Papers by Selena Vitezović
Etnoantropološki problemi / Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology, 2024
Arheološki pogrebni konteksti spadaju među teme koje naročito privlače pažnju ne samo stručnjaka-... more 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
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2024
In Eurasia, points from these raw materials appear ca. 40,000 years ago in the context of the Aur... more In Eurasia, points from these raw materials appear ca. 40,000 years ago in the context of the Aurignacian technocomplex (McBrearty and Brooks 2000; Tejero 2016; Wolf et al. 2016), and they display a wide diversity in selected skeletal elements, morphology, as well as presumed modes of use (tips for spears, arrows, etc.) (Knecht 2000; Pétillon et al. eds. 2009; Langley et al. 2016). One very specific form of weapons are barbed points, often considered as an important technological change in the general development of hunting toolkit (Pétillon 2009). In comparison to straight spear points, they were more complicated in form, and more efficient in specific situations (Zagorska 2006: 178). The oldest barbed points in Europe may be linked with the end of the Gravettian, however, they were more common during the Magdalenian technocomplex, and were particularly frequent in the Mesolithic period in northern parts of Europe (Pétillon 2009, 2016; Aleo et al. 2023). The evidence for the presence of barbed points in the Adriatic area is more scarce, but recent research activities at the site of Vlakno cave in the Dalmatia region in Croatia yielded two almost completely preserved barbed points from layers dated into ca. 15,000 calBP.
Glasnik Srpskog arheološkog društva / Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society, 2024
Српско археолошко друштво, основано 1883. године, први је издавач научне литературе из области ар... more Српско археолошко друштво, основано 1883. године, први је издавач научне литературе из области археологије у Србији. Друштво је 1884. године издало први број часописа Старинар, који излази и данас, и спада међу најстарије археолошке часописе у овом делу Европе. Друштво је такође током 140 година постојања покренуло или учествовало у покретању неколико часописа, од којих Гласник САД излази и данас; издавач је већег броја научних монографија и зборника радова, као и зборника радова у сажетку са скупова. У овом раду приказан је историјат издавачке делатности Српског археолошког друштва.
MEMORIA ANTIQUITATIS XXXIX , 2024
Le Néolithique ancien en Europe du Sud a apporté des innovations nombreuses – non seulement l’agr... more Le Néolithique ancien en Europe du Sud a apporté des innovations nombreuses – non seulement l’agriculture et l’élevage, de nouvelles espèces végétales et animales, mais aussi des changements dans les modes de subsistance, dans les modes de vie et dans les visions du monde. La culture matérielle a aussi apporté de nouveaux matériaux, de nouvelles technologies et de nouveaux types d’objets.
L’industrie osseuse est généralement considérée comme conservatrice, traditionnelle, ainsi que chronologiquement et culturellement non-sensible. Quand même, tout comme d’autres technologies, la technologie de l’industrie osseuse dépend des préférences culturelles ; ainsi, dans l’industrie osseuse, on peut aussi remarquer des changements : des nouveaux matériaux, de nouvelles techniques et de nouveaux types d’objets. Dans l’ article présent, on analyse l’industrie osseuse de la culture de Starčevo, qui montre des traditions mésolithiques, mais aussi des innovations qui peuvent être liées aux influences d’origine de Asie du sud-ouest. Ces influences comprennent des outils tranchants en tibia de petits ruminants, des crochets, des corps de faucille, boucles de ceinture et notamment des spatules-cuillers. Ces techno-types, pourtant, ne sont pas repris sans changements, mais modifiés et adaptés localement. Cela montre que les influences dans la technologie ne sont pas simples, mais sont sous l’impact des préférences culturelles locales et que la technologie n’est pas prédéterminée, mais qu’elle change parallèlement aux autres changements culturels et sociaux.
Arts , 2024
Prehistoric communities had strong ties with the animal world that surrounded them— animals were ... more Prehistoric communities had strong ties with the animal world that surrounded them— animals were prey, sources of food, and raw materials, but also threats and mysteries, and certain animals often had an important place in the symbolic realm. With the process of domestication and the switch to animal husbandry as the main source of animal food, these relations changed considerably, and a certain dichotomy between “the domestic” and “the wild” may be noted in numerous past communities. When it comes to the Neolithic period in the Balkans, domestic animals had an important place in subsistence and economy, and it seems that cattle had a particularly prominent symbolic role. Wild species preserved some of their significance in both subsistence and symbolic realms, especially cervids (red deer, roe deer, and fallow deer). In this paper, the place of deer in the material culture of the Neolithic communities in the Balkans will be analysed: skeletal elements of deer were used for the production of diverse items, including non-utilitarian ones, or were part of ritual depositions, and deer representations are encountered in other materials, such as clay figurines. The symbolic meaning of deer cannot be reconstructed with certainty; however, it is probable that deer were tied with territoriality and the landscape.
Quaternary International , 2023
The bone industry of the Late Neolithic/Early Eneolithic Vinča culture was rich and diverse; diff... more The bone industry of the Late Neolithic/Early Eneolithic Vinča culture was rich and diverse; different osseous raw materials (diverse skeletal elements) were used for the production of everyday items, weapons and ornaments. The selection of raw materials was usually strict – certain skeletal elements were consistently used for specific artefact types, often depending on their physical properties. The manufacturing techniques display a certain level of standardisation, in particular, the most common tool type, medium-sized pointed tools (awls), was generally produced by using the same manufacturing techniques and resulting in more or less standardised products. In this paper, an overview will be provided of manufacturing techniques used for the production of pointed tools from several Vinča culture sites: Vitkovo, Pločnik and Vinča – Belo Brdo, reconstruction of the chaîne opératoire, the morphological features of the subtypes and variants, and their overall cultural and economic importance will be discussed.
