Starcevo

Earliest Neolithic cultures brought significant changes in Southeast Europe – domesticated plant and animal species, new forms of material culture, innovations in settlement patterns, architecture. Completely new forms of economy and material culture (domesticated animals, pottery) attracted most attention from researchers, while less attention was paid on the changes among the already existing aspects of material culture. In this paper it will be attempted to observe the innovations in the Starčevo culture through the changes in technology, with special focus on the industry from osseous raw materials (bone, antler, teeth, mollusc shells). The comparison of the bone industries from the Mesolithic Iron Gates and Starčevo culture revealed some similarities, especially in manufacturing antler. Starčevo bone industry introduced some new techniques and some new types and variants of tools, which, in turn, give information on new aspects of everyday activities, importance of certain crafts, and also a changes in cultural attitude towards raw materials (related to their origin and/or final products and their tasks). Especially characteristic techno-types are those made from cattle metapodials, most notably carefully made and long-used spatula-spoons. Also, osseous materials are no longer used for artistic expressions, but they remain the dominant raw material for personal ornaments.

The Bandkeramik Culture beginns wit its "Formative Phase" in NW-Hungary and Lower Austria (Sites Pityerdomb and Brunn a.G.). This phase has strong connection with the Starcevo culture (similar but different), but it can be shown, that there is a deciding difference in the symbolism of ceramic decoration, housebuilding and settlement organisation, and the meaning of the idols (ceramic figurines). It is concluded, that behind this existed a difference in religion and family ond social organsation, and that ist were members of the Starcevo society, who created the new ideology (not e.g. mesolithic neighbours or a mixture with them).

This paper is the result of research conducted in the Banat settlement Starčevo, a suburban town near Pančevo. There is recognized a high degree of plurality and identity negotiations at the national, religious, regional and local level. The author raised many important issues related to how ethnic Croats today define themselves and their place in this culturally colourful and multiethnic environment, what is the nature of their relations with other communities, in which way they demarcate themselves from others etc. During the interpretation of the obtained data are discussed and rethought parameters such as ethnic, religious, cultural, political and linguistic identity, a sense of belonging, identity markers, borders, ethnic distance, stereotypes, the degree of assimilation and ethnic mixing. One of the author’s intention was to acquaint the wider academic community with research methods with the members of to a lesser extent so far recognized ethnic groups in Banat, and the possibilities of applying relevant theories in analyzing the obtained ethnographic
material.

Adresa pentru corespondenţă: Sabin Adrian LUCA, Universitatea "Lucian Blaga" din Sibiu, Institutul pentru cercetarea şi valorificarea patrimoniului cultural transilvănean în context european, B-dul Victoriei, nr. 5-7, Sibiu 550009; Tel. / Fax 0269 / 214468; 0745 / 366606;

In this paper, the author focuses at Anzabegovo, one of the most important Neolithic sites in the Central Balkan region. The importance of this site, which was excavated by Milutin Garašanin in the early seventies, lays in the fac that it is one of the very few multylayered sites of the Early and Middle Neolithic period with a cultural deposit accumulated between years 6200 and 5500 cal. BC. This site was used by M. Garašanin as a yardstick for sequencing pottery development across the Southeast Europe.

This paper discusses the concept of fine pottery, including the criteria for its identification, the relations between surface treatment and fine fabric, and its physical and mechanical properties. The main focus is the frequency of fine pottery and its position in the ceramic assemblage in the Early and Late Neolithic, as well as identification of the functions that fine bowls may have had. The differences in percentage referring to the fine pottery frequency in the assemblages of the Early and Late Neolithic are explained by unequal use frequencies, while differences in functions by different ways of living and food habits of the Neolithic population.

Cuvinte cheie: prima neolitizare din Europa Centrală şi de Sud-Est, Starčevo-Criş IA, sanctuar format din gropi rituale. Rezumat: Descoperit pe traseul Autostrăzii Orăştie-Sibiu, în situl Cristian I (km 76+450 -76+900), sanctuarul format din gropi rituale datat în vremea complexului cultural Starčevo-Criş, faza IA, arată atitudinea primilor neolitici în faţa teritoriului şi populaţiilor întâlnite la faţa locului. Am observat că prima grijă a neoliticilor vechi a fost consacrarea spirituală a teritoriului. Colectivul de cercetare este alcătuit din: Sabin Adrian LUCA, Abstract: Discovered on the future layout of Orăştie-Sibiu Highway, in the archeological site of Cristian I (km 76+450 , the sanctuary formed by ritual pits dated during Starčevo-Criş culture, IA phase, shows the attitude of the first Neolithic people towards territory and the communities found here. We have noticed that the first concern of the old Neolithic people was to consecrate spiritually the territory. The research collective is formed by: Sabin Adrian LUCA,

