R. Krauß/N. Elenski/B. Weninger/L. Clare/C. Çakırlar/P. Zidarov, Beginnings of the Neolithic in Southeast Europe. The Early Neolithic sequence and absolute dates from Džuljunica-Smărdeš (Bulgaria). (original) (raw)
Related papers
Documenta Praehistorica, 2014
Investigations of a balk in the centre of the prehistoric settlement of Džuljunica-Smărdeš comprised a sequence of archaeological deposits from the very onset of Neolithisation in South-eastern Europe throughout the end of the Early Neolithic. The arrival of Neolithic lifeways in the region coincides with the end of a period for which palaeoclimate proxies attest to considerable climate fluctuation. In connection with these investigations, the zoological finds were examined, which provide insight into the economy of this key settlement for the entire Balkan region.
‘Pre-Neolithic’ in Southeast Europe: a Bulgarian perspective
http://revije.ff.uni-lj.si/, 2014
This paper discusses why large areas of the central and northern Balkans lack evidence of Mesolithic settlement and what implications this holds for future research into the Neolithization of the region. A marked shift in site distribution patterns between Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic is interpreted as a response to changing environmental conditions and resource availability. It is suggested that some important questions of the pattern, processes and timing of the transition to farming across the Balkan Peninsula may only be answered through new archaeological surveys of the Lower Danube valley and exploration of submerged landscapes along the Black Sea, Aegean and Adriatic coasts.
‘Pre-Neolithic’ in Southeast Europe: a Bulgarian perspective [2014]
Documenta Praehistorica, 2014
This paper discusses why large areas of the central and northern Balkans lack evidence of Mesolithic settlement and what implications this holds for future research into the Neolithization of the region. A marked shift in site distribution patterns between Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic is interpreted as a response to changing environmental conditions and resource availability. It is suggested that some important questions of the pattern, processes and timing of the transition to farming across the Balkan Peninsula may only be answered through new archaeological surveys of the Lower Danube valley and exploration of submerged landscapes along the Black Sea, Aegean and Adriatic coasts.
1983
Describes the Neolithic site of Cavdar, Sofia region. The excavations conducted there in the 1968-1972 seasons uncovered an area of 1200 m 2. The main settlement phase is linked with the Karanovo culture complex. The discoveries included remains of post houses, large amount of pottery (also painted ware) and figurines of clay. 11 14 C dates have been obtained (Laboratory of the Academy of Sciences of GDR, Berlin) which assign the settlement at Cavdar to the 6th-5th millennia ВС. UNGSTEINZEIT IN BULGARIEN (collective work), Sofia 1981, 211 pp. Concise synthesis of the Neo-and Eneolithic of Bulgaria. The material is arranged on regional principle, the Neolithic of western and northeastern Bulgaria being discussed separately. The main part of the book consists of photographs of the most characteristic and spectacular finds from the period in question.
Early Neolithic in North Macedonia and Bulgaria: Geographical and Cultural Relations, 2021
One of the key topics of European prehistory – the Neolithization of the Balkans is still subject to a variety of explorations, polemics, ideas and hypotheses. Bearing in mind the geographical position of this territory in Southeastern Europe and wider in the immediate vicinity of the hotspot of the large (both Aceramic and Ceramic) Neolithic cultures and sites of the Eastern Mediterranean, in the second half and especially towards the end of the 7th millennium cal BC, a large number of Neolithic sites has been documented. The earliest Neolithic sites in Europe were discovered in Greece, which are characterized by a particularly authentic material culture, and later a number of EN sites were discovered in North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Romania, and a smaller number in Albania. Considering the rich material culture some sites from North Macedonia and Bulgaria are of special interest, which apart from the visible differences, are distinguished by great similarities in some categories of artefacts, in different micro-regions within the two countries. Hence, the paper focuses on discovering the causes of similarities in certain artefacts in communities that, although living in the same period of time, practice almost the same lifestyle, but are somewhat characterized by a relatively different material culture.
Iaie Pan Sygn P 244, 1986
Presentation of views on the issue of transition from the Eneolithic (Chalcolithic) to the Early Bronze Age on the territory of Bulgaria. The author assumes that the commencement of the so-called Transition Period, rather vaguely distinctive, should be shifted back to ca 4000 B.C. The closing of the Early Bronze Age can be placed ca 1900 B.C. and is connected with Magura, Coţofeni, Ezero and Pit cultures.
Archaeobotanical analysis of the Neolithic site Bâlgarčevo, Southwestern Bulgaria
Lechterbeck, J. & Fischer, E. (eds.) Kontrapunkte. Festschrift für Manfred Rösch, Universitätsforschungen zur prähistorischen Archäologie 300 (Habelt, Bonn 2017)PA 300, 2017
The archaeobotanical research for the Neolithisation of Southeastern Europe provides crucial evidence for understanding the transfer processes the Neolithic economy from the areas of its origin into Europe. The here presented archaeobotanical analysis of the site Bâlgarčevo serves as a case study on the development of the Neolithic agriculture and land use during the transition from the Early to the Middle Neolithic (5650-5450 cal BC) on one of the major Neolithisation routes – the Struma valley. Several sources of information: charred and ineralised plant macro fossils, wood charcoals and imprints of plants in wattle and daub, were considered. The principal crops were hulled wheats – emmer and einkorn. Pulses also played a quite important role (dominated by pea and lentil). The occurrence of chick pea (Cicer arietinum) illustrates the diversity of pulses and suggests continuation of agricultural practices close to those in the Near East. Anthracological evidence shows that natural vegetation was dominated by oak forests and the existence of a variety of other habitats such as open woodland, pine forests and riparian vegetation could be proved around the site, which were apparently intensely used.
2014
The study presents archaeobotanical analyses of four Early Neolithic sites (Koprivets, Orlovets, Dzhulyunitsa, Samovodene) from Northeast Bulgaria. Those archaeobotanical data are linked to comprehensive series of 14 C dates for the early Neolithic in northeastern Bulgaria allowing their attribution to high resolution radiocarbon chronology. In the considered sites the dominating cereal crop during the Early Neolithic is hulled barley (Hordeum vulgare var. vulgare), followed by einkorn (Triticum monococcum) and few emmer (Triticum dicoccum) what is a clear difference from the southern parts of Bulgaria where during the early Neolithic the dominating cereal crops are einkorn and emmer. Further principal crops, present from the earliest phases of the Neolithic in the region are lentil-Lens culinaris, pea-Pisum sativum, grass pea-Lathyrus sativus/cicera and flax-Linum usitatissimum. Wide spectrum of finds of gathered plants (at least 11 taxa) reflects the use of the natural vegetation resources. Useful for reconstructing the vegetation and land use in the Neolithic are also wood charcoal identifications, indicating apart of oak forests also presence of open vegetation, riparian forests and wetlands. The relatively open vegetation in the surrounding of the early Neolithic settlements could be one of the reasons why the corresponding locations were chosen by the Neolithic people to settle there. On the other hand this open vegetation could be caused by the Neolithic land use and animal husbandry, which have also led to certain reduction of the forests in the immediate surroundings of the settlements.