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The Central Balkans represents an important corridor for the spread of the farming populations from the origins of the European Neolithic in Greece further into the Central Europe. The absolute date of the first appearance of the Central Balkan Early Neolithic Starčevo culture in this region has been established by previous research (based on the relatively low number of radiocarbon dates) to a period after 6200 BC, but the demographic and social specifics as well as the spatio-temporal dynamics of the expansion remain unknown. In this paper we integrate new radiocarbon evidence from the BIRTH project with statistical analysis and mathematical modelling (implemented in computer simulation) in order to answer the following questions about the spread of the Neolithic across the Central Balkan region. 1. When did the Neolithic arrive to the Central Balkans? 2. What was the speed and the spatial pattern of the expansion? 3. What were the demographic features of the first Neolithic populations in terms of fertility and mortality? 4. What was driving the expansion? Our results confirm the previous dating of the Neolithic entry into the Central Balkan area ~6200 BC, pushing it possibly a few decades earlier. The spatio-temporal pattern of the expansion is in line with the Wave of advance model, with the farming front spreading relatively fast and following the north-south axis in general, but with potential evidence for leapfrogging over larger distances. The computer simulation results suggest that the expansion was fueled by very high fertility and low to medium mortality, and that the primary reason for migration was social rather than economic (i.e. due to limitations of environmental carrying capacity).&nbsp

With the exception of well known Mesolithic sites in the Danube Gorges, which provide ample evidence of (more or less) continuous human occupation between 9500 and 5500 cal BC, the wider areas of the Central Balkans and southern fringes of the Great Pannonian Plain still represent a terra incognita when it comes to the presence and settlement patterns of Mesolithic communities. In the archaeological literature, the absence of Mesolithic sites in the region was associated with environmental changes in the Early Holocene, presumed low human population densities, the visibility and state of preservation of organic material (often the only indicator of human activity), or the lack of adequate research. However, valuable insights into the obscure regional Mesolithic can be gained not only by new archaeological excavations, but also by revisiting and reanalysis of existing archaeological collections. Particularly informative in this respect are the Early Neolithic sites, which are indicative of the extensive spread of farming communities starting from 6200 cal BC, and/or their greater visibility in the archaeological record. Within the ongoing ERC BIRTH project (Births, mothers and babies: prehistoric fertility in the Balkans between 10000 and 5000 cal BC), a large sample of human, animal and plant remains from these sites was AMS dated. Unsurprisingly, the majority of obtained dates corresponded to the expected (Early Neolithic) range between 6200-5500 cal BC. However, several animal bone samples and one human bone sample from the sites of Magareći mlin, Grabovac-Đurića vinogradi and Gospođinci-Nove zemlje produced Mesolithic dates, i.e. were dated to the 8th millennium cal BC. In this paper, we present new AMS radiocarbon dates, discuss the contextual provenance of dated bones, and explore the implications of these results for a better understanding of the problem of the “missing” and “invisible” Mesolithic in the Central Balkans and Southern Pannonia.

In this paper, we test the hypothesis of the Neolithic Demographic Transition in the Central Balkan Early Neolithic (6250–5300 BC) by applying the method of summed calibrated probability distributions to the set of more than 200 new radiocarbon dates from Serbia. The results suggest that there was an increase in population size after the first farmers arrived to the study area around 6250 BC. This increase lasted for approximately 250 years and was followed by a decrease of the population size proxy after 6000 BC, reaching its minimum around 5800 BC. This was followed by another episode of growth until 5600 BC when population size proxy rapidly declined, reaching its minimum around 5500 BC. The reconstructed intrinsic growth rate value indicates that the first episode of growth might have been fuelled both by high fertility and migrations, potentially related to the effects of the 8.2 ky event. The second episode of population growth after 5800 BC was probably due to the high fertility alone. It remains unclear what caused the population to decrease episodes.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Cross-disciplinary approaches to prehistoric demography'

Around 8000 years ago, throughout the Neolithic world a new type of artefact appeared, small spoons masterly made from cattle bone, usually interpreted as tools, due to their intensive traces of use. Contrary to those interpretations, the small dimensions of spoons and presence of intensive traces of use led us to the assumption that they were used for feeding babies. In order to test this assumption, we compared 2230 marks on spoons from the Neolithic site of Grad-Starčevo in Serbia (5800−5450 cal BC) with 3151 primary teeth marks produced experimentally on fresh cattle bone. This study has shown that marks on spoons were made by primary teeth, which proves their usage in feeding babies. Our interpretation of the bone spoons’ function, jointly with their wide distribution, could suggest that new kinds of gruel were also an important part of the ‘Neolithic package’. The novelties in baby-feeding practices, indicated by spoons, could have had an important effect on the evolution of human fertility through shortening the length of the breastfeeding period.

