Scientific context and motivation For a long time archaeological research in Romania and in other countries of Central Europe remained confined within the limits of studies based strictly on stratigraphy and typology of various artifacts disconnected from their contexts. The principal consequence of the assumption of the cultural-historical paradigm consisted mainly in producing repetitive results and ignored the wider question of resource management modalities and strategies for the control and distribution of various goods and the structuration of built and unbuilt space. Neither was envisaged an extremely important issue referring to society, to its structure, to the causes of some social developments, particularly in the relations between man and environment. In such conditions, social mechanisms of the relationships with the environment, its economic and cultural value, differentiation and communication and/or exchange systems soon became general aspects of enunciation which were based on opinions transformed into dogma. Thus, general ideas have been spread about, often misconceptions and the lack or scarcity of complex multidisciplinary studies was significant, especially considering that the conceptual content of research has not evolved. Thus, this project aims, for the first time in Romania, to define the specificities of human communities in close relation with the natural environment. Several chronological levels like the Neo- eneolithic period, the La Tène epoch and the Middle Ages have privileged positions in a large study area, and can be studied through a comprehensive interdisciplinary diagnostic, allowing to highlight the framework of the linked evolution of man and his environment. It will correlate the specific parameters obtained through studies of archaeology, sedimentology, micromorphology archaeozoology, palynology, antracology, carpology and physical anthropology with special reference to different categories of social spaces.  This theme primarily aims to allow the correlation of data on areas larger than those traditionally considered which were reduced to the built social space of the settlement, so we can try to highlight the characteristics of the development of various human communities not only in time but also depending on the variability of environment’s ecological parameters.
 It is envisaged that in general, the natural existing resources may not only have a limited or restrictive impact value and much smaller extent than was long believed, but can also be determining. Therefore we consider it is obvious that the natural environment, as well as its evolution must be reconstructed in an as detailed way as possible in its whole complexity, to allow us to define strategies of resources exploitation, cultural options and the social behaviors of these communities, based on measurable scientific data. Study area is situated in the “Balta Ialomiţei” meadow, a floodplain area between two parts of the Danube, the Old Danube and Borcea, which presents natural areas permanently or occasionally flooded and dammed areas with artificial or natural forests. These wetlands are currently true refuges for the preservation and conservation of natural biodiversity. The Danube including its delta is a significant part of EU Regional Strategy, presented and adopted in December 2010 by the European Commission. Analysis of topographic maps showed that the area has undergone significant changes as a result of geomorphologic evolution, being affected by the draining and damming works of the last half century in a lesser extent than previously thought. An Austrian military map at 1:20.000 scale on the basis of measurements made at the end of the nineteenth century, illustrates a situation much closer to the present, except for major changes caused by human interventions in the twentieth century. The 1:25.000 scale military topographic map, printed in 1960, illustrates the same situation for micro-topography. This time, however, common areas with lakes, ponds and channels, from north and south, are separated by one of the first dams made in this part of the Danube floodplain. “Popina Borduşani” is the most important prehistoric settlement known so far in “Balta Ialomiţei” area. It is one of the largest tells in the south-eastern Europe under current archaeological research by a multidisciplinary team (S. Marinescu- Bîlcu et al. 1997; D. Popovici et al. 2003).