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Downstream from Belgrade: Medieval Cemeteries and Burial Practices in the Danube Region of the Central Balkans
No full textDuring the medieval period, the Danube region of the Central Balkans (the Serbian Danube region) was a dynamic transitional area, functioning as both a borderland and a contact zone. From the south and east, the region was influenced by the Byzantine Empire, the Bulgarian Khanate/Empire, and the Kingdom of Serbia, while to the north of the river lay the territories of the Avar Khaganate and the Kingdom of Hungary. Its strategic location, combined with shifting administrative boundaries, facilitated the movement and interaction of diverse populations, shaping local social and cultural practices. This paper examines the development of medieval cemeteries, focusing primarily on those from the 9th to the 13th centuries, and analyses how broader historical dynamics influenced local funerary customs. It is important to emphasise that there is no evidence of cremation burials in this part of the Danube region. Inhumation in row cemeteries, often accompanied by the personal adornments of the deceased, remained the predominant burial practice throughout the medieval period. Grave goods such as military items and food offerings are relatively rare. However, over time, significant changes took place, particularly in the spatial organization of cemeteries, along with a gradual decline in the inclusion of attire items in graves. Early medieval cemeteries were frequently situated near or within Late Roman fortifications and buildings, highlighting the continued strategic significance of these sites. By the High Middle Ages, burial grounds underwent significant spatial transformations, with cemeteries often being established in new areas. In contrast to the widespread integration of churchyard cemeteries across Christian Europe, burial sites in the Danube region were only occasionally associated with churches, reflecting a distinctive regional pattern
Middle Paleolithic Behavioral Insights from the Stelida Chert Source, Naxos (Greece)
No full textTh is article provides the fi rst detailed overview of Middle
Paleolithic activity at the Naxian chert source of Stelida,
based on an analysis of 780 artifacts collected from the
2013–2014 survey. While several Eurasian Middle Paleolithic
lithic sources have been documented, the activity at most
of these sites relates almost exclusively to resource extraction and the initial stages of tool production. Th e Middle
Paleolithic material from Stelida refl ects a wider range of
hominin behavior, including not only evidence for various
knapping traditions (not least Levallois and discoidal core
technologies) but also two concentrations of target products, including retouched tool types. Th e article argues that
this greater breadth of practice relates to Stelida’s landscape
aff ordances, namely the presence of springs and rock shelters that facilitated the establishment of seasonal camps,
where those procuring chert likely engaged in food preparation, consumption, and tool maintenanc
Shift in landscape use strategies during the transition from the Bronze age to Iron age in Northwest Serbia
No full textNorthwest Serbia has long been recognized for its rare and abundant mineral resources. A rare source of fluvial tin cassiterite ore has been identified in streams along the southern slopes of Cer Mountain. This tin deposit was first exploited during the Bronze Age, around the midsecond millennium BCE (Before the Common Era). Several surface-level copper sources in the Podrinje-Valjevo mountain range were known, with evidence suggesting that their exploitation began as early as the fourth millennium BCE. Archaeological surveys and excavations have uncovered numerous Late Bronze Age necropolises, while evidence of only a single lowland settlement from this period has been found. However, research has also revealed a significant number of hillforts from the Transitional period, marking their first appearance in this region. Material culture, along with a series of calibrated radiocarbon dates, points to the presence of culture originating farther to the north in southern Pannonia. These hillforts were all strategically located on the highest mountain peaks and were fortified with massive walls and defensive ditches clear indicators of a substantial transformation in landscape use between approximately 1000 and 850 BCE. Further analysis using Light Detection and Ranging technology uncovered the immense scale and architectural complexity of the Cikote stronghold, a scale unprecedented in earlier periods. In addition, a Geographic Information System-based viewshed analysis of 14 hillforts and lowland settlements from this era demonstrated that all sites were visually connected to at least one neighbouring location. Some strongholds maintained visual links with multiple sites, with lines of sight extending over several dozen kilometres
Animal Exploitation in the Copper Age of Eastern Slavonia: Zooarchaeological Evidence
No full textThis paper presents the preliminary results of zooarchaeological analyses carried out as part
of the project Culinary practices, husbandry, and land-use strategies during the Copper Age
in Eastern Slavonia (CULPLUS). The faunal assemblages originate from three sites: Viškovci-
Gradina and Verušed near Đakovo, and Prisunjača near Vinkovci. Species identification was conducted