In the past years, means of acquisition of 3D information became all present - the requirements to successfully create an accurately reconstructed copy of an object in 3D dramatically plummeted and made the process broadly available to both professionals and enthusiasts alike. The IBM (Image Based Modelling) on it’s basic levels required only a camera and some overcast sky or studio light, to have your site, your trench or a newly uncovered artifact, preserved as accurately scaled digital copy, for as long as the storage units would hold the data. The more important question has been treated as of late - what to do with created models, and what value do they add to the research work, if any? Project ”People of Lepenski Vir: protocols for digitalization of bioarchaeological heritage” used number of techniques to capture and store 3D data of the osteoarchaeological record from Danubian gorge, dated to Mesolithic and Neolithic period. Laboratory for Bioarchaeology aimed to provide open access to the so created 3D models. In order to enrich the experience, basic functions of metric data collection, surface model visualizations, model section analysis were added; but more importantly a robust database structure was created and populated to provide for metadata for each scanned fragment of bone. This structure allowed for further expansion of the collection, to other sites and periods. In this paper, we present experiences gained, with special note on the benefits of having an open access to 3D collections of the archaeological material, for the purposes of education and information exchange.

Tokom realizacije projekata Arheološkog instituta Arheološka prospekcija Aleksinačke opštine i Arheološka prospekcija donjeg toka Južne Morave na prostoru od Niša do Ražnja evidentirano je devet lokaliteta iz kasnog neolita. Oni su raspoređeni od juga ka severu duž prve rečne terase Južne Morave na približno ujednačenim međusobnim rastojanjima. U dva slučaja konstatovana su neubičajeno mala rastojanja između naselja, a distribucija površinskih nalaza na dva lokaliteta, koja su prostorno blizu susednim, je sugerisala da je reč o naseljima koja su znatno manja od susednih. Jedan od ta dva slučaja odnosi se na lokalitet Srednje polje u Bradarcu, čija je veličina na osnovu distribucije površinskih nalaza procenjena na 7,5 ha. Stoga su u periodu 2017–2018. godine na tom nalazištu preduzeta geofizička istraživanja sa ciljem da se utvrdi precizna površina i granice naselja sa položajem i rasporedom struktura, kao i eventualne promene u kvalitetu sedimenata, koje bi se mogle dovesti u hronološku vezu sa registrovanim arheološkim ostacima. Površinski nalazi su ukazivali da bi trebalo očekivati naselje iz kasnih faza vinčanske kulture sa strukturama koje su bile izložene dejstvu visokih temperatura. Кonfiguracija terena i pedološki pokrivač su sugerisali da je istočno od lokaliteta bila povoljna pozicija za kultivaciju aluvijalnih zemljišnih tipova. Metodom fluksgejt magnetometrije ukupno je snimljena površina od 5,2 hektara. Dokumentovan je plan naselja iz kasnih faza vinčanske kulture u aluvijalnom predelu između Mozgovačke i Puljanske reke. Naselje je zauzimalo površinu od 7 hektara i bilo je ograđeno sa dva sistema rovova, odnosno trostrukim i dvostrukim rovovima, koji najverovatnije potiču iz različitih faza trajanja naselja. U sredini severnog sistema rovova je evidentiran ulaz u selo, a u južnom delu naselja veći prostor nezaposednut građevinama. Ukupno je dokumentovano oko 130 gorelih struktura, različitih veličina, raspoređenih u grupama oko slobodnih prostora. Na istočnoj periferiji naselja konstatovani su aluvijalni rečni nanosi, koji se prostiru do Mozgovačke reke. Dosadašnja arheološka istraživanja na teritoriji Niško-aleksinačke kotline bila su fokusirana na analizu prostorne distribucije neolitskih naselja u vezi sa pedološkim pokrivačem u bližoj okolini, čime se došlo do značajnih podataka o trendovima naseljavanja tokom kasnog neolita centalnog Balkana. Geofizička istraživanja na lokalitetu Srednje polje u Bradarcu su omogućila uvid u unutrašnju organizaciju jednog kasnoneolitskog naselja koje se sastojalo od gusto raspoređenih stambenih i drugih struktura, orijentisanih ka manjim i većim slobodnim prostorima i kompleksnim sistemom rovova sa ulazom. Integracija dobijenih podataka sa nizom podataka o geografskom kontekstu naselja ukazuje na pravce kretanja i na mesta ekonomskog i društvenog fokusa stanovnika naselja u neposrednom okruženju. Ovakav pristup zasnovan na kombinovanju različitih vrsta nedestruktivnih arheoloških istraživanja je pokazao da može značajno upotpuniti naša saznanja vezana za društvene i ekonomske aspekte naseljavanja u različitim periodima praistorije.