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology , 2023
Bird bones were rarely used for production of artifacts, due to various reasons—they were much sm... more Bird bones were rarely used for production of artifacts, due to various reasons—they were much smaller and thinner than bones of mammals usually selected for tool production; they also have specific shapes and fine structure, inadequate for the majority of common artifact types. They were occasionally used for some specific objects, such as flutes, pipes, needle cases, and amulets. When it comes to the Eneolithic and Early Bronze Age periods in south-eastern Europe, bird bone artifacts are rare; only few have been discovered thus far. In this paper, we will present one additional finding of a bird bone artifact, from the site of Zók–Gradina, situated in present-day Hungary. Excavations carried out in 1920 by the National Museum in Belgrade revealed a multi-period site, with major parts of the stratigraphic sequence belonging to the Late Eneolithic/Early Bronze Age Vučedol culture (2900–2500/2400 BC). Vučedol layers yielded relatively large quantities of worked bone, including one artifact produced from a bird bone, that will be presented here. The object in question was produced from the right radius of a Cygnus sp.; it is in the shape of an elongated tube; carefully cut at both ends. The function of this item is uncertain—it may have served as some sound-producing instrument (flute), or it was some sort of a handle or needle case. It is interesting to note that bird representations, in particular, ornithomorphic vessels, are among the specific traits of the Vučedol culture; therefore, the choice of a bird bone for the production of this artifact may have had a certain symbolic significance as well.
Etno-antropološki problemi, 2022
Craft specialization means that certain tasks and/or activities are performed exclusively by cert... more Craft specialization means that certain tasks and/or activities are performed exclusively by certain members of a community, either as their main/basic activity, or parallel to other activities. The emergence of specialization is often associated to complex societies, or more precisely, its presence presupposes social stratification and is negated in non-stratified societies. However, the organization of production of various goods and the development of specialization are much more complex, and cannot be simply characterized in terms of presence/absence, since there are various modes and levels of specialization. Therefore, over the last decades the need is recognized for a new revised theoretical framework. Some authors suggest new definitions of specialization and production organization, specifically emphasizing social and cultural aspects (along with the purely economic ones) that influence the technological choices. Power and prestige status are not solely linked to control over resources and larger amount of material goods, but also to their character – prestige objects are an important factor in the development of crafts, the emergence of craft specialization, and emergence/increase in social inequality. In praehistory, the symbolic importance and value were ascribed to certain technologies and objects, not only on the grounds of exotic raw material or other highly valued qualities (durability of an object, as well as non-utilitarian traits, such as colour), but also due to the effort and skill applied in their production. Such prestige objects secured or reflected the esteem and status to the individuals who made and/or possessed them.
Interdisciplinary studies / Interdisciplinarni izsledvanya XXVII, 2022
Mollusc shells have been used for the production of ornaments since the Palaeolithic times. Some ... more Mollusc shells have been used for the production of ornaments since the Palaeolithic times. Some of the world's oldest decorative items were, in fact, made from shells. Their smooth surfaces, durability and bright colours, were some of the reasons why they were aesthetically attractive to numerous prehistoric communities. Ornaments made from shell often had symbolic value-they were used to display status, prestige, belonging to a group, and may be used as indicators for trade and exchange routes. However, although they were in use in the prehistoric period, they have received less attention from researchers studying periods after the Neolithic. This paper will provide an overview on the use of shells for ornaments in the Bronze Age Maros culture in the southern Carpathian basin. They have so far been analysed only within the context of burial equipment and their relation to other jewellery items, mainly metal objects. However, they may provide an additional insight into some of the symbolic aspects, cultural attitudes towards certain raw materials, as well some aspects of trade and exchange.
Materiale şi Cercetări Arheologice XVI (SN), 2020
Figural representations from the Eneolithic period in the southeast Europe are not very common, e... more Figural representations from the Eneolithic period in the southeast Europe are not very common, especially in comparison with the Neolithic period, and they are also seldom discussed in the archaeological literature. In the Early Eneolithic Bubanj-Hum I culture, part of the Bubanj-Sălcuţa-Krivodol cultural complex, anthropomorphic figurines were produced from clay and bone; however, particularly in the central Balkan area they are rarely found. In this paper, we will present a fragmented figurine so far unpublished from the eponymous site of Bubanj. The figurine was discovered in 1956 and is currently stored at the National Museum in Belgrade. We will present its typological and technological traits and we will also discuss the place of this figurine within the wider context of the Early Eneolithic communities in the central Balkan area. Cuvinte-cheie: Eneolitic, cultura Bubanj-Hum I, complexul cultural Bubanj-Sălcuța-Krivodol, figurină antropomorfă
Rezumat: Reprezentările figurative eneolitice sunt relativ puține în sud-estul Europei, mai ales în comparație cu perioada neolitică și sunt rar discutate în literatura de specialitate. Pe durata culturii eneolitice timpurii Bubanj-Hum I, parte a complexului Bubanj-Sălcuța-Krivodol, figurinele antropomorfe erau realizate din lut și os; cu toate acestea, mai ales în zona central balcanică sunt rare. În aces articol vom prezenta o figurină fragmentară, anterior inedită, din situl eponim de la Bubanj. Piesa a fost descoperită în 1956 și este în prezent parte a colecțiilor Muzeului Național din Belgrad. Vom prezenta caracteristicile sale tipologice și tehnologice, discutând în același timp locul ei în contextul mai larg al comunităților eneolitice timpurii din zona central balcanică.
Documenta Praehistorica , 2020
The region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia represents the westernmost area inhabited by the commun... more The region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia represents the westernmost area inhabited by the communities of the Starčevo culture, part of the Starčevo-Körös-Criş cultural complex. This region was intensively inhabited during the period between 6200 and 5500 cal BC, and numerous sites were excavated. Some of the aspects of the lives of these communities, however, are still insufficiently explored, in particular the economy and craft production. In this paper we will focus on lithic and osseous tool assemblages from the site of Kneževi Vinogradi-Osnovna škola. The Starčevo cultural horizon has only yielded small assemblages of lithic and osseous tools, but they show some interesting technological and typological traits.
Documenta Praheistorica, 2020
The region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia represents the westernmost area inhabited by
the commun... more The region of Slavonia in eastern Croatia represents the westernmost area inhabited by
the communities of the Starčevo culture, part of the Starčevo-Körös-Cris cultural complex. This region was intensively inhabited during the period between 6200 and 5500 cal BC, and numerous sites were excavated. Some of the aspects of the lives of these communities, however, are still insufficiently explored, in particular the economy and craft production. In this paper we will focus on lithic and osseous tool assemblages from the site of Kneževi Vinogradi-Osnovna škola. The Starčevo cultural horizon has only yielded small assemblages of lithic and osseous tools, but they show some interesting technological and typological traits.
