Central Balkans Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

2025, The Neolithic in the Middle Morava Valley, No 4: Late Neolithic Strategies

This paper presents the results of the technological analysis of the lithic assemblage from the Neolithic site of Slatina–Turska česma in Drenovac in the Middle Morava valley. The assemblage comes from the Late Neolithic context – a house and an outdoor space found in trench XX – which corresponds to the Late Vinča period. The artefacts were studied using a combination of the chaîne opératoire approach, attribute analysis, morphometric analysis, and descriptive statistics. The results indicate a blade-oriented industry predominantly made of local raw materials, particularly opal, chert, and white soft stones. Morphometric analysis reveals that certain aspects of blade production were standardised to some extent, especially blade width, reflecting a deliberate maintenance of uniformity, presumably for functional and practical purposes. The range of tools is similar to other Late Neolithic sites in the Central Balkans, with endscrapers, truncations, perforators, and laterally retouched blades as the most common tool types. This paper provides a new insight into the lithic technology in central Pomoravlje, and contributes toward a better understanding of the raw material economy and technological procedures used in stone tool production by the Late Neolithic communities in the Central Balkans.

2025, Documenta Praehistorica

The aim of this paper is to review and critically evaluate relevant archaeological evidence regarding recent claims about the social complexity of Late Neolithic societies in the Central Balkans. Theory suggests that the relevant evidence should be related to population size, economic intensification, ranking, and craft specialisation. It is concluded that, although there are indications that inequalities existed and also demographic potential for organisational complexity, there is no unambiguous evidence that institutionalised inequality in the form of complex polities such as chiefdoms or states ever developed.

2025, PLOS ONE

The Central Balkans region is of great importance for understanding the spread of the Neolithic in Europe but the Early Neolithic population dynamics of the region is unknown. In this study we apply the method of summed calibrated probability distributions to a set of published radiocarbon dates from the Republic of Serbia in order to reconstruct population dynamics in the Early Neolithic in this part of the Central Balkans. The results indicate that there was a significant population growth after ~6200 calBC, when the Neolithic was introduced into the region, followed by a bust at the end of the Early Neolithic phase (~5400 calBC). These results are broadly consistent with the predictions of the Neolithic Demographic Transition theory and the patterns of population booms and busts detected in other regions of Europe. These results suggest that the cultural process that underlies the patterns observed in Central and Western Europe was also in operation in the Central Balkan Neolithic and that the population increase component of this process can be considered as an important factor for the spread of the Neolithic as envisioned in the demic diffusion hypothesis.

2025, Archaeologia Bulgarica

Double pins were one of the most widespread metal objects in the central and western Balkans in the second half of the 1 st millennium BC. However, these objects were not fashionable among the Thracian population. In recent years, the number of double pins found in the territory of ancient Thrace has increased, but they have not yet received sufficient scholarly attention. The present article focuses on the intriguing discussion surrounding the rare occurrence of double pins in the Thracian lands. The aim of the research is to investigate their characteristics, chronology, context of discovery, and possible uses. Between the last centuries of the Early Iron Age and the 1st c. BC, three chronological periods of diffusion of these objects have been identified specifically for the territory of ancient Thrace. Despite certain advantages in construction, double pins never gained popularity among the Thracian population due to the predominance of fibulae, and the possible overlapping of their functions.

2025, Nasilje nad ženama: diskursi perspektive, lekcije iz bh povijesti, (ur.) Fahd Kasumović, Filozofski fakultet Sarajevo - Heinrich-Boll-Stiftung, Sarajevo - Berlin 2024.

2025, Curated character of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic lithic artefact assemblages in Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria)

The dispersal of Homo sapiens across Eurasia during MIS 3 in the Late Pleistocene is
marked by technological shifts and other behavioral changes, known in the archaeological record under the term of Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP). Bacho Kiro Cave in north Bulgaria, re-excavated by us from 2015 to 2021, is one of the reference sites for this phenomenon.
The newly excavated lithic assemblages dated by radiocarbon between 45,040 and 43,280
cal BP and attributed to Homo sapiens encompass more than two thousand lithic artifacts.
The lithics, primarily from Layer N1-I, exist amid diverse fauna remains, human fossils,
pierced animal teeth pendants, and sediment with high organic content. This article focuses
on the technological aspects of the IUP lithics, covering raw material origin and use-life,
blank production, on-site knapping activities, re-flaking of lithic implements, and the state of
retouched lithic components. We apply petrography for the identification of silicites and other used stones. We employ chaıˆne ope´ratoire and reduction sequence approaches to profile the lithics techno-typologically and explore the lithic economy, particularly blade production methods, knapping techniques, and artifact curation. Raw material analysis reveals
Lower Cretaceous flints from Ludogorie and Upper Cretaceous flints from the Danube
region, up to 190 km and 130 km, respectively, from Bacho Kiro Cave, indicating long-distance mobility and finished products transport. Imported lithic implements, were a result of unidirectional and bidirectional non-Levallois laminar technology, likely of volumetric concept. Systematic on-anvil techniques (bipolar knapping) and tool segmentation indicate reflaking and reshaping of lithic implements, reflecting on-site curation and multifaceted lithic also regional variations. Bacho Kiro Cave significantly contributes to understanding the
technological and behavioral evolution of early Homo sapiens in western Eurasia. A limited comparison with other IUP sites reveals certain shared features and regional variations. Bacho Kiro Cave significantly contributes to understanding the
technological and behavioral evolution of early Homo sapiens in western Eurasia.

2024, Historijska misao 9

2024

The climatic performance of different ecological areas is determinant for agricultural production and its sustainability. The agriculture is closely related to climatic conditions as climate variability and climate change generate significant effects on agriculture. Analysis of climatic behavior of different ecological zones, are important to identify climate variations, but also phenomena related to climate change. The study of climate variations and the phenomena of climate change are important for agricultural activity, in order to adapt agricultural systems, implement mitigation strategies and adaptation to them. Organic farming systems offer the best solution in this regard. The nortthern western lowlands of Albania (Shkodra), is an area with significant agricultural activity and highly diversified, with a great potential for the implementation of organic farming systems. The analysis of the climatic variability of this area and the phenomena of climate change, will contribute ...

