lecture on the social evolution in European Bronze Age. In the following presentation, Dr Andrzej Słowikowski of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Warmia and Mazury engaged in a discussion on the relations between the cultural-historical and post-processual methodologies within Polish archaeology. The final contribution of the seminar was Dr Rafał Kleśta-Nawrocki of the Faculty of Humanities at the NCU in Toruń, who kindly shared his personal and academic reminiscences of Dr Andrzej Z. Bokiniec.

Concluding the seminar, a discussion was held among the participants and final address was delivered by Dr hab. Jacek Gackowski.