Glasnik Društva konzervatora Srbije 44, 2020
Quaternary International, 2020
Late Neolithic / Early Eneolithic Vinča culture is marked by permanent, long-living settlements, ... more Late Neolithic / Early Eneolithic Vinča culture is marked by permanent, long-living settlements, increased production of different craft goods and early metallurgical activities. Economic activities were rich and diverse, and included not only strictly subsistence related ones, but also production of luxurious, prestige, “special” objects, such as figurines, personal ornaments, and many more. Furthermore, some studies also suggest that we may note the beginning of craft specialisation in the widest sense within the Vinča culture. On a regional scale, differences in economic activities may be observed among different settlements and also in presence/absence of some artefact types. This may reflect a certain level of functional differentiation and possibly specialisation between different settlements, as noted, for example, among the Neolithic communities in Greece. In this paper, we will focus on the analyses of everyday lithic and osseous tools, in order to examine the differences in everyday activities, raw material management and craft production among different settlements. Through comparative analysis, we will examine the possible presence of a functional differentiation between different Vinča culture settlements and its extent.
Rad Muzeja Vojvodine , 2019
Summary: The site of Gomolava is located on the periphery of the village of Hrtkovci, on the left... more Summary: The site of Gomolava is located on the periphery of the village of Hrtkovci, on the left bank of the Sava, not far from Ruma. Systematic archaeological excavations were carried out in several campaigns the second half of the 20th century, revealing a rich site with archaeological remains from multiple periods: Late Neolithic – Vinča culture, Chalcolithic – Kostolac culture, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, La Tène, the Roman period and the Middle Ages. The Neolithic stratum was 1,30 m thick and had two habitation horizons. The earlier one contained pits, pit-dwellings and above-ground houses, and belongs to Vinča B phase. The later stratum was represented by houses with several rooms, and belongs to Vinča C phase. Portable material was rich in both horizons and included pottery, figurines, ceramic weights, lithic and osseous artefacts, etc. The bone industry, however is one of its insufficiently explored aspects. Major part of the material is being kept at the Museum of Vojvodina in Novi Sad, and a smaller part in the Regional museum in Ruma. The assemblage from the Regional museum in Ruma was analysed by the author and it comprises about 100 artefacts – awls, needles and heavy points made from bone, antler punches, few objects of special use and ornaments, and particularly interesting are several fish hooks made from antler, including one semi-finished item.
Fish hook Gml 25: Fragmented hook, from antler segment; the body (shank) is preserved, but the point is missing. At the basal part it has an extension and shallow groove immediately below. On most of the outer surface traces of scraping with a chipped stone tool tool are visible, only small portion has traces of burnishing. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 26: Fragmented hook, made from antler segment; the entire pointed part is missing. It has finely modelled head on the basal part of the body, with shallow groove below it. The head itself was shaped by cutting and also on the outer surface it has traces of cutting and scraping with a chipped stone tool. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 41: Fragmented hook, from long bone segment, probably from larger animal. L-shaped; the body is preserved, but the point is missing. At the basal part it has an extension and shallow groove immediately below. On most of the outer surface traces of scraping with a finely retouched chipped stone tool are visible, only small portion has traces of burnishing. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 100. Preform for a hook, from piece of cortex, from red deer antler beam. It has clear traces in negative from small pieces of material removed by scraping and cutting with a chipped stone tool.
This preform, along with the manufacturing traces preserved on the hooks, enabled us to reconstruct the technological procedure: first an elongated plate was extracted from red deer antler beam segment. The blank was then modified by cutting with a chipped stone tool until it reached the general hook shape. After that, the blank was further modified by scraping with a chipped stone tool, judging from the traces, probably finely retouched until it reached the final form – a body (shank) with circular cross section, curved mesial part also with circular cross-section, and a point. Unfortunately, points are all fragmented – probably due to intensive use – and we have no data whether the points were simple or barbed (both variants are present in the material that is being kept in the Museum of Vojvodina).
The finds of fish hooks are very important since they provide indirect evidence on the importance of fishing and on the fishing techniques that were practiced. Some of the fishing equipment cannot be identified unambiguously (for example, ceramic weights), or is simply not preserved in the archaeological record (rare archaeological finds and ethnographic examples suggest the possibility of using traps, baskets, etc. made from wood). The site of Gomolava was situated on the river Sava, on a high loess terrace near the flooded area of southern Pannonian plain. Fish was present in the faunal record, but in very small amount, however, this due to the taphonomy but also recovery methods.
Fish hooks are not frequently found on Vinča culture sites, in fact, only Gomolava and Vinča-Belo Brdo yielded somewhat larger number of objects. These finds from Gomolava show that fishing was not sporadic activity. Fish hooks were not ad hoc objects, but carefully made, and into their production a relatively large amount of time and skill was invested, suggesting that fishing was an important activity. The find of a preform is important for studying the organisation of production of bone objects among the Vinča culture communities.
Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad de Granada, 2019
Osseous raw materials were important raw material in the Early and Middle Neolithic Starčevo cult... more Osseous raw materials were important raw material in the Early and Middle Neolithic Starčevo culture of the South-East Europe; they were widely used for production of everyday tools (awls, needles, scrapers, burnishers, chisels, hammers, etc.), other utilitarian objects (such as handles), weapons (projectile points) and ornaments (pendants, beads, buckles). In this paper will be presented the analysis of technological choices (raw material selection and manufacturing techniques). Raw material selection shows the predominance of bones at most of the sites, but with some exceptions, such as high ratio of antlers in the Iron Gates region. Mollusc shells are not numerous, yet present at several sites. Raw material selection was relatively strict, while the manufacturing techniques show high level of technological knowledge and familiarity with raw material. They also display some chronological-cultural specific traits, such as use of abrasion only for the production of metapodial awls, making or large perforations, etc.
Opuscula Archaeologica 39/40, 2018
The analysis of raw material acquiring and managing is the first, and one of the most important s... more 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.
Quaternary International , 2018
The methods of fishing and hunting in prehistory are a complex subject that needs to be analysed ... more The methods of fishing and hunting in prehistory are a complex subject that needs to be analysed from different perspectives. Comprehensive analysis may enable reconstruction not only of subsistence and economy, but also of technology, social organization and cultural attitude towards the environment. Such studies must include various perspectives and also combine diverse data available from the archaeological record. The identification of fishing and hunting gear is not always easy or straightforward; some artefacts may have had another function, some parts may have been made from perishable materials. Among the Neolithic communities in South-East Europe, hunting and fishing preserved a certain role in the economy after the introduction of domesticated plants and animals. However, findings of hunting and fishing gear are not particularly rich, thus raising questions on the raw materials used and adequate identification of these items. In this paper, an overview will be offered of osseous artefacts identified as hunting and fishing gear recovered from Starčevo culture sites in Serbia; their techno-typological traits will be discussed, as well as their general place within the osseous industry and in the wider context of these communities.
