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Nikola Tasić and the question of the Bosut group
No full textUntil the mid-twentieth century, knowledge of the archaeological picture
of the Serbian Danube region in the Early Iron Age was modest, therefore
this area was usually incorporated into the zone of the Late Urnfield culture or
the Basarabi complex. Significant new data gathered through field research in the
1960s allowed for drawing improved conclusions, motivating Nikola Tasić to differentiate
a new group. The distinguished Serbian archaeologist noted particularities
in the material culture of the local population, which separated them from
the rest of the Basarabi complex, thus defining the Bosut group. In the following
decades, Tasić’s initial blueprint of the group was repeatedly revised and supplemented
by cumulated data. The aim of this paper is to present the progress of research
on the topic of the Group, and how firm the initial definition holds more
than half a century since the original publication
Relative and absolute dating of the Prljuša mine on Mali Šturac: the first evidence for copper mining in the Bronze Age in the Balkans
No full textThe mine at the site of Prljuša on Mali Šturac offers a new perspective
on the development of mining in the Central Balkans. The original hypothesis
that there was an Early Eneolithic copper mine in this place, based on the appearance
of shafts and the manner in which the ore was exploited, changed after the
discovery of several ceramic vessels and after absolute dates were obtained, which
helped determine that this mine was from the Early Bronze Age. Pottery discovered
in Shaft 7, according to the stylistic and typological traits, but also on the basis
of radiocarbon dates obtained (2343–2138 cal BC), was attributed to the Early
Bronze Age and the Bubanj–Hum III culture. A small number of finds belong to
the Vatin culture. Such dating of the ceramic finds chronologically determines the
functioning of Shaft 7 into the second half of the third millennium, with the possibility
that it also continued in the beginning of the second millennium. However,
no settlements can be linked with the miners, and the question whether they
were from the vicinity or if they had arrived from far away remains open. A large
ore deposit such as Prljuša could have been a gathering point for miners from different
parts and of different populations in the times of great movements, and
overlapping several cultures. Furthermore, it is possible that the miners were locals
(living in a still undiscovered settlement), who were involved in intensive
trade and exchange with both regional communities, and those at greater distances
as well
Findings of Encrusted Pottery of the Szeremle Group in the Serbian Danube Valley
No full textAt the end of Br A2 and the beginning of phase Br A3, the penetration
of the Mad’arovce culture into the area of the Northern group led to significant
changes and the movement of its bearers through the area of the Vatya culture to
the south. South of the mouth of the Sió river and in the southern parts of the
confluence of the Danube and Tisza rivers, under the influence of Southern and
Northern Danube region encrusted pottery, the Szeremle group will be formed, a
style or phase in the development of encrusted pottery whose decorative repertoire
will be dominated by motifs from the Northern Danube, and to a much lesser
extent by those from the Southern Danube pottery. The end of the Early and
the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age on the territory of Serbia, that is, in the
south-western and southern parts of Bačka, in certain localities in Srem and
southern and south-eastern Banat, will be marked by the appearance of Szeremle
encrusted pottery
The Middle Bronze Age in Romanian Banat. About the Cornești–Crvenka group/ceramic style
No full textThe late scholar Nikola Tasić, forty years ago, while analysing the Vatin
culture, identified a group of finds for which he suggested the term Crvenka–
Cornești. The present paper summarises key moments that shaped the definition,
the chronological issues, the area of distribution, and the origin of the Cornești–
Crvenka ceramic group/style. We consider the Cornești–Crvenka ceramic group/style
to be an archaeological reality of the Middle Bronze Age (ca. 2000/1900–
1600/1500 BC) in historical Banat, belonging to the Vatin cultural circle. It was
formed on the basis of the “horizon with Besenstrich und Textilmuster ceramic”,
typical of the Early Bronze Age in this area
The swords of the Sombor–Smolenice type: function and meaning
No full textThe goal of this paper is to offer, apart from a typological and contextual
approach to, and aspects of use, a fresh look at one of the most interesting
types of Middle Bronze Age swords. Attention is drawn once more to a small
group of exquisite finds, the Sombor–Smolenice type swords which were decisive
in the development of the flange-hilted swords (Griffzungenschwerter). This kind
of weapon had a remarkable role in the Tumulus culture and its origin can be dated
back to the Middle Bronze Age (BrB2). The Sombor–Smolenice type swords
are clearly distinguished from the other sword shapes of the period by their rudimentary
tang, representing the earliest swords with a tang for attaching the hilt in
extra-Aegean South-eastern and Central Europe. The geographical distribution
of finds shows a scattered pattern, from Romania, Serbia (Vojvodina), Hungary,
and Slovakia to northern Italy and Germany (lower Bavaria), suggesting certain
communication routes. Traces of manufacture and subsequent treatment observable
on bronze artefacts provide important information about their origin and
manufacturing techniques. This paper is not limited to the use of this type of
swords as a weapon but it also takes into account their other functions, association
with other weapons and social role
New archaeological moments about the location of the ancient city of Bylazora
No full textTwo historical sources, dating from antiquity, represent the memory of
the ancient city of Bylazora. Those are the texts of Polybius and Titus Livius. Polybius
describes the key role of the city and its territory, as a favourable zone for
the incursions of the Dardanians into Macedonia. On the other hand, T. Livy
states that the Macedonian king Perseus in 168 invited the Bastarnae to come to
Bylazora for negotiations about their involvement in the war against Rome
A Prelude to Ethnography with Children: Ethical and Methodological Foundations for Multimodal Research with Children in Serbia
No full textThis presentation examines the ethical and methodological foundations of ethnographic research with children in Serbia, situating local practices within broader international debates. While this topic has attracted significant global interest, it remains underexplored in local anthropological literature. The analysis focuses on two interrelated domains: the ethical challenges of engaging children as research participants and the methodological questions surrounding multimodal approaches, with particular attention to drawing as a material method.