"Attrition of interior walls is often visible in the form of pitting and surface erosion. This
is mostly wrongly interpreted as being a result of depositing of friable, underfired pottery in the
acid environment. However, these traces are in fact the effects of aggressive acid contents on the
vessel walls, resulting from the fermentation or effervescence process. The analysis of appearance,
distribution and frequency of such attrition in the group of vessels from Blagotin has pointed to the
importance of functional analysis of pottery in identification and interpretation of food preparation
related activities in the Early Neolithic."

Stariji i srednji neolit jeste period velikih promena u ljudskom društvu. Pored uvođenja domestikovanih biljnih i životinjskih vrsta, neolitski način života donosi čitav niz promena ne samo na ekonomskom, već i na društvenom i širem kulturnom planu. Centralni Balkan posebno je značajan za praćenje ovih procesa jer geografski i kulturno povezuje najstarije neolitske zajednice na Bliskom Istoku sa centralnom Evropom. Proces neolitizacije, i uopšte odnos prvih neolitskih zajednica sa starijim, mezolitskim populacijama može se pratiti na osnovu pojedinih segmenata materijalne kulture, i značajne podatke može pružiti koštana industrija.

In the Linear Pottery Culture, two types of anthropomorphic figurines are distinguishable: type 1 figurines have a columnar body without legs and hips while type 2 figurines show more details in the shape of their body. These two types have parallels in the Neolithic of south-east Europe, especially in the Starčevo culture. These parallels become evident not only in the shape of the body but also in other features like sexual characteristics, breakage patterns and find circumstances. It is, therefore, likely that LPC figurines and Starčevo culture figurines are manifestations of a similar set of religious beliefs.

The earliest Neolithic cultures in the Southeast Europe brought significant changes in many aspects of everyday life, in subsistence, settlement patterns, architecture, and also in ritual aspects. Very important are technological changes as well – introduction of brand new technologies, such as clay working, or new techniques in existing industries, lithic, osseous, etc. The changes within the already existing aspects of material culture can bring light to traditions and innovations in raw material managing, manufacturing techniques, forms and function of artefacts, and also social aspects of craft production. Osseous industry is especially informative for the questions on innovations and traditions, since it is well developed in both Mesolithic and Neolithic period. Within the Starčevo culture, certain Mesolithic traditions may be observed, such as techniques for antler manufacture, however, numerous innovations are visible as well, in particular techno-types of Near Eastern origin – spatula-spoons, the most characteristic bone techno-type of the Early Neolithic in the South-East Europe, as well as diverse decorative items. Furthermore, new raw materials (bones from domestic animals) are introduced, new techniques for manufacture and new tools. It is also interesting to observe that, although osseous materials remain the dominant raw material for personal ornaments, they are no longer used for artistic expressions.

Deskripcija nasuprot interpretaciji: odnos tradicionalne i savremene arheologije prema problemu impreso-barbotin ranog neolita * Apstrakt: U radu se razmatraju nedoumice sa shvatanjem funkcije i tehnika izrade impresa i barbotina u jugoslovenskoj arheologiji druge polovine XX veka i ukazuje na njihove uzroke. Razmotrena je funkcija te dve vrste ukrašavanja/obrade površina, a hronološki sled impreso -reljefni klas -organizovani barbotin objašnjen je kao proces pojednostavljenja tehnika izrade.