Quaternary International , 2017
Antler is a specific osseous raw material – it is a renewable resource, which can be obtained thr... more Antler is a specific osseous raw material – it is a renewable resource, which can be obtained through both hunting and gathering, resilient, strong, and may be available in relatively substantial quantities. Antlers were widely used since the Palaeolithic times and had an important role among the agricultural communities as well. They were used for everyday tools, weapons, jewellery and non-utilitarian items. Antler exploitation may be of particular importance in the studying of raw material managing and relations with the environment. In the Late Neolithic Vinča culture, red deer and occasionally roe deer antlers were used for a variety of purposes, mainly for everyday tools. In this paper will be presented the analysis of the role of antlers in the Vinča culture in Central Balkans, manufacturing techniques, typological repertoire, as well as their importance for studying craft production in general.
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Papers by Selena Vitezović
L’industrie osseuse est généralement considérée comme conservatrice, traditionnelle, ainsi que chronologiquement et culturellement non-sensible. Quand même, tout comme d’autres technologies, la technologie de l’industrie osseuse dépend des préférences culturelles ; ainsi, dans l’industrie osseuse, on peut aussi remarquer des changements : des nouveaux matériaux, de nouvelles techniques et de nouveaux types d’objets. Dans l’ article présent, on analyse l’industrie osseuse de la culture de Starčevo, qui montre des traditions mésolithiques, mais aussi des innovations qui peuvent être liées aux influences d’origine de Asie du sud-ouest. Ces influences comprennent des outils tranchants en tibia de petits ruminants, des crochets, des corps de faucille, boucles de ceinture et notamment des spatules-cuillers. Ces techno-types, pourtant, ne sont pas repris sans changements, mais modifiés et adaptés localement. Cela montre que les influences dans la technologie ne sont pas simples, mais sont sous l’impact des préférences culturelles locales et que la technologie n’est pas prédéterminée, mais qu’elle change parallèlement aux autres changements culturels et sociaux.
Rezumat: Reprezentările figurative eneolitice sunt relativ puține în sud-estul Europei, mai ales în comparație cu perioada neolitică și sunt rar discutate în literatura de specialitate. Pe durata culturii eneolitice timpurii Bubanj-Hum I, parte a complexului Bubanj-Sălcuța-Krivodol, figurinele antropomorfe erau realizate din lut și os; cu toate acestea, mai ales în zona central balcanică sunt rare. În aces articol vom prezenta o figurină fragmentară, anterior inedită, din situl eponim de la Bubanj. Piesa a fost descoperită în 1956 și este în prezent parte a colecțiilor Muzeului Național din Belgrad. Vom prezenta caracteristicile sale tipologice și tehnologice, discutând în același timp locul ei în contextul mai larg al comunităților eneolitice timpurii din zona central balcanică.
the communities of the Starčevo culture, part of the Starčevo-Körös-Cris cultural complex. This region was intensively inhabited during the period between 6200 and 5500 cal BC, and numerous sites were excavated. Some of the aspects of the lives of these communities, however, are still insufficiently explored, in particular the economy and craft production. In this paper we will focus on lithic and osseous tool assemblages from the site of Kneževi Vinogradi-Osnovna škola. The Starčevo cultural horizon has only yielded small assemblages of lithic and osseous tools, but they show some interesting technological and typological traits.
Fish hook Gml 25: Fragmented hook, from antler segment; the body (shank) is preserved, but the point is missing. At the basal part it has an extension and shallow groove immediately below. On most of the outer surface traces of scraping with a chipped stone tool tool are visible, only small portion has traces of burnishing. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 26: Fragmented hook, made from antler segment; the entire pointed part is missing. It has finely modelled head on the basal part of the body, with shallow groove below it. The head itself was shaped by cutting and also on the outer surface it has traces of cutting and scraping with a chipped stone tool. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 41: Fragmented hook, from long bone segment, probably from larger animal. L-shaped; the body is preserved, but the point is missing. At the basal part it has an extension and shallow groove immediately below. On most of the outer surface traces of scraping with a finely retouched chipped stone tool are visible, only small portion has traces of burnishing. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 100. Preform for a hook, from piece of cortex, from red deer antler beam. It has clear traces in negative from small pieces of material removed by scraping and cutting with a chipped stone tool.
This preform, along with the manufacturing traces preserved on the hooks, enabled us to reconstruct the technological procedure: first an elongated plate was extracted from red deer antler beam segment. The blank was then modified by cutting with a chipped stone tool until it reached the general hook shape. After that, the blank was further modified by scraping with a chipped stone tool, judging from the traces, probably finely retouched until it reached the final form – a body (shank) with circular cross section, curved mesial part also with circular cross-section, and a point. Unfortunately, points are all fragmented – probably due to intensive use – and we have no data whether the points were simple or barbed (both variants are present in the material that is being kept in the Museum of Vojvodina).
The finds of fish hooks are very important since they provide indirect evidence on the importance of fishing and on the fishing techniques that were practiced. Some of the fishing equipment cannot be identified unambiguously (for example, ceramic weights), or is simply not preserved in the archaeological record (rare archaeological finds and ethnographic examples suggest the possibility of using traps, baskets, etc. made from wood). The site of Gomolava was situated on the river Sava, on a high loess terrace near the flooded area of southern Pannonian plain. Fish was present in the faunal record, but in very small amount, however, this due to the taphonomy but also recovery methods.
Fish hooks are not frequently found on Vinča culture sites, in fact, only Gomolava and Vinča-Belo Brdo yielded somewhat larger number of objects. These finds from Gomolava show that fishing was not sporadic activity. Fish hooks were not ad hoc objects, but carefully made, and into their production a relatively large amount of time and skill was invested, suggesting that fishing was an important activity. The find of a preform is important for studying the organisation of production of bone objects among the Vinča culture communities.