2024, Eastern Mediterranean Contact Area in the Early Prehistory. Conference Programme and Book of Abstracts

In recent years, the evidence of increased settlement of the central Balkans in the period immediately before and at the beginning of the LGM has multiplied. One of the researched sites is the Potpeč cave in southern Serbia, radiometrically dated to the period 28–24 ka cal BP. The preliminary results of the analysis indicate that the cave represented a temporary camp of the Early Epigravetian groups who, in addition to hunting, also engaged in fishing. Among the remains of the fauna, the bones of mammals that inhabited different biomes (hare, ibex, wild boar) were identified, as well as the remains of birds, fish and herpetofauna. In addition, the unique feature of the Potpeč faunal assemblage is the great number of micromammal remains, which provide valuable data for the reconstruction of palaeoecological conditions. Whereas the accumulation of bird, herpetofauna and micromammal remains was probably not a result of anthropogenic influence, the deposition of large and medium-sized mammal remains, as well as fish, was most likely related to human activity. This is especially the case with ibex, with sporadic evidence of butchering and burning on the bones of this species, and fish – given its size, taphonomy, and skeletal element distribution. As a subsistence strategy, fishing appears as early as the Upper Paleolithic (especially from the LGM), as part of the “Broad Spectrum Revolution”. Of the fish remains that could be determined, 3 vertebrae originated from fairly large huchen (Hucho hucho) specimens, measuring between 70 and 82 cm in length. Among the artifacts found in the cave were cores, blades, bladelets, and backed tools. The evidence from Potpeč and other Gravettian and Epigravettian sites in the interior of the Balkans indicate that this area
was a glacial refugium for human groups in the LGM. It is yet to be established whether it was the local population or the newcomers from more northern areas which moved south at the beginning of cooling.

2024, Etnoantropološki problemi / Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology

Arheološki pogrebni konteksti spadaju među teme koje naročito privlače pažnju ne samo stručnjaka-arheologa, već i šire publike. Razlog za to su delom bogati, atraktivni pokretni nalazi koji su obično povezani sa ovakvim kontekstima, ali i interpretativni potencijal, odnosno uvid u rituale i simboličke vrednosti ljudi u prošlosti. Arheološki nalazi iz grobnih konteksta su po prirodi i po nameni raznorodni i uključuju delove grobne konstrukcije, ostatke rituala, predmete postavljene uz pokojnika i predmete koji su bili na samom pokojniku. Interpretacija pogrebnog konteksta i povezanih nalaza tesno su isprepletani i unakrsno povezani. Ovi nalazi često su se posmatrali kao rezultat jednog, kratkotrajnog događaja i smatrali se značajnim za pitanja relativne i apsolutne hronologije; sadržaj grobnih nalaza služio je kao osnova za donošenje zaključaka o društvenim odnosima i, uopšte uzev, grobni nalazi korišćeni su za tumačenje identiteta pokojnika, za rekonstrukcije rituala i drugo. Posebno česti nalazi u pogrebnim kontekstima jesu lični ukrasi i, istovremeno, najbogatiji nalazi ličnih ukrasa uglavnom su iz pogrebnih konteksta. Za lične ukrase obično se pretpostavlja da su i pripadali pokojniku i interpretiraju se kroz prizmu statusa, prestiža i/ili identiteta u širem smislu. Međutim, lični ukrasi mogu imati znatno šire simboličko značenje. U ovom radu osvrnućemo se na mogućnosti u značenjima ličnih ukrasa iz praistorijskih pogrebnih konteksta-osim oznaka identiteta i statusa pokojnika, oni su istovremeno mogli biti i dar pokojniku, dar božanstvima, mogli su imati apotropejsku i profilaktičku funkciju, kako za pokojnika, tako i za učesnike pogrebnog rituala, ali imati i emotivno značenje. Ključne reči: pogrebni obredi, pogrebna oprema, pogrebni prilozi, lični ukrasi, simbolička vrednost nakita, praistorija Uvod Arheološki nalazi iz grobnih konteksta opčinjavaju i intrigiraju time što pružaju jedinstveni uvid u simbolički svet, verovanja i rituale prošlih zajednica, i omogućavaju nam da bolje sagledamo pojedince iz prošlosti kroz arheološke ostatke. Arheološki pogrebni konteksti bogatstvom i raznovrsnošću privlače pažnju ne samo arheologa-istraživača, već i nestručnjaka. Grobnice su često bile na meti pljačkaša, kako u prošlosti, tako i u novije vreme, sa osnovnim ciljem

2024, Quaternary Science Reviews

Italian Later Prehistory was characterised by profound changes that impacted everyday life in many aspects. Whether or not and how such changes were reflected in the subsistence practices of ancient populations is an ongoing question in the archaeological debate. This question has been investigated using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis for several decades. Here, we present a 6000-year-long review of isotopic studies in the Italian Peninsula from the Neolithic to the Iron Age. We reconstruct chronological variations in food practices by observing δ13C and δ15N trends for 776 humans, 382 animals, and 432 C3 plants from 111 archaeological sites. During the Neolithic, when farming is first introduced, a homogenous signal characterised by terrestrial protein consumption is visible. The Copper Age, instead, shows a more varied pattern, possibly representative of a more diversified use of the landscape, characteristic of those millennia. The new cultural paradigm that invested Europe during the Bronze Age is also reflected in food practices in Italy, with the introduction of millets - signalled by high δ13C values in the Northern regions - possibly representing a pivotal shift. Not much data is available for the Iron Age, as only two sites from Northern Italy, showing a diffused consumption of C4 plants, and one site from Southern Italy, with a diet centred around C3 plants, are available for this period. The analysis of this extensive set of data suggests that the “Secondary Products Revolution” probably meant a shift in subsistence practices, with secondary sources substituting meat rather than integrating it.