The success in adoption and overall enthusiasm of the archaeologist with the process of 3Dscanning of artefacts and contexts has been on the rise in the past years. This could be easily explained: the requirements for doing a quality 3D information capture plummeted with the appearance of the novel and general - public based approach to data acquisition. The IBM (Image Based Modelling) on it’s basic levels required only a camera and some overcast sky or studio light, to have your site, your trench or a newly uncovered artifact, preserved as accurately scaled digital copy, for as long as the storage units would hold the data. There is a flaw, however, present in the fact that this technology has been majorly promoted for use in documenting the very special, beautiful and exquisite of the archaeological record – which is only a small portion of its extent in totality. The mundane and unattractive artefacts and remains of past populations remain untreated, as the process is biasing against the ordinary. In this poster, we present preliminary results of the project “People of Lepenski Vir: protocols for digitalization of bioarchaeological heritage”, supported by the Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information, that targets the obfuscated material, the unattractive, but still well known for its importance. The project aims to create a digitalized archive of the important anthropological collection from Đerdap gorge, dated to Mesolithic and Neolithic period, providing open access to digitalized 3D models. With use of computed tomography and IBM, remains of individuals that were living during one of the most extraordinary periods of human history will be made accessible to a wide audience, retaining metric data and possibility to be analyzed online, while at the same time allowing for the real remains to stay out of exposure and potential harm done during handling.

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a new technology in the field of intraoral imaging which allows 3D visualization of the areas scanned. The aim of our study was to assess the capabilities of CBCT in assessment of dental status, crown and root morphology, dental pathologies, tooth wear and enamel hypoplasia in a sample of 117 teeth from Mesolithic (9000 - 6400 calBC) and Neolithic (6200 - 5300 calBC) individuals from the Central Balkans. The study was carried by CBCT imaging of one root teeth placed in wax rim and stone cast to obtain digital images and 3D reconstructions for odontological assessment. All of the 117 teeth examined showed morphological similarity, similar color, shape, mesio-distal ratio and the presence of significant tooth wear. A few specimens displayed signs of radicular and apical pathology and infractions. In 17 teeth the presence of multiple root canals has been confirmed. Enamel hypoplastic defects were clearly observed and accurate measurements performed in order to evaluate the severity of hypoplasia. The use of CBCT supports the information obtained from archeological, anthropological and DNA investigations. It would seem that there is potential for significant development to be made in the research of paleodontological material using non invasive techniques such as CBCT that could play a crucial role in the investigation of bioarchaeological remains.