L’industrie osseuse est généralement considérée comme conservatrice, traditionnelle, ainsi que chronologiquement et culturellement non-sensible. Quand même, tout comme d’autres technologies, la technologie de l’industrie osseuse dépend des préférences culturelles ; ainsi, dans l’industrie osseuse, on peut aussi remarquer des changements : des nouveaux matériaux, de nouvelles techniques et de nouveaux types d’objets. Dans l’ article présent, on analyse l’industrie osseuse de la culture de Starčevo, qui montre des traditions mésolithiques, mais aussi des innovations qui peuvent être liées aux influences d’origine de Asie du sud-ouest. Ces influences comprennent des outils tranchants en tibia de petits ruminants, des crochets, des corps de faucille, boucles de ceinture et notamment des spatules-cuillers. Ces techno-types, pourtant, ne sont pas repris sans changements, mais modifiés et adaptés localement. Cela montre que les influences dans la technologie ne sont pas simples, mais sont sous l’impact des préférences culturelles locales et que la technologie n’est pas prédéterminée, mais qu’elle change parallèlement aux autres changements culturels et sociaux.
Rezumat: Reprezentările figurative eneolitice sunt relativ puține în sud-estul Europei, mai ales în comparație cu perioada neolitică și sunt rar discutate în literatura de specialitate. Pe durata culturii eneolitice timpurii Bubanj-Hum I, parte a complexului Bubanj-Sălcuța-Krivodol, figurinele antropomorfe erau realizate din lut și os; cu toate acestea, mai ales în zona central balcanică sunt rare. În aces articol vom prezenta o figurină fragmentară, anterior inedită, din situl eponim de la Bubanj. Piesa a fost descoperită în 1956 și este în prezent parte a colecțiilor Muzeului Național din Belgrad. Vom prezenta caracteristicile sale tipologice și tehnologice, discutând în același timp locul ei în contextul mai larg al comunităților eneolitice timpurii din zona central balcanică.
the communities of the Starčevo culture, part of the Starčevo-Körös-Cris cultural complex. This region was intensively inhabited during the period between 6200 and 5500 cal BC, and numerous sites were excavated. Some of the aspects of the lives of these communities, however, are still insufficiently explored, in particular the economy and craft production. In this paper we will focus on lithic and osseous tool assemblages from the site of Kneževi Vinogradi-Osnovna škola. The Starčevo cultural horizon has only yielded small assemblages of lithic and osseous tools, but they show some interesting technological and typological traits.
Fish hook Gml 25: Fragmented hook, from antler segment; the body (shank) is preserved, but the point is missing. At the basal part it has an extension and shallow groove immediately below. On most of the outer surface traces of scraping with a chipped stone tool tool are visible, only small portion has traces of burnishing. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 26: Fragmented hook, made from antler segment; the entire pointed part is missing. It has finely modelled head on the basal part of the body, with shallow groove below it. The head itself was shaped by cutting and also on the outer surface it has traces of cutting and scraping with a chipped stone tool. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 41: Fragmented hook, from long bone segment, probably from larger animal. L-shaped; the body is preserved, but the point is missing. At the basal part it has an extension and shallow groove immediately below. On most of the outer surface traces of scraping with a finely retouched chipped stone tool are visible, only small portion has traces of burnishing. The entire artefact has slight polish from use/handling.
Fish hook Gml 100. Preform for a hook, from piece of cortex, from red deer antler beam. It has clear traces in negative from small pieces of material removed by scraping and cutting with a chipped stone tool.
This preform, along with the manufacturing traces preserved on the hooks, enabled us to reconstruct the technological procedure: first an elongated plate was extracted from red deer antler beam segment. The blank was then modified by cutting with a chipped stone tool until it reached the general hook shape. After that, the blank was further modified by scraping with a chipped stone tool, judging from the traces, probably finely retouched until it reached the final form – a body (shank) with circular cross section, curved mesial part also with circular cross-section, and a point. Unfortunately, points are all fragmented – probably due to intensive use – and we have no data whether the points were simple or barbed (both variants are present in the material that is being kept in the Museum of Vojvodina).
The finds of fish hooks are very important since they provide indirect evidence on the importance of fishing and on the fishing techniques that were practiced. Some of the fishing equipment cannot be identified unambiguously (for example, ceramic weights), or is simply not preserved in the archaeological record (rare archaeological finds and ethnographic examples suggest the possibility of using traps, baskets, etc. made from wood). The site of Gomolava was situated on the river Sava, on a high loess terrace near the flooded area of southern Pannonian plain. Fish was present in the faunal record, but in very small amount, however, this due to the taphonomy but also recovery methods.
Fish hooks are not frequently found on Vinča culture sites, in fact, only Gomolava and Vinča-Belo Brdo yielded somewhat larger number of objects. These finds from Gomolava show that fishing was not sporadic activity. Fish hooks were not ad hoc objects, but carefully made, and into their production a relatively large amount of time and skill was invested, suggesting that fishing was an important activity. The find of a preform is important for studying the organisation of production of bone objects among the Vinča culture communities.
The use of animal hard tissue during the metal ages is still an underexplored topic, especially in south-eastern Europe. Some of the cultural phenomena of the Eneolithic or Bronze Age period were never a topic of a separate study. One of these is the Kostolac cultural complex, which was widespread in the Eneolithic period in the southern Carpathian basin and the Balkans in multiple local variants, Kostolac-Coţofeni being characteristic for the eastern regions. This paper presents the artefacts recovered so far on Kostolac-Coţofeni layers from the sites of Bubanj-Novo Selo near Niš, Klokočevac-Kulmja Škjopuluj near Majdanpek in eastern Serbia and Hisar near Suva Reka on Kosovo. These assemblages are relatively small, but provide the first information regarding the osseous technology: raw material selection, manufacturing techniques, typological repertoire and possible mode of use.
In this paper, we will present an overview of the current evidence for the hunting and fishing equipment made from diverse raw materials (bone, antler, chipped stone, ground stone, etc.), and analyse their role and possible hunting and fishing techniques used. Osseous raw materials were widely used for production of projectile points, harpoons and fish hooks, often very carefully made, with a large labour and skill investment. On the other hand, chipped stone artefacts that can be associated with hunting or fishing are rare. Ground and polished stone objects include weights for fishing, and some are associated with specific fishing techniques applied in the Early Neolithic in the Iron Gates, on whirlpools of the Danube. Also, some of the ceramic artefacts can be associated with fishing, such as weights, and hunting, such as possible sling bullets.
