PL
The article attempts to present and evaluate the role and achievements of the Department of History and Methodology of Prehistory at the Institute of Prehistory at Adam Mickiewicz University, in terms of a reflection on theory and methodology of archaeology, developed in the framework of the Department, and pioneered by Professor Jan Żak. The first part presents an overview of the theoretical reflection and the range of issues undertaken by Professor Żak, while the second, by the employees of the Department of History and Methodology of Prehistory after Professor’s death. What all of these share is an attempt to find answers to questions about what is a “theory” in archaeology, what is its relationship with the practice of the discipline, the humanities and the intellectual world in general, as well as the role it played in the development of Polish archaeology in the past few decades.