Lokalitet Idvor – Rutonjina greda je prvi put postao poznat arheološkoj zajednici kroz istraživanja Narodnog muzeja Pančevo, obavljenatokom 1990 godine. Smeštena na 1.5 kilometara od Idvora, greda sadrži slojeve više praistorijskih kultura. Od ukupno detektovanih 1.6 metara debljine kulturnog sloja, prvih 60 cm od površine je u potpunosti uništeno rigolovanjem, pošto je lokacija tokom 1960 godine bila uključena u širu operaciju pošumljavanja regiona. Iskopavanja obavljena 1990 godine, otkrila su da je najstariji sloj sastavljen od kuća-zemunica starčevačke kulture, dok su kasniji slojevi sadržavali i elemente vinčanskog materijala. U rigolovanim horizontima nađena je izmešana keramika iz eneolita, bronzanog i starijeg gvozdenog doba. Očigledno je da je izdignuta niveleta lokacije, koja je tokom visokih vodostaja jedina nepotopljena tačka u okolnom pejsažu, privlačila pažnju zajednica tokom dugog perioda u praistoriji. Nova, multidisciplinarna istraživanja na Rutonjinoj gredi, izvedena su kroz partnersku saradnju Narodnog muzeja Pančevo i Instituta Biosens, Novi Sad. Skoncentrisana na višestepena neinvazivna ispitivanja geofizičkom prospekcijom kao i geoarheološkim uzorkovanjem i analizama, potvrdila su da lokalitet, uprkos opsežnoj devastaciji površinskih horizonata, sadrži neoštećene slojeve sa očuvanim strukturama na skoro celoj površini grede, te da su potencijali i mogućnosti za nova istraživanja još neiscrpljeni.

The research of Vrbjanska Čuka in 2017 continued those started the previous season, but resulted in much more significant data regarding stratigraphy, architecture and economy in the Neolithic, Late Classical period and Middle Age. They were enabled by the multidisciplinary approach by implementing archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geomagnetic scanning, digital topography, geoarchaeology, photogrammetry and 3D modeling of artifacts and the environment, drone orthophotography, isotopic, radiocarbon, lipid and use-wear analyses. All these components of the research of Vrbjanska Čuka enabled a comprehensive understanding of the Neolithic settlement and the community that lived there, that was the primary aim of this project. In regard to the stratigraphy of site, it has 5 horizons, the Neolithic ones being determined by architectural features and not by material culture. In this context, a further revision of Neolithic horizons is possible, upon extending the archaeological trench and making a detailed insight into the material culture and the architectural features that would arise. Even though ceramic vessels as the most frequent finds do not bear significant differences between Neolithic horizons in Vrbjanska Čuka, still it could be considered that, examined further, they could contribute towards an even more thorough understanding of changes of this settlement, but also within society. In this regard, radiocarbon analyses provide even a more detailed insight into the chronology of the settlement. According to the data obtained by these analyses at the University of Bern, the earliest Neolithic layers could be dated around 5900 BC. So far, this date places the site in the final phases of Early Neolithic, completely corresponding the dating of few other sites in Pelagonia. Analyzing samples from other Neolithic horizons would determine the chronology of the remaining Neolithic phases of the settlement, which, according to the architectural features, composes of three horizons. Such a stratigraphic condition could potentially be changed, unless there is a significant divergence within material culture and dating of the remaining two horizons. However, according to the current acknowledgment, despite not having an especially high stratigraphy (about 1 meter of the total tell height), this Neolithic settlement was especially dynamic during the 6th millennia BC. The tell was actively used for several hundreds of years during the Early Neolithic, only to be deserted in the next 5 000 years until Late Classical period. According to the material culture found in Horizons IV and V, activities at this site might have continued around the 4th and 5th centuries AD, with recorded activities around the 7th and 8th centuries, and then between the 10th and the 14th centuries.