2024, Bulletin of the Regional Museum of History - Pernik 4

Рецензенти: проф. д-р Георги Н. Николов и доц. д-р Стефан Александров Превод на английски език (резюмета и надписи към снимките) -Десислава Палигорова, Елена Милошева и част от авторите

2024, 2nd ICAZ Medieval Period Working Group Meeting - Book of Abstracts, 2-6.10., Sofia, Bulgaria

The Koznik fortress is located on the western slopes of Kopaonik mountain 9 km west of Aleksandrovac in Southern Serbia. Positioned dominantly at 922 m asl, it overlooks the Rasina River and stands as one of the well-preserved medieval fortresses in Serbia. Medieval fortress, constructed on the foundations of its ancient predecessor, flourished during the latter half of the 14th century. The Upper Town has an almost triangular base that fits into the configuration of the terrain with the rampart fortified by seven towers. The suburb is situated south of the fortress. Following the collapse of the medieval Serbian state, Koznik came under Ottoman control and retained its strategic importance. However, by the late 17th century, the fortification was abandoned. Several archaeological excavations have been conducted at the Koznik fortress over the years. The most recent campaigns were conducted in the Upper Town and the suburb in 2019 and 2022, and the analysed faunal assemblage derives from these areas. This paper represents the preliminary results of the first analysis of the archaeozoological remains from the medieval and modern period layers of the Koznik fortress. It provides valuable insights into the dietary practices of the Upper Town and the surrounding suburb inhabitants during these historical periods and delves into the comparisons between the two epochs. The significance of this paper goes beyond just the information it provides. It contributes to increasing the number of analysed samples, especially considering the scarcity of the late medieval period and almost the absence of the modern period data in Serbia.

2024, Српско археолошко друштво, XLVII Скупштина и годишњи скуп, Ниш 30. мај – 1. јун 2024. године: програм, извештаји и апстракти

Мрки медвед (Ursus arctos, Linnaeus, 1758) представља најјачу и најкрупнију европску звер, која је различитим европским директивама и одредбама подвргнута строгим мерама заштите. У Републици Србији медведи имају статус строго заштићене дивље врсте. Током реализације пројекта ARCHAEOWILD, кога у оквиру програма ИДЕЈЕ финансира Фонд за науку Републике Србије (бр. пројекта 7750265), посебна пажња посвећена је проучавању интеракција између човека и медведа током читавог холоцена комбиновањем различитих метода (археолошких, археозоолошких, историјских, изотопских, археогенетичких). Ова истраживања осим што доприносе разумевању значаја медведа у прошлости, имају за циљ и да утичу на управљање савременим угроженим популацијама мрких медведа у Европи. Скелетни остаци медведа, који су откривени на великом броју налазишта из периода праисторије у нашој земљи, сведоче о лову на ове животиње, али и о широком ареалу ове врсте током раног и средњег холоцена. Међутим, у археофауналним скуповима из историјских периода, остаци медведа изузетно су ретки, што би могло да укаже на уништавање и фрагментацију станишта ових животиња услед урбанизације, дефорестације и ширења обрадивих површина почетком нове ере. Иако су њихови остаци пронађени на свега неколико налазишта из периода антике, касне антике и средњег века, подаци из историјских извора, бројни иконографски прикази, топономастика, али и различите археозоолошке специфичности на костима ових животиња, сведоче о значају медведа за историјска друштва. Прелиминарни резултати анализа древне ДНК из костију медведа указују на диверзитет популација мрких медведа током историје и претпоставке да су током римског периода на наше просторе увођене јединке из удаљених провинција. У раду ћемо кроз презентовање резултата пројекта ARCHAEOWILD дискутовати о различитим аспектима веза између медведа и човека током историјских периода на централном Балкану. Фокус рада је на просторној и временској дистрибуцији налаза скелетних остатака ове врсте, резултатима археогенетичких анализа, али и на подацима из историјских извора и иконографије, који доприносе разумевању значаја медведа за људска друштва током периода антике, касне антике и средњег века.

Људске активности попут пољопривреде, крчења шума, урбанизације и други фактори као што су климатске флуктуације, варијације у надморској висини и демографске промене, утицали су на дистрибуцију дивљег света кроз прошлост. Пројекат ARCHAEOWILD има за циљ да расветли комплексне односе између људи и дивљих животиња и биљака посматрајући промене социо-економских и еколошких услова током холоцена. Овај постер представља прелиминарне резултате везане за синтезу свих (не)објављених података о остацима дивљих сисара и биљака са археолошких локалитета широм Србије током холоцена, обухватајући различите периоде од мезолита до средњег века. Користећи информације из свих доступних публикација, спровели смо статистичке анализе и просторно мапирање коришћењем програма R како бисмо разликовали просторно-временске обрасце у дистрибуцији дивљег света. Циљ нам је био да идентификујемо и разумемо могуће трендове дистрибуције дивљих врста између региона и периода. Овај рад доприноси разумевању односа између људских заједница и њиховог природног окружења током прошлости, и пружа први увид у просторну и временску дистрибуцију дивљих животиња и биљака у холоцену. Представљени прелиминарни резултати расветљавају дугорочне утицаје људских активности на промене у популацијама флоре и фауне, истичући важност интердисциплинарног приступа у разумевању прошлих екосистема као и у унапређивању савремених напора за очување дивљег света.

