Copper artefacts and their social role in the Vinča culture .pdf (original) (raw)

MANAGING RAW MATERIALS IN PREHISTORY: THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING OSSEOUS RAW MATERIALS

Opuscula Archaeologica 39/40, 2018

The analysis of raw material acquiring and managing is the first, and one of the most important steps in the technological analysis. For prehistoric communities, particularly important were the raw materials of animal origin, which were used in almost all the cultures and all the periods for producing diverse everyday tools and decorative items. They were in most cases readily available and in large quantities, and also relatively easily transformed into usable everyday items. Although often regarded as ad hoc used kitchen debris, the choice of raw materials was in many prehistoric communites very careful and strict, directed by physical and mechanical properties of different raw materials, as well as by cultural preferences. Study of methods of acquisition and exploitation is important for studies in economy, craft production, as well as social relations and relations of prehistoric communities with their environoment.

Social, Economic and Symbolic Perspectives at the Dawn of Metal Production Edited by

In the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula, the lithic assemblages of post-Neolithic periods have been dealt with so superficially that the most note-worthy features that have attracted archaeologists' attention, and which have therefore been reflected in publications, only refer to typological and morphometric aspects. In this respect, when referring to the known lithic record, especially the objects found in funerary contexts, mention is only made of the raw material used, its colour, size and its morphological determination. This determination is based on the comparison with contemporary implements or on parallels with morphotypes used by archaeologists working in other disciplines. Thus, it is customary to find citations of blades, knives, halberds, daggers, etc. In conclusion, it was the pieces that were considered exceptional from the stylistic point of view that were sought out, studied and published, whereas other kinds of products that did not follow these stylistic canons were discarded or ignored, although they could in fact be more illustrative of the subsistence behaviour of the societies being studied.

Personal ornaments from osseous and lithic raw materials in the Vinča culture

International Colloquium BEAUTY AND THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: PERSONAL ADORNMENTS ACROSS THE MILLENNIA, 2019

The Late Neolithic / Early Chalcolithic Vinča culture is a phenomenon widespread in the central Balkans and southern Pannonian region, in present-day Serbia, eastern parts of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, northern parts of Montenegro, and Oltenia and Transylvania in Romania. It is characterised by rich production of diverse goods, from lithic, osseous materials, clay, even copper, and high level of standardisation may be noted. Personal ornaments were made mainly from osseous raw materials, both locally obtained (bone, antler, teeth) and obtained through exchange (marine shells). Also lithic materials were occasionally used, in particular, decorative stones of high quality such as marble, marble onyx and calcite, sometimes even gem stone like malachite. All these minerals and rocks were locally obtained and never imported, but personal ornaments made of them where exported outside of Vinča culture. In this paper we will try to examine both osseous and lithic ornaments, and to explore various aspects of raw material procurement, manufacture and use. We noticed that some of the morphological types were made in both materials, and in fact imitate one another, especially beads and pendants made from whitish mollusc shells and whitish stones. Both lithic and osseous ornaments often display large labour and skill investment, and were used for long time. Unfortunately, majority of finds come from settlements and therefore include mainly discarded or lost items; however, the only extra muros necropolis at the site of Botoš-Živanića Dolja provided some information about the mode of use and especially about the importance of personal ornaments for the members of the Vinča culture communities.

Osseous raw materials as ornaments in the Bronze Age: the case study of Mokrin

ARCHAEOTECHNOLOGY Studies : raw material exploitation from Prehistoryto the Middle Ages, 2017

Osseous raw materials (bone, antler, teeth, mollusc shells) are among the earliest raw materials used for personal and other ornaments. Perforated animal teeth and mollusc shells, diverse bone pendants, etc., were relatively frequent since the early Upper Palaeolithic, and they continued to be use in the Mesolithic and Neolithic as well. The introduction of new materials, such as copper, gold or bronze, also introduced completely new types of personal ornaments, but the osseous raw materials were still used throughout the Metal Ages and in historical periods as well. In this paper, an overview will be given of osseous ornaments from the Bronze Age necropolis at Mokrin, as well as a techno-typological analysis, and their symbolic role and the place within the Bronze Age communities will be discussed. Koštane sirovine (kost, rog, zubi, ljušture mekušaca) spadaju među najranije korišćene sirovine za lične i druge ukrase. Perforirani životinjski zubi i ljušture mekušaca, različiti koštani privesci, itd., sreću se srazmerno često počev od ranog gornjeg paleolita, i njihova upotreba se nastavlja kroz mezolit i neolit. Uvođenje novih sirovina, kao što su bakar, zlato ili bronza, takođe je dovela i do potpuno novih tipova ličnih ukrasa, ali koštane sirovine se i dalje koriste tokom metalnih doba, i kasnije, tokom istorijskih perioda. U ovom radu će biti dat pregled koštanih ukrasa sa bronzanodopske nekropole u Mokrinu, kao i njihova tehno-tipološka analiza, i raspravljaće se o njihovoj simboličkoj ulozi i mestu među bronzanodopskim zajednicama.

Jewellery from osseous and lithic raw materials in the Vinča culture

BEAUTY AND THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER Personal adornments across the millennia, 2020

he Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic Vinča culture is known for its rich and elaborate material culture, including numerous objects that had decorations and/or had decorative purposes. Personal ornaments were made from diverse materials, and in this paper we shall focus on ornaments from osseous and lithic raw materials. Raw materials were both locally obtained (bone, antler, teeth and some types of lithic materials) and those obtained through exchange (such as marine shells). Some of the morphological types were made from both material types, and in fact imitate one another, for example the beads and pendants made from whitish mollusc shells and whitish stones. Both lithic and osseous ornaments often indicate important labour and skill investment, and were used for a long time. Unfortunately, the majority of finds come from settlements and therefore include mainly discarded or lost items. However, the necropolises from the sites of Botoš–Živanića Dolja and Gomolava provided some information about the mode of use and especially about the importance of personal ornaments for the members of the Vinča culture communities.