[EN] The research of Vrbjanska Čuka in 2017 continued those started the previous season, but resulted in much more significant data regarding stratigraphy, architecture and economy in the Neolithic, Late Classical period and Middle Age. They were enabled by the multidisciplinary approach by implementing archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, geomagnetic scanning, digital topography, geoarchaeology, photogrammetry and 3D modeling of artifacts and the environment, drone orthophotography, isotopic, radiocarbon, lipid and use-wear analyses. All these components of the research of Vrbjanska Čuka enabled a comprehensive understanding of the Neolithic settlement and the community that lived there, that was the primary aim of this project. In regard to the stratigraphy of site, it has 5 horizons, the Neolithic ones being determined by architectural features and not by material culture. In this context, a further revision of Neolithic horizons is possible, upon extending the archaeological trench and making a detailed insight into the material culture and the architectural features that would arise. Even though ceramic vessels as the most frequent finds do not bear significant differences between Neolithic horizons in Vrbjanska Čuka, still it could be considered that, examined further, they could contribute towards an even more thorough understanding of changes of this settlement, but also within society. In this regard, radiocarbon analyses provide even a more detailed insight into the chronology of the settlement. According to the data obtained by these analyses at the University of Bern, the earliest Neolithic layers could be dated around 5900 BC. So far, this date places the site in the final phases of Early Neolithic, completely corresponding the dating of few other sites in Pelagonia. Analyzing samples from other Neolithic horizons would determine the chronology of the remaining Neolithic phases of the settlement, which, according to the architectural features, composes of three horizons. Such a stratigraphic condition could potentially be changed, unless there is a significant divergence within material culture and dating of the remaining two horizons. However, according to the current acknowledgment, despite not having an especially high stratigraphy (about 1 meter of the total tell height), this Neolithic settlement was especially dynamic during the 6th millennia BC. The tell was actively used for several hundreds of years during the Early Neolithic, only to be deserted in the next 5 000 years until Late Classical period. According to the material culture found in Horizons IV and V, activities at this site might have continued around the 4th and 5th centuries AD, with recorded activities around the 7th and 8th centuries, and then between the 10th and the 14th centuries., [RU] Истражувањата во 2017 година на локалитетот Врбјанска Чука кај Славеј, се надоврзаа на оние од претходната археолошка кампања, иако се добија многу позначајни податоци за стратиграфијата, архитектурата и стопанскиот живот во неолитот, доцната антика и средниот век. Тоа го овозможи мултидисциплинарниот пристап во истражувањата, коишто освен со елементарните методи и студии на наодите, се проучува и преку археоботаниката, археозоологијата, геомагнетното скенирање, дигиталната топографија, геоархеологијата, фотограметријата и 3Д моделирањето на артефактите и теренот, дронската ортофотографија, изотопските, радиокарбон и use-wear анализите, како и оние на липидите. Сите овие компоненти на истражувањето на Врбјанска Чука овозможуваат мошне доследно разбирање на неолитската населба и заедницата што живеела во неа, што воедно претставува и примарната цел на овој проект. Според добиените податоци од анализите, може да се заклучи дека неолитската населба е формирана околу 5900 година пр.н.е., односно при крајот на раниот неолит и имала 5 развојни фази. Според откриената материјална култура од подоцнежните хоризонти, може да се смета дека активностите на овој локалитет продолжиле околу III и IV век н.е., со регистрирани активности околу VII и VIII век, а потоа и во периодот меѓу X и XIV век.

The domestication of plants and animals, and subsequent the changes that they had triggered om human societies, plays a crucial role in archaeological narratives on processes of Neolithization. Given that Neolithic communities are generally perceived as “pastoral-agricultural”, hunting activities are usually interpreted as sporadic, occasional, seasonal, and even anomalous. In this paper, we argue that subsistence strategies and human-animal interaction were far more diverse, and (micro)regionally and culturally specific. The paper focuses on the site of Golokut-Vizić, which stands out in relation to other Starčevo sites by its specific location within the hilly and forest landscape of the Fruška Gora mountain, as well as by high frequency of wild animals within the faunal sample. By incorporating existing and new results of archaeozoological analyses (namely taxonomic composition and seasonality),stable isotope analyses and archaeological data on settlement patterns (architectural features and artifacts), we examine ecological, economic and social context of animal exploitation at Golokut, and problematise the hunting-stockbreeding dichotomy in the context of the Early Neolithic on the territory of Vojvodina and the Central Balkans.

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

The new set of radiocarbon dates was used to explore the timing and tempo of the Neolithic expansion across the Central Balkans. Our results suggest that the first farmers arrived in this region around or few decades before 6200 cal BC. The observed spatio-temporal pattern based on the radiocarbon data suggests that the general direction of the expansion was along the south-north axis. The regression analysis (arrival time vs. distance from the origin of expansion in northern Greece) was used to estimate the Neolithic front speed. The results of this analysis suggest that there is a moderate fit of the linear model. Most of the front speed estimates based on the Central Balkan data are between 1 and 2.5 km/year (depending on the data subset and the statistical technique) which is mostly above the expected range (around 1 km/year) for the standard wave of advance model and the empirically determined continental averages. We conclude that the spatio-temporal pattern of the Neolithic expansion in the Central Balkans is broadly consistent with the predictions of the wave of advance model, with the possibility of sporadic leapfrog migration events. The speed of the expansion seems to have been faster in the Central Balkans compared to the continental average.