to determine the relative frequencies of domestic and wild taxa, providing a foundation for
reconstructing animal husbandry and hunting strategies. In addition, detailed analyses offer insights
into meat consumption and refuse disposal practices among these Copper Age communities. The
results are presented for each site individually, followed by a discussion of the similarities and differences
in animal exploitation, based on regional and diachronic comparisons and taking into account
their geographical and chronological affinity. The taphonomic characteristics of the faunal
assemblages and excavation methods are also considered in relation to their formation and sample
composition. Finally, contextual analyses were applied to identify broader patterns in human–animal
relationships
Food practices in the Neolithic of the Central Balkans: Evidence from the Morava River Valley, Serbia
No full textThe Neolithic in the Central Balkans (Starčevo and Vinča culture, 6200-4500 BC) evidenced the first permanent
settlements in the area and the introduction of domesticates. Subsistence strategies were mainly based on crop and
animal husbandry, although wild resources were also widely exploited. Therefore, the diet of Neolithic communities
included meat from a wide spectrum of species – cattle, sheep, goat, pig, red deer, wild pig, etc. In this study,
we present data on food procurement and processing from two large Neolithic sites in the Morava River Valley
– Drenovac and Pavlovac-Gumnište, located in the central and southern Serbia, respectively. Both sites contain
large, representative faunal assemblages, which allow for detailed analyses of animal remains. Here we will focus
on zooarchaeological data: taxonomic representation; butchery marks; burning patterns; distribution of skeletal
elements; age-at-death data, in search of food pathways from procurement to the preparation and consumption
of meat. The study also includes discussion of thermal structures – ovens and hearths, the exclusive (preserved)
means for meat processing in this period. Additionally, we provide insight into milk exploitation, based on the
organic residue analyses on pottery. Through this multiple approach, we aim to illustrate how the Neolithic
people in the Central Balkans provided and prepared animal source food as part of their daily routine activities
Negative painting on Neolithic pottery: Interaction of color and space
No full textNegative painting is a distinctive decorative technique that emphasizes a unique approach to perceiving and
utilizing color and space. In negative painting, a design is not created by painting the motif itself, but rather by
applying the paint to the surrounding or „negative“ areas. For instance, instead of painting a spiral motif itself,
the artist applies paint around the shape, allowing the unpainted surface—either the raw vessel or a slip coating—
to define the form. This creates a visual effect where the design appears to emerge naturally from the negative
space. This paper investigates examples of the negative painting technique on the Early Neolithic pottery from
sites in Serbia (6200-5400 BC). The study focuses on the selection and combination of paints, the chaîne opératoire
of the painting process, and the artisans’ level of technical skill. This technique demanded a distinct approach
to both planning and execution, setting it apart from other painting methods observed in the Early Neolithic of
the Central Balkans. The resulting designs present a creative twist on traditional styles. While examples of negative
painting are relatively rare, they provide valuable insights into early aesthetic cognition. The use of negative
painting suggests that Neolithic potters perceived color and space as interconnected elements, actively engaging
in their interplay. They understood that the slip’s color was not merely a backdrop for decoration but an integral
part of the design itself. In other words, they recognized that “empty” or unpainted areas were not simply voids
but essential, active components of the composition. This reveals an early understanding of figure-ground organization,
where subject and background work together to create a harmonious whole, illustrating a sophisticated
grasp of positive and negative space in art
Exploring the Role of Women on the Roman Limes in Serbia – Insight from Small Finds
No full textConference abstract
Early Byzantine antler objects from the hill-top fortifications in northern Illyricum, Serbia
No full textEarly Byzantine fortified hilltop settlements represent a specific form of urbanisation during the transition from the Roman to the European Early Medieval era. Archaeological research of the remains of hill-top fortified settlements in the Central Balkans, which represented parts of Northern Illyricum on the territory of the present-day Republic of Serbia, has yielded a wealth of data on the daily life of its inhabitants. These are settlements that are classified as smaller towns (such as Caričin Grad - Justiniana Prima?, Gradina on the Jelica Mt.) and rural areas (Brangović, Vojska, etc.), which contain several common characteristics: they were built in environments rich in forests and waterways, near the main provincial roads; within the ramparts, there are public and private buildings, dominated by at least one or more church buildings, as centres of local communities, merchants, artisans, and mercenaries.