The Balkan area is particularly important for understanding the spread and adaptation of the so-called “Neolithic package,” with the first studies of the Balkan Early Neolithic conducted as early as the first decades of the 20th century. Recent studies demonstrated that there was a change in population during the Early Neolithic, limiting previous debates on the local vs. imported “Neolithic package,” but also raising questions about the mechanisms of spreading and adopting as well as adapting the Neolithic way of life. This paper will present a critical overview of some of the key studies of the Neolithisation process in prehistoric archaeology in Serbia, as well as current trends and possible future directions for research. One of the insufficiently explored topics is the characteristics and changes in the so-called “Neolithic package” and its adaptations that took place within the Balkan area – such as changes in technological choices, raw material selection and management, or changes in symbolic value and the meaning of some of the elements of material culture.
The site of Vinča – Belo Brdo is one of the most extraordinary sites of the Vinča culture. It is among the largest Vinča culture settlements and the one with the longest occupation, which left an impressive 9m-thick cultural layer. Furthermore, the material culture recovered here stands out from the majority of other Vinča settlements by its quantity, quality and diversity. This suggests that the settlement at Vinča had a special place within the economic organisation of the Vinča culture and there is even some evidence that this was a centre of sorts for craft production and trade.
In this paper, we will examine some of the aspects of technology and craft production at the Vinča settlement, with special focus on technologies for lithic and osseous raw materials, as well as indirect evidence on perishable technologies.
Raw materials include bones, antlers, teeth and mollusk shells. The typological repertoire includes some common, widespread artefact types, such as awls and needles, but also modified astragali, a few ornamental items, etc. Manufacturing debris was also noted, including sheep horn cores with traces of cutting, suggesting that the keratinous horns were also used. In this paper we discuss raw material choices, aspects of production and the typological repertoire, plus the place of the osseous industries from Kale-Krševica within the wider geographical and cultural context.
Situl arheologic de la Slatina, în apropierea orașului Paraćin (Serbia), pe valea Moravei Mari este o așezare neolitică de mari dimensiuni, cu descoperiri bogate atribuite neoliticului târziu (cultura Vinča). Cercetări de salvare s-au defășurat între 1962 și 1964 și apoi în 1984–1985, și au dus la descoperirea, pe lângă diverse și bogate complexe și materiale arheologice, a ca. 80 de piese atribuite industriei materiilor dure animale. Repertoriul tipologic include vârfuri, lustruitoare și astragale cu urme de utilizare, realizate din os și corn. Piesele sunt caracteristice culturii Vinča dar au și câteva caracteristici locale, mai ales în ceea ce privește managementul materiilor prime.
The riches of the Rudnik mountain were exploited in prehistory as well. On the slopes of the Prljuša mountain, a copper mine was discovered in 1980’s. It was briefly excavated in 1980’s, and systematic researches were initiated in 2011 by Institute of Archaeology and are still ongoing. Excavations revealed abundant evidence for malachite ore exploitation during the Bronze Age, and yielded numerous portable finds (in particular, stone hammer-axes), as well as the information that enabled the reconstruction of the ore extraction process. However, very little information is available regarding communities that exploited this mine, and also there is limited evidence for exploitation of other mineral resources in the area. This is why the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade initiated systematic field reconnaissance with the main scope to search for sources of raw materials exploited in prehistory and associated settlements.
Here will be presented the preliminary results of the 2021 field survey campaign, which included the areas of the municipalities of Kragujevac and Knić. Particularly interesting are results regarding three modern quarries and their adjacent areas – Ramaća, Rogojevac and Vučkovica. In the vicinity of Rogojevac and Vučkovica, traces of prehistoric inhabitation were found, while Ramaća, although noted previously in archaeological literature, did not yield any archaeological traces during this field survey campaign, and future plans include its revisiting.
Use wear on perforations may provide information on how long the item was in use, and whether it was suspended, or it was attached to something, for example, some ornaments were most likely attached to the clothes. On ornaments worn for a very long time, for example, may be noticed that after perforation was broken, another one was made. Bracelets made from mollusc shells were occasionally recycled into pendants, by adding a perforation and other modifications. In this paper will be presented major techniques for production of perforations used in the Neolithic and Chalcolithic period in the Balkans, as well as some of the interesting examples of intensive use wear traces.
Magnetometrijskim snimanjem koje je provedeno u prvoj fazi istraživanja, otkriveni su ostaci nepravilnog opkopa i veliki broj jama koje su se protezale oko njega. U dosadašnjim istraživanjima, otvorene su četiri sonde ukupne površina od 180 m² i na relativno maloj površini prona-
đeni su ostaci naselja lenđelske populacije. Potvrđeni su ostaci stambenog objekta, otpadne jame i ukupno 12 kosturnih ukopa u zgrčenom položaju. Ukopi su sadržavali kosturne ostatke odraslih individua i ukope djece s raznovrsnim grobnim prilozima, a čine ih keramičke posude, nakit od Spondylusa te lomljene i glačane izrađevine. U jamama je pronađen bogat keramički materijal, uključujući i slikanu keramiku, kao i alatke od kostiju, lomljenog i glačanog kamena. Apsolutnim arheološkim datiranjem, naselje je smješteno u razdoblje između 4800. i 4500. godine pr. Kr. S arheološkim istraživanjem, kontinuirano se provode različite analize materijala, na čemu radi čitav niz stručnjaka, a dio rezultata biti će predstavljen u ovom predavanju.
У овом раду дискутоваће се о разлозима за малобројне налазе артефаката од птичјих костији. Такође, биће дат преглед начина коришћења птичјих костију за израду артефаката током праисторије, са посебним освртом на налазе из југоисточне Европе. У скорије време, пажљивијим прикупљањем и прегледом фауналних остатака, пронађено је неколико нових предмета. Између осталих, неколико артефаката пронађено је на каснонеолитском локалитету Хаџидимитрово у Бугарској, и неколико обрађених птичјих костију препознато је у фауналном материјалу са локалитета Кале – Кршевица. Међу налазима који су идентификовани у новије време нарочито се истиче обрађена кост лабуда из вучедолског хоризонта локалитета Зок у данашњој Мађарској, за који се може претпоставити да је био или нека врста дршке или реципијента, или је у питању музички инструмент. Неколико морфолошки сродних предмета од костију различитих птица, интерпретираних као реципијенти и/или као музички инструменти, откривено је на другим бронзанодопским локалитетима у Мађарској. Ови налази показују да су кости птица ипак биле присутне, као и да је могуће да је овим сировинама дат посебан значај управо због њиховог порекла, односно, због могућег симболичког значаја птица у оквирима ових праисторијских култура.