НАРОДНИ МУЗЕЈ БЕОГРАД MUSÉE NATIONAL DE BELGRADE 2017 оригиналан научни рад ЗБОРНИК НАРОДНОГ МУЗЕЈА XXIII-1/2017 Археологија УДК 903.23"6343"(497.11) Примљено: 3. март 2017. Прихваћено: 22. мај 2017. 123-133 Јасна Б. ВУКОВИЋ Универзитет у Београду, Филозофски факултет -Одељење за археологију ПОПРАВКЕ И ПРОДУЖЕНА УПОТРЕБА КЕРАМИЧКИХ ПОСУДА: ПРИМЕР РАНОНЕОЛИТСКЕ ЗДЕЛЕ С КОВАЧКИХ ЊИВА * Апстракт: У раду је приказана здела чије је дно, пошто је поломљено током употребе, заравњено, чиме је продужен њен употребни век. Размотрен је изглед очуваних абразивних трагова и реконструисана је активност током које су настали. Претпостављено је да је здела поправљена услед недостатка нових посуда, што је последица сезонске израде керамике, типичне за неспецијализовану производњу. Кључне речи: здела, абразија, поправка, продужен употребни век, Ковачке њиве, рани неолит * Овај чланак је резултат рада на пројекту Археологија Србије: културни идентитет, интеграциони фактори, технолошки процеси и улога централног Балкана у развоју европске праисторије (177020), који финансира Министарство просвете, науке и технолошког развоја Републике Србије.

Abstract:
Bone spoons are among the most interesting and most attractive Early Neolithic osseous artefacts. They were carefully manufactured, finely shaped and used for long time. They were noted on numerous sites in Anatolia and southern Europe, and are usually considered as part of the “Neolithic package”. Recent advances in bone technology studies, as well as previously unknown finds enabled us to review the importance and role of these artefacts. In this paper will be given an overview of over hundred finds from Starčevo culture sites in Serbia; their distribution, manufacture and possible meaning and function will be discussed.

In this paper the results are given of revised analysis of the prehistoric bone industry from the site of Grivac. The assemblage comprises nearly 100 objects, most of them belonging to the Starčevo (Early/Middle Neolithic) and Vinča (Late Neolithic/Aeneolithic) cultures, although few pieces may be dated into later periods. Starčevo culture assemblage yielded several interesting items, including several decorative objects, most likely originating from a single context (subterranean dwelling). Vinča culture assemblage also provided several peculiar artefacts, such as one spoon made from antler. Both assemblages provided information regarding raw material managing, as well as manufacturing techniques.

Izgubljeni u tranziciji: problem prelaza ranog/srednjeg u kasni neolit centralnog Balkana u jugoslovenskoj/srpskoj arheologiji druge polovine XX veka* Apstrakt: U radu se razmatraju nedoumice i slabosti tradicionalne, kulturno-istorijske arheologije u interpretaciji neolitske tranzicije, tj. prelaza starčevačke u vinčansku kulturu. Ukazano je na njihove uzroke: oslanjanje na tipologiju keramičkih nalaza i uverenje da se procesi moraju registrovati cezurama u vertikalnoj stratigrafiji, kao i na potrebu za preispitivanjem tog problema, pre svega iz ugla tehnoloških tradicija, tj. stila, sa ciljem identifikacije grupnih identiteta.

Tools from osseous materials were used for a variety of tasks during prehistoric times – for processing organic materials such as leather, hide, plant fibres; but they may have been also used for the manufacture of flint tools, as percussors, hammers, retouching tools, or anvils. These are relatively easily identifiable through characteristic use wear traces and numerous examples of them were noted on sites throughout Europe, covering the span from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Late Neolithic / Chalcolithic. These tools are important not only in reconstructing the chaîne opératoire for flint tools, but also for linking together different industries into general technology studies. In this paper, tools connected with flint manufacture identified so far in the Starčevo culture bone industry will be presented. These were mainly used as retouching tools or pressure flakers, and all of them were made from antler. They cover the span from ad hoc, expedient, to the carefully shaped tools.

This study is based on the first author’s scientific analysis of 854 potsherds from the early Neolithic Impressed Ware, Starčevo-Criş and Korenovo cultures in south and south-eastern Europe. Neolithic pottery is usually heavily tempered, and is often highly decorated. Whereas differences in form and decoration have generally been interpreted as reflecting factors such as status, beliefs and cultural identity, technological choices (e.g. of clay and temper) have usually been discussed in terms of functional advantages and constraints – whether in the manufacture or the use of the pot. Nevertheless, the social context of pottery production means that technological choices are restricted by pottery-making traditions and learning opportunities, and the choice of temper is thus closely linked to cultural values. The authors investigate the usefulness of temper as a marker of cultural identity in the Early Neolithic, comparing petrographic results from the Adriatic Basin and surrounding areas. Despite the fact that pottery was only produced for local consumption in this period, several extensive and long-lasting technological traditions can be discerned, and these largely coincide with the extent and duration of various stylistic traditions. Although the choice of raw materials was inevitably constrained by local resources, cultural identity can be proposed as the most important factor distinguishing the different technological traditions.