Intensive archaeozoological exploration of these settlements has yielded a complex picture of animal husbandry and the population's diet. Research has shown that game hunting from the late 4th to the early 7th century played a secondary role despite the rich forest terrain. However, among the portable finds, objects or semi-finished products with traces of processing made of deer antlers are quite common, indicating systematic collecting of antlers in the surrounding areas, as well as the presence of local workshops and a developed market for this type of items. The objects include combs, knife holders, heddle holders, spindle-whorls, etc. The proposed paper will deal with the techniques of making and decoration, the functional and topographical analysis of the objects, as well as the consumers and customers for which the objects were intended.Colloquia Anatolica et Aegaea, Congressus internationales Smyrnenses X
Од теренског до лабораторијског рада и назад. Пројекат истраживања римских малтера Дунавског лимеса у Србији
No full textНаучно-истраживачки пројекат Дизајн малтера за конзервацију – Римска граница на Дунаву 2000 година касније (акроним пројекта MoDeCo2000), спроведен од 2020. до 2022. године, бавио се изучавањем римских малтера некадашњег дунавског лимеса у Србији уз два међусобно условљена циља: стицање знања о античкој технологији израде малтера која се користила на територији данашње Србије и креирањe решења за компатибилне конзерваторске малтере на основу добијених знања, који се могу користити приликом радова на очувању споменика. Обухватио је многобројне активности на терену и у лабораторији, током којих су узорковани римски малтери из бројних споменика, чије су карактеристике након испитивања у лабораторији биле основ за припрему модела и експерименталну примену конзерваторских малтера. Пројекат је био замишљен и као допринос афирмацији архитектонске конзервације као признате мултидисциплинарне научно-стручне области у Србији, уз њено повећано присуство у образовним програмима, односно потребе дугорочног партнерства између научних истраживања и инжењерско-занатске праксе у циљу осигурања одрживе заштите историјских грађевина
La suppression du culte romain traditionnel au IVe siècle dans la ville de Montana en Dacie Ripuaire
No full textCe travail est dédié à l&étude d&un phénomène connecté au processus de christianisation d&une agglomération faisant partie de la province tardo-antique de Dacia Ripensis. Plus précisément, l&objet de cette analyse sera la ville antique de Montana et le complexe architectural comprenant la basilique chrétienne découverte au pied de la colline de Kaleto, construite avec des matériaux provenant de constructions antérieures et avec des inscriptions votives prélevées dans un sanctuaire païen actif entre Ier et IIIeΘsiècle. Ce phénomène de réutilisation a été interprété comme résultat d&une véritable campagne antipaïenne qui aurait eu lieu à Montana, par initiative de la communauté chrétienne locale pendant le règne de Constantin. Seront fournies dans ce texte les données concernant la topographie locale, les méthodes de réutilisation des monuments, ainsi que toutes les informations pouvant éclairer la réalité historique qui aurait favorisé le développement de cette interprétation. Sur la base de l&analyse archéologique, des sources littéraires et de la pratique juridique romaine, il est en fait possible de déterminer la mauvaise Τabilité des théories qui relient le phénomène de réutilisation à une campagne de répressionΘreligieuse