Неолитски слојеви пружили су, поред бројних архитеконских целина, и велику количину покретних археолошких налаза, укључујући и сразмерно богату збирку артефаката од коштаних сировина. У овом раду биће приказани прелиминарни резултати анализе. Најчешће коришћена сировина јесу различите кости домаћих животиња – дуге кости и ребра овце, козе и говечета, а у мањој мери су коришћене остале кости и рогови цервида. Најучесталији су различити зашиљени предмети – игле, шила и пробојци, а још се срећу и различите алатке за глачање и за ударање – спатуле, стругачи, мањи ударачи. Ови су предмети углавном коришћени за различите свакодневне потребе, као што су обрада органских материјала (коже, биљних влакана, припрема хране и слично), док је опрема за лов и риболов малобројна. У погледу морфолошких и технолошких одлика, коштана индустрија са локалитета Кленак има доста сличности са другим коштаним индустријама са винчанских локалитета. Као главна разлика, међутим, може се уочити готово потпуно одсуство удица израђиваних од рога, које су доста бројне на оближњем локалитету Гомолава.
Рамаћа је локација која је у ранијој археолошкој литератури означена као место одакле су различите праисторијске заједнице експлоатисале камен. У близини села Рамаћа данас се експлоатишу два изворишта камених сировина, међутим, обиласком терена нису уочени трагови праисторијске експлоатације, што може бити и зато што су уништени савременом експлоатацијом. Обилазак околног терена такође није дао резултате, тако да питање коришћења Рамаће остаје отворено. Прикупљени су петрографски узорци, који ће бити накнадно анализирани.
У близини села Рогојевац налази се велики каменолом квалитетног кремена. Опет, на самом каменолому трагови праисторијске експлоатације нису уочени. У близини каменолома, на потезу Камаре, нађени су на површини фрагменти праисторијске керамике.
Каменолом Вучковица такође је потенцијално место експлоатације камена у праисторији, што ће бити проверено када петрографски узорци буду анализирани. Фрагменти праисторијске керамике су нађени у близини каменолома.
Даљим истраживањима биће проверени и други подаци, и надамо се добијени нови, о експлоатацији различитих минералних сировина током праисторије у рудничкој области.
Le site de Nova Nadezhda représente un gisement avec des vestiges archéologiques du Néolithique ancien, Néolithique récent, Chalcolithique, l’Age du Fer ; on a trouvé également une nécropole du 17-18ème siècle. Les vestiges du Néolithique ancien sont les plus riches. Les structures incluent des maison, des trous, des fossés, des sépultures ; les trouvailles incluent des récipients céramiques, des outils en pierre taillée, en pierre polie, et en matières dures animales.
Ici on va présenter les résultats préliminaires de l’analyse techno-typologique de l’industrie osseuse du Néolithique ancien (cca 6000 calBC). Les matières premières incluent des os divers (métapodes, tibiae, côtes), du bois de cerf et des coquillages. Les types caractéristiques incluent des poinçons fabriqués en métapodes et côtes, des grattoirs fabriqués en côtes, des outils tranchants fabriqués en tibiae, des spatules-cuillères fabriquées en métapodes, etc. Il y a également quelques ornements – bracelets de coquillage. Les pièces techniques (des éclats, produits semi-finis) ont permis de reconstruire la chaîne opératoire pour les types principaux et montrent en même temps que les outils ont été produits dans le gisement.
L’industrie osseuse de Nova Nadezhda indique les influences du Proche Orient (visible, par exemple, dans la présence des spatules-cuillères), mais aussi des caractéristiques plutôt locales (comme l’utilisation des os du lapin).
These excavations also unearthed large quantities of worked bone, mainly from Late Vučedol layers, including one artefact produced from bird bone that will be presented here. The item in question was produced from right radius from swan (Cygnus sp.). The object in question is in the shape of an elongated tube; carefully cut at both ends. The function of this item is uncertain – it may have served as some sound-producing instrument (flute), or it was some sort of handle or needle case. It is interesting to note that bird representations, in particular ornitomorphic vessels, are one of the specific traits of the Vučedol culture; therefore, the choice of bird bone for production of this artefact may have had a certain symbolic significance as well.
In this paper will be offered an overview of the antler production and use on the borders in Upper Moesia province. In Singidunum, on the location of the Castrum, an antler workshop was discovered, with large quantities of antler segments with traces of manufacture. In the Iron Gates region, antler artefacts were discovered at several fortifications, and the typological repertoire included awls, needles, spindle whorls, etc. Particularly numerous are combs (pecten), discovered at several sites, including Saldum, Diana, Novae, Pontes, and mainly originating from Late Antiquity period.
(С. Витезовић, Д. Антоновић)
Најзначајнији део сваке економије и економског система јесте експлоатација и располагање сировинама. Код проучавања праисторијских економских система, значајна су питања расположивост неких сировина, степен искоришћености у односу на расположивост, начини располагања, повезаност са технолошким изборима, као и степен и обим трговине и размене.
Акценат се у проучавању праисторијских економија често ставља на металуршке и литичке ресурсе, али веома значајне биле су и сировине органског порекла (дрво, кост, рог, коже, као и егзотичне органске сировине – маринске шкољке и ћилибар).
За ову сесију позивамо радове које се баве проучавањем ових питања, студије случаја и теоријске радове, посвећени једној или већем броју сировина, који обухватају не само област источне Србије, већ и друге, повезане регионе.
In the Vinča culture (Late Neolithic/Early Chalcolithic), astragals with traces of use, sometimes with one or several perforations, were discovered on several sites (Belovode, Divostin, Selevac, etc.). They were previously associated with gambling and gaming, following analogies with Antique period. However, their intensive usewear traces suggest they were used as tools.
In this poster will be examined several used astragals from the Vinča culture site of Pavlovac-Kovačke Njive, in the vicinity in Vranje: raw material choices (which species were used), usewear traces, position of perforations. It is suggested they were used in leather and hide processing, although some might have been also used for working clay.
The accent in studying prehistoric economies is often placed on metallurgical and lithic resources, however, very important were also raw materials of organic origin (wood, bone, antler, hides, as well as exotic organic raw materials – marine shells and amber).
