Neolithic cultures in Bulgaria (original) (raw)

Historical fate of the Neolithic population of Bulgaria

1994

The Neolithic cultures of the country turned continuously into the Eneolithic ones. The latter experienced an incredible prosperity during the second half of the 5th millenium B.C. when there appeared the earliest metalurgy centre in the world; this centre was formed within the territories of the Balkan Peninsula. At the end of the 5th millenium the culmination of the climatic maximum caused a heavy global ecological crisis of which the Eneolithic population becomes a victim. This causes a deep and long-lasting pause in the prehistorie development not only of this country but of the whole region — a sircumstance that has very rarely been taken into consideration.

Neolithic population in Bulgaria and its social organization

1994

This chapter attempts to reconstruct the number of Neolithic population of Bulgaria which was about 70,000 to 90,000 people. The question of the connection of these people with the Indo-Europeans is considered and a conclusion is drawn that there could not have been an immediate link between them. Most probably the Indo-European Linguistic group came into existence much more later and beyond the territories of the Fertile Crescent; the Fertile Crescent population itself could have existed only before the appearance of the Indo-European group.

Spiritual life of the Neolithic population in Bulgaria.

Spiritual life of the Neolithic population in Bulgaria. (original title: Duhoven zivot na neolitnoto naselenre v Balgaria. - In: H. Todorova and I. Vajsov. Novokamennata epoha v Balgaria (kraja na sedmoto-sestoto heljadoletie predi novata era). Sofia 1993, 187–235.), 1994

The spiritual life of Neolithic Bulgaria has been extremely rich and various. The cult for fertility and the female role in it is reflected in the anropomorphic figurines represented in this publication by a number of unique examples published here for the first time. Less representative are the zoomorphic figurines which are impossible to interprete as pieces of art. But the zoomorphic and antropomorphic pottery is true art. There is a large variety of Late Neolithic figurines, among which a number of Early Eneolithic prototypes could be mentioned. Richly decorated, they most probably were altars because on such a find from Hotnitsa legs from a figurine that had originally been attached to the altar can be seen. These altars were called „small cuit tables“ and are an important component of the Neolithic art complex. The development of the burial rites during the Neolithic is of special interest. From the period of the Early Neolithic we know a few burials intra murum laid in a hoker position, while from the Late Neolithic we already have information about some extra mural burials. Among these the burials in Durankulak are entirely studied. Here the dead were buried bi-ritually; the women in a hoker position with the head to the North and the men stretched on their backs with their heads also to the North. Certain differences in social status between the individuals buried can be noticed. During the Early Neolithic there appeared the sign system. It can be found in the incised ornaments of ceramics or is independantly met on pintaderas and lids or bottoms of pots. The latter are especially characteristic of the Late Neolithic.

Early Neolithic Upper-Volga culture: toward the history of the study

2019

Сборник содержит материалы международной конференции, приуроченной к 120-летию М.Е. Фосс, 110-летию Н.Н. Гуриной и 80-летию А.Т. Синюка. Представленные работы затрагивают вопросы изучения позднекаменного века и эпохи раннего металла. Анализируются критерии выделения археологических культур неолита, сходства и различия волго-окской, верхневолжской, дубово-отарской, среднедонской, средневолжской и других культур. Рассматриваются возможности определения культурных областей, горизонтов и типов. Выделяются принципы обоснования перехода от неолита к бронзовому веку на территории лесной и лесостепной зон Восточной Европы. Определяется роль керамики в реконструкции культурных процессов в неолите-энеолите. Издание предназначено для археологов и представителей смежных дисциплин.

Modern concepts of Neolithic cultures in northeastern Europe

Samara Journal of Science, 2019

The authors summarize and systematize data on Neolithic cultures in northeastern Europe. It is a modern territory of the Komi Republic, the northern part of the Perm Territory, the Vologda and Arkhangelsk Regions, and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Based on the critical analysis of evidences, their analysis and interpretation, the authors present their views on the features of the formation, development and fate of the Neolithic cultures of the region. It has been established that the studied region contains northern and northeastern provinces of the famous cultures of the early and middle Neolithic of Eastern Europe: Verkhnevolzhskaya, Kamskaya, Lyalovskaya and Kargopolskaya. In addition, fragments of some cultures were identified. Their initial areas of formation are not yet reliably determined. They are represented by early Neolithic sites such as Dutovo 1, Chernoborskaya III, Enty IА and Chyornaya Vadya. Some types of pottery without a specific context document the presence of pop...