2024, Searching for gold

This article presents a more detailed discussion of new absolute dates for the Middle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age in the central Balkans. The dates are significant for two reasons. Firstly, they provide general information about a chronological frame of the Middle and Late Bronze Age cultures in Serbia, and secondly, they indicate certain corrections in the dating of the one specific type of socketed axe that appears to be somewhat older than previously considered. What is important to underline for the period of the Middle and Late Bronze Age is also evidence of the existence of a local metallurgy, including the detection of tin ore in western Serbia on the south slopes of Cer Mountain, remnants of the copper smelting activities at the Ružana site in eastern Serbia and numerous finds of stone moulds for casting different bronze objects.

2024, Archaeologia Bulgarica ХХVIII (2)

This paper presents the preliminary results of the archaeozoological analysis of the faunal material unearthed in the southeastern part of the North Bastion of the Novi Pazar fortress (Southwestern Serbia). Archaeofaunal assemblage was collected during rescue excavations in 2021, and it dates back to the period between the 16th and the 19th centuries. Primarily, these remains represent food leftovers, as indicated by the relative distribution of species and skeletal elements, bone fragmentation, butchery marks, and mortality profiles. In the analysed sample, different mammal, bird, and mollusc species are represented. Among mammals, remains of domestic species are dominant, with caprines being the most frequent. Apart from sheep and goat, cattle, horse, and cat specimens are present within the faunal assemblage. Wild mammals were relatively scarce, with remains of hare being the most common, although the presence of roe deer is also documented. The most frequent bird species is chicken, with occasional remains of domestic goose, domestic duck, and common buzzard. All molluscs belong to marine species – one rough cockle and one snail from the Semicassis genus.
Key words: faunal remains, archaeozoology, Modern period (16-19. centuries AD), North Bastion, Novi Pazar fortress, Serbia.

2024, Patrimonium

Овој текст ќе биде втор во серијалот во кој се обработува населбиснкиот систем и дел од материјалната и духовната култура на луѓето кои што живееле на територијата на јужниот дел од централниот Балкан. Во претходниот текст беа опфатени праисториските периоди, до времето на првите кралства и крале-
ви кои што се потврдени и со историски извори. Овде, општо земено ќе стане збор за кралствата на античките Македонци и Пајонците, коиги населувале овие територии, а во консултацијасо историски извори, погребувањата и населбинскиот систем ќе се обидеме да заокружиме една општа слика за потеклото, секојдневниот жи-
вот, подемот и падот на првите кралства.

2024, Quaternary science reviews

The Central Balkans are a key biogeographical region in Southern Europe, influenced by a central European-Mediterranean climate, which acted as a refugium for flora and fauna, and favored the dispersion of Neanderthals and migration of modern human populations during Late Glacial Period. This study presents pollen analyses of sediment and hyaena coprolites from Pešturina Cave in Serbia to reconstruct the vegetation landscapes faced by Balkan Neanderthals and early Anatomically Modern Humans between MIS 5e-3. Between MIS 5e-5c (archaeological layers 4c and 4b) and MIS 5b-5a (layer 4a), semi-forested environments prevailed, characterized by Pinus, deciduous Quercus, Tilia and other angiosperm woody taxa, accompanied by heliophytes such as Artemisia and Poaceae. During MIS 4-3 (layers 3-2), the vegetation was dominated by Artemisia-Poaceae steppes with Quercus patches, conifers and legumes. Overall across the sequence, pollen assemblages are highly diverse and include a number of deciduous trees and sclerophylls. In addition, the occurrence of several herbaceous taxa reinforces the view that the Balkans were outstanding for endemicity. Neanderthals and early Upper Palaeolithic hominins lived in a highly diverse refugium, offering multiple opportunities for survival during the warm interstadials and, more critically, the cold stadials of the Pleistocene.

2024, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences

We measured the stable isotope ratios (C, N, S) of modern human hair collected from 49 people in rural southern Ethiopia to characterize and compare the stable isotope signatures of interacting and ethnically distinct populations with differing economic practices (farmers, pastoralists, fishers) in order to determine if the dietary differences are visible and measurable in their hair isotope values. We found that there were significant differences in all three elements that can distinguish these economic practices (carbon: Χ 2 = 8.523, p = 0.014; nitrogen: Χ 2 = 35.372, p < 0.001; and sulfur: Χ 2 = 30.887, p < 0.001). These results demonstrate the utility of isotopic methods as an indicator of dietary difference in living populations and shows that diverse dietary adaptations and economies even among interacting and neighboring peoples can be distinguished in this region of Ethiopia.

2024, Pots as Media: Decoration, Technology and Message Transmission

The main approaches for the study of Tripolye-Cucuteni painted ornaments Elena Starkova | Get into the groove: Decorative techniques and motifs on the Late Eneolithic pottery from the site of Adžine Njive (Western Serbia) Marija Svilar, Dragan Milanović, Miroslav Kočić | The development of ceramic decoration at the Late Bronze Age settlement of Hlyboke Ozero-2: Can we learn more with data mining methods? Anastasiia Korokhina | Apulo-Lucanian Hellenistic Ware. An entangled node between Aegean and Italic pottery production Carlo De Mitri | Ars ornamentum: Analysis of the decorative repertoire present on the tin-glazed wares of southern production from Cencelle (VT) Flora Miele

2024, 100 Years of Trebenishte

2024, Journal of Lithic Studies

Flaked stone artefacts found on the quarry Lojanik in west-central Serbia are good examples of how the function of non-diagnostic pieces could be determined through technological and use-wear analysis. In this study, we present the examples of surface clusters and artefacts from stratigraphic layers. Our attention is focused on the prevailing category of fragmented raw materials in the initial phase of knapping, preforms, debris, shattered pieces of anthropogenic origin and an immense number of artefacts and geofacts. The study of mines and quarries, as well as distribution of the raw materials that come from the central Balkans is an understudied phenomenon. Flaked stone artefacts found on the outcrops of the Lojanik hilltop is a good example of how we can apply technological, petrological and use-wear analysis on this type of site. Keeping in mind the loose context of the finds, as well as the lack of any datable material, this issue has to be approached with a lot of caution, sin...