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

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

The domestication of plants and animals, and the subsequent changes they had triggered in human societies, plays a crucial role in archaeological narratives on processes of Neolithization. Given that Neolithic communities are generally perceived as “pastoral-agricultural”, hunting activities are usually interpreted as sporadic, occasional, seasonal, and even anomalous. In this paper, we argue that subsistence strategies and human-animal interaction were far more diverse, and (micro)regionally and culturally specific. The paper focuses on the site of Golokut-Vizić, which stands out in relation to other Starčevo sites by its specific location within the hilly and forest landscape of the Fruška Gora mountain, as well as by high frequency of wild animals within the faunal sample. By incorporating existing and new results of archaeozoological analyses (namely taxonomic composition and seasonality), stable isotope analyses and archaeological data on settlement patterns (architectural features and artifacts), we examine ecological, economic and social context of animal exploitation at Golokut, and problematise the hunting-stockbreeding dichotomy in the context of the Early Neolithic on the territory of Vojvodina and the Central Balkans.

The domestication of plants and animals, and subsequent the changes that they had triggered om human societies, plays a crucial role in archaeological narratives on processes of Neolithization. Given that Neolithic communities are generally perceived as “pastoral-agricultural”, hunting activities are usually interpreted as sporadic, occasional, seasonal, and even anomalous. In this paper, we argue that subsistence strategies and human-animal interaction were far more diverse, and (micro)regionally and culturally specific. The paper focuses on the site of Golokut-Vizić, which stands out in relation to other Starčevo sites by its specific location within the hilly and forest landscape of the Fruška Gora mountain, as well as by high frequency of wild animals within the faunal sample. By incorporating existing and new results of archaeozoological analyses (namely taxonomic composition and seasonality), stable isotope analyses and archaeological data on settlement patterns (architectural features and artifacts), we examine ecological, economic and social context of animal exploitation at Golokut, and problematise the hunting-stockbreeding dichotomy in the context of the Early Neolithic on the territory of Vojvodina and the Central Balkans.

The new set of radiocarbon dates was used to explore the timing and tempo of the Neolithic expansion across the Central Balkans. Our results suggest that the first farmers arrived in this region around or few decades before 6200cal BC. The observed spatio-temporal pattern based on the radiocarbon data suggests that the general direction of the expansion was along the south-north axis. The regression analysis (arrival time vs. distance from the origin of expansion in northern Greece) was used to estimate the Neolithic front speed. The results of this analysis suggest that there is a moderate fit of the linear model. Most of the front speed estimates based on the Central Balkan data are between 1 and 2.5km/year (depending on the data subset and the statistical technique) which is mostly above the expected range (around 1km/year) for the standard wave of advance model and the empirically determined continental averages. We conclude that the spatio-temporal pattern of the Neolithic expansion in the Central Balkans is broadly consistent with the predictions of the wave of advance model, with the possibility of sporadic leapfrog migration events. The speed of the expansion seems to have been faster in the Central Balkans compared to the continental average.