First, we review how ethnologists in Serbia have historically conducted research among and with children, and consider the representational and interpretive practices that have shaped this field. We then discuss key ethical considerations inherent in research with children, including power imbalances, risks of romanticization or adult-imposed interpretations, and the need to ensure that children genuinely understand their participation. Emphasis is placed on dialogical and participatory strategies, such as jointly interpreting visual materials, as well as on commitment to relevant ethical and legal frameworks in Serbia and internationally, particularly regarding consent and assent, voluntariness, and privacy.
In parallel, we give special attention to drawing as a multimodal research tool, situating it within the longer visual tradition in which it played a central role in ethnographic documentation prior to the advent of photography and film. Shifting the focus from ethnographers’ drawings to those produced by child interlocutors, the paper examines how children’s visual expressions can contribute to contemporary ethnological and anthropological inquiry. We argue that children’s drawings offer valuable insights into their lived worlds and function as a meaningful multimodal tool for developing methodologically innovative research practices
Belgrade Before Singidunum: Prehistory of the Belgrade Fortress
No full textThe location of the Belgrade fortress is one of the most recognisable topoi
in the Serbian capital. Lying on a prominent hill rising high above the confluence
of the Sava and Danube rivers, this place was inhabited for millennia before
it became a significant Roman fort. Prehistoric layers of the site were uncovered
from the very beginning of the earliest archaeological excavations, but were only
scarcely published up until now. Significant parts of the Late Neolithic and Late
Copper Age settlements were uncovered, while a modest collection of Late Bronze
Age and Iron Age pottery signals the occupation from these periods as well. The
paper presents results of the excavations of the prehistoric horizons that were investigated
in the course of the last eight decades
The intricacies of long-distance contacts: why is there no amber in the Belegiš I culture?
No full textRecent years brought a revival of studies on the Bronze Age amber
finds in the territory of Serbia. The current state of research allows one to characterise
them in terms of chronology, cultural affiliation, and morphology. More
complex are the issues related to modes and ways of amber influx from the Baltic
zone to the Balkans, but with the help of provenience and typological analyses of
the co-occurring artefacts, chiefly bronze items, these too are becoming clearer. A
problematic question in reconstruction attempts of Bronze Age amber circulation
is the role played in this process by the Belegiš I culture in Vojvodina. During
the first horizon of amber influx into the Balkans (BrB–D; c. 1500–1200 BC) this
area lacks attestation of amber’s presence. Meanwhile, meridional relations between
the Tumulus culture groups in the Carpathian basin and the communities
inhabiting western Serbia seem dynamic and strong. The paper proposes three
plausible reasons for the absence of amber in the area of the Belegiš I culture, related
to (a) cultural, (b) depositional, and (c) economical factors
Traditional concepts of learning and teaching: “telling stories” and “mirroring” in the transmission of traditional songs in Serbia today
No full textВ настоящее время процесс изучения и преподавания традиционных песен в Сербии
все чаще находится под руководством посредников (медиаторов), людей, хорошо знающих предмет традиционной музыки в практическом и теоретическом смысле и готовых взять на себя ответственность за качество передачи песен, за их выживание и за завоевание своего места в современном культурном контексте. Это работа в области прикладном этномузыковедению (applied ethnomusicology), как возвращение традиционных моделей сообществам, которые их создали, но затем потеряли (Pettan 1995; Jovanović 2010) в частично институциональных и внеинституциональных рамках (Йованович 2019).The process of learning and teaching traditional songs in Serbia nowadays is generally led by mediators, for the sake of the songs’ survival and their place in modern cultural contexts. It is about practical work in the field of applied ethnomusicology, as the return of the traditional patterns to the communities which once created them, and later on lost them in partly institutional and non-institutional frames