2024, A step into the past : approaches to identity, communications and material culture in South-Eastern European archaeology : papers dedicated to Petar Popović for his 78th birthday

The chapter provides an overview of the use of silver, as one of the precious metals, for the production of prestigious items in the region of the Central Balkan peninsula. The earliest indications of silver mining and metallurgical activities are known from the 5th to the early 4th millennia BC (Vinča and Lasinja cultures). In the time of the Vučedol cultural complex (3rd millennium BC) large artefacts of silver or silver-alloys stand out, such as the axes from Mala Gruda/Boka Kotorska and Stari Jankovci.
Silver objects in the Bronze and Early Iron Ages represent exceptional rarities. Only at the end of the 6th century BC did silver products, particularly silver jewellery, again become a true fashion. Three types
of fibulae, as recognizable elements of attire, in the Central Balkan area are discussed in detail: the Novi Pazar type of fibulae (late 6th/5th centuries BC) and hinged fibulae of variants IIa and Vb, according to Rastko Vasić (late 5th and 4th centuries BC). They are indicators of the emergence of a new social elite – the “masters of silver” in the Central Balkans, which could be explained under the influence of Graeco-Macedonians, at first in the time of the Persian wars and later with the rise of the Macedonian state (Philip II and Alexander the Great). This thesis could also be supported by the circulation of Damastion coinage, as well as by the architecture, built in a Hellenistic manner, at the site of Kale-Krševica near Bujanovac in the South Morava river basin, excavated by the honouree and his team.

2024

The transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture stands as one of the most significant dietary revolutions in human history. Yet, due to a scarcity of well-preserved human remains from Pleistocene sites, little is known about the dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups. Here, we present the first isotopic evidence of pronounced plant reliance among Late Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from North Africa, predating the advent of agriculture by several millennia. Employing a comprehensive multi-isotope approach, we conducted zinc (δ66Zn) and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) analysis on dental enamel, carbon (δ13C), and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis on dentin and bone collagen, alongside single amino acid analysis on humans and fauna from Taforalt (Morocco). Our results unequivocally demonstrate a substantial plant-based component in the diets of these hunter-gatherers. This distinct dietary pattern challenges the prevailing notion of high reliance on animal proteins among pre-agric...

2024, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports

Despite an increasing number of studies, the application of stable sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis to prehistoric bone collagen remains in its infancy. Conventionally, stable sulfur isotope compositions reflect coastal proximity and the interaction between humans and animals. Here, we undertook stable carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N) and sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis of human and faunal bone collagen. To understand the local environmental conditions as well as the husbandry regime employed by the first farmers, and investigate where the animals were raised or hunted in non-specific terms, we sampled 50 faunal, including wild and domestic taxa, and human remains from the Late Mesolithic to Early-Middle Neolithic (c. 4860–2310 cal BC) site of Syltholm II on the island of Lolland, Denmark. We show that the wild animals were obtained from multiple locations surrounding the prehistoric Syltholm Fjord, including forested and open landscapes, areas impacted by sea spray and saltmarshes. In contrast, the domestic taxa, especially cattle, were tightly managed for the majority of their lives based on their δ13C and δ15N isotope compositions, though were likely raised in multiple locations, including sea spray-affected areas, salt marshes and wetlands, based on their δ34S values. The domestic dogs had a broad range of δ13C, δ15N and δ34S values, reflecting the consumption of varying degrees of marine foodstuffs, including animals that were sulfide-derived. Overall, our results contribute to a growing body of evidence for possible cultural and animal husbandry duality during the earliest Neolithic in southern Scandinavia.

2024, Vjesnik dalmatinskih arhiva - Izvori i prilozi za povijest Dalmacije

Rad nudi informativan pregled s ocjenom vrijednosti dokumentarnih spisa deponiranih u Državnom arhivu u Dubrovniku, a koji se sadržajno odnose na srednjovjekovnu Bosnu. U njemu se opisuju vrste dostupnih izvora te se raspravlja o njihovim... more

2024, Scientific Reports

Isotopic analyses of prehistoric diet have only recently reached the threshold of going beyond site-focused reports to provide regional syntheses showing larger trends. In this work we present the first regional analysis for Neolithic southeastern Italy as a whole, including both substantial original data and a review of the available published data. The results show that dietary isotopes can shed new light on a number of traditional and important questions about Neolithic foodways. First, we observe regional variations in the distribution of stable isotope values across the area, suggesting variability in the Neolithic diet. Secondly, we show that, although the plant food calorific intake was primary for these communities, animal products were also important, representing on average 40% of the total calories. Third, we note that marine fish was only minorly consumed, but that this could be an underestimation, and we observe some variability in the regions considered, suggesting dif...

2024, Scientific Reports

2024, Етно-културолошки зборник

У раду ће бити представљени метални налази понтско-кавкаских одлика 6-4. века п. н. е. у Србији, уз покушај да се утврди њихово порекло на основу најближих и најбројнијих аналогија. Предмет анализе су метални производи касних фаза старијег гвозденог доба који се у литератури традиционално везују за Ските, а најчешће укључују карактеристично оружје, функционалне делове коњске опреме и украсне предмете изведене у животињском стилу. Анализа има за циљ допринос одговору на питање провенијенције ових налаза, односно да ли они потичу са територије коју насељавали Скити северно од Црног Мора и на Кавказу или са простора археолошких група са скитоидном материјалном културом у Карпатском басену и Трансилванији.

2024, Inicijal. Časopis za srednjovekovne studije / Initial. A Review of Medieval Studies 11 (2023)

2024, Etno-kulturološki zbornik/Ethno-cultural Annals

The purpose of the article is to determine the cultural-chronological relations between the Early Eneolithic sites in Timočka Krajina and the sites of the Bubanj-Salcuta-Krivodol complex in other regions of the central Balkans by using new absolute dates and the analysis of stylistic and typological elements of pottery finds from the Timočka Krajina, with a focus on the site of Kmpije in Bor.

