The growing interest in the cultural dimensions and environmental aspects of the transition to the Neolithic in the 6th millennium BC calls for a brief overview of what we know about the Early Neolithic in the Danube-Tisza interfluve. The idea of a volume drawing together the various strands of evidence on the Early Neolithic in this region resulted in the multi-facetted analysis presented in this volume. One major advance emanating from the study was the elimination of the archaeological blankspot between the Alfold and Transdanubia - earlier, the very existence of this blank spot made any discussion of possible contact between the two thoroughly researched regions virtually impossible and hampered comparisons of any kind. This volume follows on from the excavations at Polgar-Csoszhalom in 1957, in this series (BAR S1730, 2008). The assessment of the site at Szakmar-Kisules, an Early Neolithic settlement lying near the left Danube bank, is obviously linked to the problems of the Early Neolithic along the Danube and the publication of the finds from this site forms the backbone of the present volume.