Апстракт: Неолитски период обележен је крупним променама у начину живота човека, од којих је свакако међу најзначајнијима почетак узгајања биљака и животиња. Лов, међутим, остаје као битна активност, не само за прибављање хране, већ може имати и одређени симболички значај. Улога лова може се сагледати преко фауналних остатака, али и преко присуства ловног оружја. У овом раду биће приказани пројектили од коштаних сировина са локалитета Старчево-Град. Анализирана су њихова технолошка својства (избор сировина, технике израде, итд.) и типолошки репертоар, као и критеријуми за идентификацију.

In the C25 feature, belonging to the Early
Neolithic settlement, from Miercurea Sibiului –Valea
Gârbovei there was found an incised ceramic fragment with
linear and clear signs that have analogies in what is called
Danube Script. The article is stressing about the context of
the discovery and the chronological moment of the ceramic
fragment.

For every human settlement, the environment has a very important role, not just in economic aspects, but also in social and cultural life. The perception of both the natural landscape and the animal world has a notable impact on economy and culture, and the animal world has a particularly significant part in creating cosmologies and belief systems. Despite the long tradition of studying diverse ritual and symbolic aspects in prehistoric archaeology, and although there is a large amount of data from ethnography on the animal symbolism in numerous pre-modern and modern cultures all over the globe, animal symbolism in prehistoric societies is still not sufficiently explored. Despite recent advances in widening the theoretical frameworks, animals are still predominantly analysed through their economic role.
In this paper, some of the aspects of the animal symbolism in Early/ Middle Neolithic Starčevo culture will be explored, in particular those of two animal species: cattle and deer.

НАБАВКА И РАСПОЛАГАЊЕ КОШТАНИМ СИРОВИНАМА У РАНОМ И СРЕДЊЕМ НЕОЛИТУ БАЛКАНА

Коштане сировине (кост, рог, зуби, љуштуре шкољки) широко су коришћене у праисторији за израду различитих предмета, од алатки до уметничких представа. С једне стране, ради се о сировинама које су сразмерно лако доступне и то у доста великим количинама, али, с друге, мада се често доживљавају као ad hoc искоришћен кухињски отпадак, пажљивија проучавања откривају да се у великом броју праисторијских култура ради о пажљивом, строгом и систематском набављању и располагању овим сировинама.
Прикупљање отпалих рогова захтева добро познавање понашања јелена и добро познавање околине, док избор одређених костију захтева добро познавање физичко-хемијских и механичких својстава коштаног ткива.
У раду ће бити анализирани подаци о набавци и располагању коштаним сировинама у оквирима раног и средњег неолита Балкана, где се, осим доброг познавања својстава коштаних сировинам уочава и одређени симболички значај појединих сировина.

Although in recent decades bone industry is not a neglected archaeological topic any more, there are still many open questions. One of the important problems in analysing bone industry is the question of reconstructing the chaîne opératoire and other questions related to the organization of production, workshops and working places, since manufacturing debris often stays unrecognized during excavations, i.e. it is either not collected, or it is stored among faunal remains, awaiting identification and a proper analysis. Also, contextual data are often incomplete, especially when artefacts come from older excavations, when faunal remains were not recognized as important and thus the attention given to them was limited.

A strategy is proposed for sampling for macro-plant remains at Neolithic/Eneolithic sites in Serbia, informed by the previous archaeobotanical experience and results, and following guidelines in the relevant literature. In designing the methods, con-straints posed by the severe underfunding of archaeological projects in Serbia are taken into account. The procedure of archaeobotanical sampling of different archaeological contexts is described, and up- and downsides of several possible sampling strategies are discussed. The suggested procedure is, to a large extent, applicable to sites of any other culture-historical periods.

На основу искуства и резултата досадашњих анализа макробиљних ос-татака, и пратећи инструкције понуђене у релевантној литератури, предлажемо  стратегију за издвајање археоботаничких узорака на неолитским и бакарнодоп-ским локалитетима Србије. У обзир смо узели ограничења наметнута изузетно малим финансијским средствима којa већина археолошких пројеката у Србији има на располагању. Описана је процедура издвајања археоботаничких узорака прили-ком ископавања различитих археолошких целина, и објашњене предности и мане неколико могућих начина одвајања узорака. Овде изнет предлог стратегије узи-мања археоботаничких узорака је у великој мери примењив и на локалитетима дру-гих културно-историјских епоха.