2024, Issues in ethnology and anthropology

Apstrakt: U ovom radu cilj nam je 1) preispitivanje veze između kulturno-istorijske arheologije u Srbiji i kulturnih pojasa Jovana Cvijića, kao i 2) pokušaj razumevanja genealogije ideje kontinuiteta u srpskoj arheologiji. Odnosno, dovešćemo u pitanje, na prvi pogled, vrlo logičnu pretpostavku da je kulturno-istorijska arheologija kod nas iskoristila temelje koje je Cvijić postavio, bilo da je reč o kulturnim pojasima ili o kontinuitetu. Ispostaviće se da su arheolozi propustili Cvijićevu lekciju antropogeografske škole kulturnih krugova, kao i njegovo negiranje dubokog kontinuiteta na Balkanu. To znači da se izvorište arheološke ideje o elementima (materijalne) kulture koji se mogu očuvati od praistorije do danas, mora tražiti van Cvijićevog opusa. Kao moguće rešenje, treba uvažiti svetove ideja Milana Budimira i Veselina Čajkanovića uz vrlo jasne eksplikacije kontinuiteta manje poznatog Nika Županića i poznatijeg Vladimira Dvornikovića, koji je Županićeve ideje modifikovao i široko rasejao. Ključne reči: istorija ideja, srpska arheologija, Jovan Cvijić, Vladimir Dvorniković, arheološka kultura, kulturni pojasi, kontinuitet, supstrat, dinarski čovek * Ovaj rad je rezultat rada na projektu Arheološka kultura i identitet na Zapadnom Balkanu, br. 177008, koji finansira Ministarstvo prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja Republike Srbije.

2023, Godišnjak/Jahrbuch 52

No other discipline is determined by external issues to such a degree as is archaeology. Let it suffice to mention the fact that very important archaeological finds are usually not discovered by archaeologists, but by amateurs and farmers in fields. Further, the direction of archaeological investigations is generally not defined by scientific reason, but by cultural, political and economic interests, including tourism and construction activity. Hence, one consequence is the lack of systematic research strategy. This inevitably leads to a poorly argued scientific synthesis, which has to be corrected every few years, or completely rejected. Such problems burden archaeological practice in all parts of Europe, yet the discipline has still not developed a comprehensive strategy for the systematic resolution of these issues. Due to a combination of different circumstances, all of these problems are particularly prominent in the study of prehistory of the Balkans, and this will become apparent from the tree examples presented in the paper.

2023, Journal of wildlife diseases

Wildlife is the most important reservoir of Trichinella spp. worldwide. Although the Balkans are a recognized European endemic region for Trichinella infections, data on wildlife are scarce. To monitor the circulation of these zoonotic parasites in the Central Balkan region, the wolf (Canis lupus) was selected because of its abundance (>2,000 individuals) and because it is at the top of the food chain. A total of 116 carcasses of wolves were collected in Serbia and in the neighboring areas of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) between 2006 and 2013. Trichinella spp. larvae were found in 54 (46.5%) wolves. The great majority (90.5%) originated from Serbia, where 52 of the 105 examined animals were Trichinella positive (49.5%; 95% confidence interval =39.9-59.1). One positive animal each was found in B&H and Macedonia. All larvae were identified as Trichinella britovi. The high prevalence of Trichinella infection in wolves suggests that this carnivore can be a good indicat...

2023, Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology 18/3

The paper reviews previous studies of slavery in the Central Balkan provinces concluding that the issue was marginal and has received very limited research attention. It also attempts to outline possible future directions for investigating archaeological evidence suggestive of an enslaved population. First, it explores funerary contexts that indicate the interments of slaves in a few urban necropolises, aiming to stimulate further discussion of similar cases. Similarly, the paper revises several architectural examples that may have been associated with slaves, mostly from imperial estates and residences, but also from one fortified metallurgical complex. Although the views expressed here are hypothetical and tentative, the purpose of the paper is to emphasize the importance of keeping the topic open and trying to improve our analytical and methodological tools for dealing with it.

2023, Quaternary International

With the exception of the well known Mesolithic sites in the Danube Gorges (or the Iron Gates), the wider areas of the Central Balkans and southern fringes of the Great Pannonian Plain still represent a terra incognita when it comes to the presence of Mesolithic communities. The absence of Mesolithic sites in the region was associated with environmental changes in the Early Holocene, presumed low human population densities, limited possibilities of detection, or the lack of adequate research. However, valuable insights into the obscure regional Mesolithic can be gained not only by new archaeological excavations, but also by revisiting and reanalysing of existing archaeological collections. Particularly informative in this respect are the Early Neolithic sites, indicative of the extensive spread of farming communities from c. 6200 cal BC. Within the ERC Project BIRTH, a large sample of human and animal remains from these sites was dated, falling in the (expected) range between c. 6200-5300 cal BC. However, one human and several animal bone samples from the sites of Magareći mlin, Gospođinci-Nove zemlje and Grabovac-Đurića vinogradi were dated to the 8th millennium cal BC, providing the first radiocarbon evidence of Early Holocene sequences in the territory of Serbia other than the Danube Gorges. In this paper, we present the new radiocarbon dates, discuss the contextual provenance of dated bones, and explore the implications of these results for a better understanding of the problem of the "missing" and "invisible" Mesolithic in the region.

2023, Radovi

Poštovane kolegice i poštovane kolege, sa zadovoljstvom predstavljamo 25. broj časopisa Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu. U ovom broju Radova Filozofskog fakulteta u Sarajevu sabrani su radovi regionalnih i bosanskohercegovačkih naučnika i stručnjaka. Objavljeni radovi predstavljaju raznolik spektar tema i istraživačkih pristupa koji pripadaju sljedećim naučnim disciplinama: lingvistici, nauci o književnosti, filologiji, metodici nastave stranog jezika, pedagogiji, psihologiji, komunikologiji.

