The collection examines the problems of ethnogenesis and ethnic history of the peoples of the Balkans and the Northern Black Sea region from the prehistoric period (III millennium BC) until the arrival of the Slavs in the Balkans (VI century BC. e.). Authors explore the issues of etymology, linguogeography, epigraphy, decryption, analyze topo- and ethnonymy in ancient and Byzantine authors. Reflecting the current state of the affected issues, the articles contain material, the development of which expands the ideas about ethnogenesis, history, languages ​ ​ and culture of the population of the Balkan-Carpathian region and related areas.