[EN] Vrbjanska Čuka is a tell site in the region of Pelagonia (Macedonia) established 8000 years ago by the Neolithic communities. Later it was used as an agricultural unit during the Roman era and the Middle Ages when it was also employed as a burial area. The excavations performed in the 1980s and during the last five years indicate a Neolithic farming society that constructed large buildings made of daub in a settlement enclosed by a circular ditch. The buildings had many clay structures, such as ovens, granaries, bins and grinding areas for processing cereals and bread production. The Neolithic communities used sophisticated fine pottery and modeled figurines and altars, while the stone tools were mainly used for cutting trees, harvesting and grinding. Apart from the cereal-based food (einkorn wheat, emmer wheat or barley), the inhabitants of Vrbjanska Čuka consumed lentils, peas and a variety of gathered wild fruits, while cattle, caprovine, mussels, fish and wild game meat was also part of a diet, as well as the dairy products. This paper will be a summary of a variety of data provided from the current international and multidisciplinary research of the site that involves excavation, prospection, geomagnetic survey, study of material culture, examination of architecture, radiocarbon dating, geoarchaeological, archaeobotanical, archaeozoological, lipid and use-wear analyses, as well as the topographic and 3D modeling. The recent knowledge on Vrbjanska Čuka provides novel understanding of the Early Neolithic in Pelagonia and contributes to the more extensive research of first farming societies in the Balkans., [MK] Врбјанска Чука претставува тумба во котлината Пелагонија (Македонија), основана од неолитските заедници пред 8000 години. Била користена како стопанска целина за време на Римската Империја, но и во текот на средниот век кога исто така функционирала и како некропола. Ископувањата вршени во 1980-те и во последните пет години укажуваат на неолитско земјоделско општество кое конструирало големи градби направени од лепеж во населба заштитена со кружен ров. Во градбите се наоѓале многу глинени конструкции, како што се печки, амбари, сандаци и места за мелење и обработка на житни култури при подготовка на леб. Неолитските заедници користеле софистицирана фина керамика и моделирани фигурини и жртвеници, додека камените алатки главно се користеле за сечење дрвја, жнеење и мелење. Освен храната на база на житни култури (еднозрнеста и двозрна пченица или јачмен), жителите на Врбјанска Чука исто така конзумирале леќа, грашок, разновидно овошје, говедско, овчо и свинско месо, школки, риба и месо од дивеч, како и млечни производи. Овој труд ќе биде резиме на различни податоци добиени од тековните меѓународни и мултидисциплинарни истражувања на локалитетот, а кои вклучуваат ископување, рекогносцирање, геомагнетно скенирање, проучување на материјалната култура, испитување на архитектурата, студии за функциите на алатките, радиојаглеродно датирање, геоархеолошка, археоботаничка, археозоолошка и липидна анализа, како и топографско и 3Д моделирање. Добиените сознанија за Врбјанска Чука даваат ново разбирање на раниот неолит во Пелагонија и придонесуваат за поопсежно истражување на првите земјоделски општества на Балканот., [DE] Vrbjanska Čuka ist ein Tell in der Region Pelagonien (Mazedonien), der vor 8000 Jahren entstand. Während der Römerzeit und im Mittelalter fand hier Landwirtschaft statt, zudem wurde der Hügel als Grabstätte genutzt. Die in den 1980ern sowie während der letzten fünf Jahre erfolgten Ausgrabungen führten den Beleg einer neolithischen bäuerlichen Gesellschaft, die in einer von einem kreisförmigen Graben umschlossenen Siedlung große Gebäude aus Lehm errichtete. In den Gebäuden wurden zahlreiche Lehmstrukturen nachgewiesen, etwa Öfen, Getreidespeicher sowie Bereiche zur Verarbeitung von Getreide und die Herstellung von Brot. Die neolithischen Gemeinden nutzten qualitätvolle Töpferwaren, modellierten Figuren und Altäre, während die hier geborgenen Steinwerkzeuge hauptsächlich zum Fällen von Bäumen, zur Ernte oder für das Mahlen von Getreiden verwendet wurde. Neben Nahrungsmitteln aus Getreide (Einkorn, Emmer, Gerste) konsumierten die Einwohner von Vrbjanska Čuka Linsen, Erbsen und eine Vielzahl wildgesammelter Früchte. Die Ernährung bereicherten ferner Rind-, Ziege/Schaf- und Wildfleisch, außerdem Muscheln und Fisch sowie Milchprodukte. Der vorliegende Beitrag fasst eine Vielzahl von international und multidisziplinär ermittelten Daten zusammen. Diese basieren auf örtlichen Ausgrabungen, Prospektionen, geomagnetischen Untersuchungen, Studien zur materiellen Kultur, der Architektur, Radiokarbondatierungen, geoarchäologischen, archäobotanischen, archäozoologischen und Lipiduntersuchungen. Hinzu kommen Gebrauchsspuranalysen, Studien zur Topografie sowie 3D-Modellierungen. Die Untersuchungen in Vrbjanska Čuka erbrachten neues Wissen zum frühen Neolithikum in Pelagonien und tragen ferner zum umfassenderen Verständnis der ersten bäuerlichen Gesellschaften auf dem Balkan bei.