2023

Апстракт: У раду је приказана група стаклених посуда откривених током археолошких истраживања Крушевачког града 1964. године. Посуде су нађене североисточно од апсиде цркве Лазарице, у јами ископаној северно од објекта 25. На основу археолошког материјала, пре свега нововековне грнчарије, турских лула и стакла, објекат и јама су датовани у касни XVII и у XVIII век. Из јаме потиче око 115 фрагмената стакла. Након њихове морфолошко-типолошке обраде, издвојено је и типолошки опредељено 17 стаклених посуда. Међу њима су, више или мање поуздано, препознати: две шоље (једна с поклопцем), пехар на стопи, три боце, крчаг, два бокала, две лампе, три тегле, две чаше и здела. Ту су још и два поклопца, две стопе, две дршке и један изливник. О нововековном стаклу пронађеном на нашим просторима је врло мало писано. Налаз из Крушевачког града је за сада редак пример сведочанства о дистрибуцији нововековног стакла, техничким и стилским кретањима у стакларској производњи, као и о недовољно познатим путевима трговине стаклом из северне, средње и западне Европе у унутрашњост Србије у другој половини XVII и у XVIII веку. Кључне речи: Крушевачки град, јама, стаклене посуде, касни XVII и XVIII век УВОД Током археолошких ископавања Крушевачког града 1964. године, североисточно од апсиде цркве Лазарице, у јами истраженој северно од објекта 25 (сл. 1 и 2) откривен је групни налаз нововековног стакла. Материјал из јаме, у којој су

2023, Glasnik udruženja arhivskih radnika Republike Srpske

Prosvjetne prilike u Kraljevini Jugoslaviji bile su na dosta niskom nivou u odnosu na evropski prosjek. Ipak, vlasti su ulagale velike napore da poboljšaju i uniformišu obrazovni sistem u zemlji. Ovaj rad je pokušaj da se predstavi jedan pokušaj dodatnog stipendiranja učenika od strane vlasti Zetske banovine, kroz inicijativu Crnogorske banke. Za ovu priliku od raspoloživog arhivskog materijala izdvojili smo spiskove učenik/ca osnovnih škola iz Trebinjskog sreza.

2023, PLOS ONE

The Central Balkans region is of great importance for understanding the spread of the Neolithic in Europe but the Early Neolithic population dynamics of the region is unknown. In this study we apply the method of summed calibrated probability distributions to a set of published radiocarbon dates from the Republic of Serbia in order to reconstruct population dynamics in the Early Neolithic in this part of the Central Balkans. The results indicate that there was a significant population growth after~6200 calBC, when the Neolithic was introduced into the region, followed by a bust at the end of the Early Neolithic phase (~5400 calBC). These results are broadly consistent with the predictions of the Neolithic Demographic Transition theory and the patterns of population booms and busts detected in other regions of Europe. These results suggest that the cultural process that underlies the patterns observed in Central and Western Europe was also in operation in the Central Balkan Neolithic and that the population increase component of this process can be considered as an important factor for the spread of the Neolithic as envisioned in the demic diffusion hypothesis.

2023, Presses universitaires de Provence eBooks

The diffusion of the farming way-of-life into environments occupied by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers in Europe has been associated with two major demographic events: the migrations of farmers originating from the Near-East and an unprecedented population increase, the "Neolithic Demographic Transition" (NDT). The Mesolithic-Neolithic transformations in the Danube Gorges provide a context of particular importance for tackling issues of Neolithization, due to its location, temporal depth, and highly contextualized osteo-anthropological record. This chapter compares complementary palaeodemographic proxies and bioarchaeological markers in order to assess the demographic response of local foragers to the Neolithic expansion. Interpreted together, these lines of evidence confirm the predictions of the NDT, and shed light on the relationships between subsistence intensification, sedentism and population growth, between migrations, cultural transmission and adaptations, and between dietary strategies, fertility and morbidity-i.e. on some mechanisms, benefits and costs of the farming transition-in the Central Balkans.

2023, Histria Antiqua

RUDOLF KRALJEVIĆ, Bosanska i hercegovačka vinogradarska baština (1800.-1878.) – s uvodnim pogledom na bitna razvojna obilježja od završnih desetljeća XV. do konca XVIII. stoljeća, „Sveučilište u Mostaru“ – „Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta... more

2023, Antička Budva: Zbornik radova s Međunarodnog interdisciplinarnog naučnog simpozijuma po pozivu održanog u Budvi 28-30. Novembra 2018.

The jubilee dedicated to the anniversary of the archaeological
discovery of the ancient necropolis in Budva is the opportunity to perceive
and revise the phenomena and processes established in the past, i.e. the
results of the previous researches, in order to expand the knowledge about
them based on the modern scientific methods and prospects. From the
first archaeological research in Budva to the present day the archaeology
has developed and changed in all aspects, theoretical, methodological and
interpretative, and therefore it is likely that some of the initial research
results are to be critically reviewed and re-examined so as to open up for
formulating new research questions and interpretations of the past of this
area. In this context, this paper aims to re-examine and problematize the
previous conclusions and assumptions about the first inhabitants of Budva,
and based on the modern approach and knowledge offers another angle
of interpretation. Unlike the traditional culture-historical approach whose
key methodological procedure uses the ethnic-cultural attribution of the
findings, the contemporary perspective for solving this dilemma requires
the account of social and cultural aspects that the identity of the ancient
Budva inhabitants could be based on. Only after explaining the broader
social and cultural context of the period when the settlement of Budva was formed, it would become more clear how the archaeological findings from its necropolis could help answer the question – who were the inhabitants of ancient Budva.