We would like to invite for this session papers that are dealing with some of these questions, case studies as well as theoretical studies, focused on one or more raw materials, that encompass not only the region of eastern Serbia, but other, connected areas.
In 1987-88 at the area of the fortification from Late Antiquity one building was explored, for which it was assumed that it was used as palatium for high officials. This was a monumental building, oriented west-east, rectangular in base, and five rooms with floor and wall heating system, atrium and porches were discovered.
The building itself was errected in early IV century AD, and used probably until the end of VI century, although it may have been damaged during invasions of Western Goths 378-380 AD or, more probably, Huns in 441 or 447 AD.
In the western part central position was occupiedd by one square room decorated with mosaic floor with geometrical motives, fresco-painted walls and rich architectonical decorations in marble and other stones. Immediately above the mosaic floor, in the layer of ashes and debris was discovered a group find of fragments made from red deer antler.
The find includes zoomorphic and geometrical shapes, decorateed with incisions and carving, all made from red deer antler. Zoomorphic decorations inlude representations of fish and water birds, and geometric elongated stripes, circles and lozenges, all decorated in the same manner.
They were made from antler cortex segments, all carefully chosen and carefully made – they have approximately same thickness, and most of geometric ornaments are identical in shape and size, suggesting they weere made according to standards (perhaps some sort of mould was used), suggesting a skilful craftsperson, that had good knowledge in antler carving.
Although fragmented and damaged by burning, it may be assumed that this find represents remains of some sort of panel decoration, probably on (wooden) furniture, that was inlayed into the wood the similar manner as mosaic tiles were arranged to form a composition (in opus sectile technique).
This is a unique find in the central Balkan area, and after stylistical traits may be dated into mid- or second half of IV century.
The site of Vis is situated in northern Bosnia, and several archaeological campaigns from 1957-1959. exposed a settlement at Vis site with an area of more than 5000 m2 dated from Early Iron Age, approximately from late 9th century to mid-8th century B.C. During these campaigns Z. Marić investigated some 120 m2 and defined two main phase Vis I-II. Excavation was subsequently carried out on one of terrace/suburbia below Vis hillfort.
Faunal remains were collected selectively; however, some data can be extracted. Only larger, identifiable or complete bones were collected (phalanges, teeth, metapodial bones, etc.). Most of them were identified, and belong to pig, cattle, sheep, goat, red deer, wild swine. Numerous red deer and one roe deer antler were discovered.
Assemblage of osseous objects encompasses approximately thirty-five artefacts, mainly from red deer antlers. Especially interesting are two objects of unclear functions, particularly nicely made, one probably represents horse harness, and the other, heavily polished from intense use, was most likely part of an outfit. Previously unknown tool types are daggers from large herbivore ulnae, sometimes perforated at the base. Most of the assemblage are blanks and manufacture debris – tines and cortex segments with traces of cutting with diverse tools. They clearly demonstrate a workshop for antler manufacture once existed on Vis settlement. Antler working was an important activity even after the metals came into wide use a future research may yield more data on its role in everyday life and economy.
In this poster will be presented some of the characteristic manufacturing techniques:
-for shaping bone – methods for transversal division of long bones into blanks for further shaping, methods for making large perforations, as well as a specific way of making thin pointed tools from ovicaprine metapodials by abrasion;
-for shaping antler – methods for dividing antlers into blanks for further shaping, and some façonnage methods (making perforations, smoothing outer surface, etc.).
The poster will focus on one of the most characteristic and at the same time most intriguing tool type of the Early and Middle Neolithic bone industry, spatulas-spoons, made from cattle metapodials. Very rich collection of almost hundred of complete and broken objects, recovered at several sites in Serbia is represented (Donja Branjevina, Starčevo, Baštine, Velesnica). Manufacture was reconstructed after one half-finished object from Donja Branjevina. Within given final form some variations are present, revealing skillful artisans who produced these artefacts. Intense use and long life of Neolithic spoons, along with demanding manfacture techniques suggest these were highly valued objects. Usewar traces do not support current hypotheses on their use as spoons for food preparing and consumption, but instead suggest that they were used on soft organic materials such as leather, hide and plant fibres, probably for preparing and applying pigments.
The basis of archaeological study are the analyses of the material culture – from small artefacts to the natural environment changed by man’s action. Artefacts are most often studied from the formal point of view – style, chronological development, cultural influences. The aim of this session, however, is to put in the center of research the technological aspect, i. e., the analyses not only of the objest’s formal traits, but also a range of technological factors, from raw material choices, modes of use, to the reasons for discard. Starting from the basic meaning of technology as science on skills, and the definition of technology as „ set of actions and relationships: from production itself, to the organization of the production process, to the entire cultural system of processes and practices associated with production and consumption“ (H. Miller), we would like to encourage the research on topics such as the organization of production, acquiring and managing raw materials, analyses of specific technologies (ceramic, stone, osseous, metallurgical, but also techniques of agriculture, etc.), and general questions of the role and importance of a certain technology in social and cultural context, and also questions of technological systems, i. e., mutual relationships of different technologies.
The session is not limited in chronology, and we would also like to invite papers that deal with both methodological and theoretical aspects, as well as specific case studies.
Апстракт сесије:
Основу археолошких проучавања чине анализе материјалне културе – од ситних артефаката па до природне околине која је човековим дејством измењена. Артефакта се најчешће проучавају са формалне стране – стил, хронолошки развој, културни утицаји. Циљ ове сесије, међутим, јесте да у средиште проучавања постави технолошки аспект, односно, анализе не само форме предмета, већ и читавог низа технолошких фактора, од одабира сировине, преко начина употребе, па све до разлога за престанак коришћења. Полазећи од основног значења технологије као науке о вештини, и дефиниције „низа поступака и међусобних веза: од саме производње, до организације производног процеса, па све до целог културног система процеса и поступака повезаних с производњом и потрошњом“ (Х. Милер), желели бисмо да подстакнемо истраживања у правцу питања као што су организација производње, набавка и располагање сировинама, анализе одређених технологије (керамичке, камене, коштане, металуршке, али и техника земљорадње, итд.), и општа питања улоге и значаја одређене технологије у друштвеном и културном контексту, као и питања технолошких система, односно међусобних односа различитих технологија.
Сесија није ограничена хронолошки, и такође позивамо да се пријаве радови који се баве како методолошким и теоријским аспектима, тако и појединачним студијама случаја.