2023, Zbornik radova Vizantoloskog instituta

This article discusses the historical and geographical characteristics of medieval Bosnia, its area and position presented in the perception of Byzantine and post-Byzantine sources. It is characteristic that all these sources, regardless of whether they originated in the 10th, 12th, or 15th century or in the centuries after the collapse of the Byzantine Empire offered testimony of the territory of Bosnia. The presentations are sometimes a bit distorted and unrealistic, and their names are based on ancient standards. Data provided by the source material speaking of the appearance of Bosnia and medieval towns in its territory, were named differently in Byzantine sources.

2023, Godišnjak

Izvještaj o radu Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja u 2020. godini U 2020. godini Centar za balkanološka ispitivanja ANUBiH je i pored nepovoljne epidemiološke situacije izazvane virusom COVID-19 uspio da objavi i distribuira jubilarni broj Godišnjaka/Jahrbucha, kao i da pripremi i najvećim dijelom redakcijski obradi aktuelni broj časopisa za 2020. godinu. U prvom dijelu ove godine završeno je štampanje i distribucija Godišnjaka/Jahrbucha br. 48 za 2019. godinu koji je posvećen dopisnom članu ANUBiH i dugogodišnjem uredniku Godišnjaka/Jahrbucha prof. dr. Blagoju Govedarici, povodom njegovog sedamdesetog rođendana. Štampanje ovoga broja Godišnjaka podržali su Fondacija za izdavaštvo Bosne i Hercegovine, Federalno ministarstvo obrazovanja i nauke Bosne i Hercegovine, Društvo za geologiju, geotehniku i građevinstvo GeoAvas i Fondacija Alexander von Humboldt. S obzirom na to da je broj posvećen prof. dr. Govedarici, uredništvo časopisa ovoga puta činili su akademik Dževad Juzbašić, dr. sci. Igor Manzura, profesor na Visokoj školi za antropologiju u Kišinevu u Moldaviji, i mr. sci. Melisa Forić Plasto, vanjska saradnica Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja. Priloge za jubilarni broj dostavili su naučnici iz Austrije, Bosne i Hercegovine, Gruzije, Hrvatske, Njemačke, Moldavije, Rumunije, Slovenije i Srbije. Radovi se većinom odnose na arheologiju, posebno na prahistorijski period kojim se prof. dr. Govedarica najviše bavio, a također na lingvistiku i klasičnu historiju. Određeni su radovi posvećeni upravo istraživanjima koje je prof. dr. Govedarica proveo na području Bosne i Hercegovine. U drugoj polovini 2020. godine radilo se na prikupljanju priloga za broj 49 za 2020. godinu. Prijavljeno je 11 radova i tri prikaza iz Bosne i Hercegovine, Italije, Njemačke i Slovenije. Uz priloge iz arheologije, najavljeni su i radovi iz oblasti lingvistike, etnologije i klasične historije. Očekuje se da će ovaj broj Godišnjaka biti objavljen do kraja februara 2021. godine. Prema prethodnoj odluci članova Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja koja je potvrđena od strane upravnih organa ANUBiH, od aktuelnog broja Godišnjaka/Jahrbucha (broj 49/2020) redakciji ovog časopisa priključuju se prof. dr. Ante Milošević iz Sinja i dr. sci. Igor Manzura iz Kišineva. Na taj način redakcija i nakon neminovnog odlaska njenog zaslužnog člana akademika Radoslava Katičića, zadržava internacionalni karakter. U 2020. godini nastavljena je obrada arheološkog materijala s glasinačkog područja koji je sakupljen istraživanjima Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja ANUBiH u periodu 1980-1991. Mada je rad na tom materijalu, zbog izbijanja pandemije COVID-19, bio u velikoj mjeri otežan, obavljena je primarna sistematizacija građe iz gradinskih naselja Kadića Brdo kod Knežine i Ilijak kod Prače. Uz to su obavljene organizacione pripreme za nastavak terenskih istraživanja u okviru ovih prahistorijskih naselja. Ukoliko budu obezbijeđena potrebna sredstva i drugi neophodni uslovi, istraživački radovi bi mogli otpočeti već 2021. godine u saradnji sa Arheološkim institutom Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Sarajevu i s Muzejom iz Doboja na čijem se području ovi lokaliteti nalaze. Tokom 2020. godine nastavljena je finalizacija rada na digitalizaciji Kartoteke grobova prastanovnika Zapadnog Balkana, kao i Građe za rječnik crkvenoslavenskog jezika. Krajem godine, nakon dobivanja više ponuda za izradu posljednjih faza oba projekta, odlučeno je da će se početkom 2021. godine pokrenuti prebacivanje "grobova" i crteža Kartoteke sa starog na novi server, tj. na novu web-stranicu. U prvoj polovini 2021. godine radiće se i na završnoj fazi postavljanja pretražive baze podataka Građe. Za obezbjeđenje neophodnih sredstava konkurisaćemo kod Ministarstva za kulturu i sport Kantona Sarajevo.

2023, Quaternary Science Reviews

We present the first, well-dated, high-resolution record of vegetation and landscape change from Serbia, which spans the past 500 years. Biological proxies (pollen, spores, and charcoal), geochemical analysis through X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), and a detailed chronology based on AMS 14 C dating from a western Serbian sinkhole core suggest complex woodland-grassland dynamics and strong erosional signals throughout the Little Ice Age (LIA). An open landscape with prominent steppe vegetation (e.g. Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae) and minor woodland exists during 1540e1720 CE (early LIA), while the late LIA (1720 e1850 CE) in this record shows higher tree percentages possibly due to increased moisture availability. The post LIA Era (1850e2012 CE) brings a disturbed type of vegetation with the presence of weedy genera and an increase in regional woodland. Anthropogenic indicators for agricultural, pastoral and fire practices in the region together attest to the dominant role of humans in shaping this Balkan landscape throughout the interval. The changing nature of human interference, potentially as a response to underlying climatic transitions, is evident through large-scale soil depletion resulting from grazing and land clearance during the early LIA and stabilization of arable lands during the late and post-LIA eras.