Aleksandar Bulatović

Archaeological evidence for prehistoric placer tin mining is rare due to the ephemeral nature of the workings and the associated tools in the dynamic setting of active river systems. Here, we report an additional line of evidence for metallurgical activities at stream tin mining in Serbia at Mt. Cer and Bukulja. Rivers at these locations contain Pb-rich-glass grains, many of which are also enriched in Cu and Sn. Compositionally, the detrital grains of glass are similar to the vitreous infillings on a bleached ceramic sherd found at Spasovine, an archaeological site situated on the bank of the tin-rich Milinska River. The high-Pb-bearing (average 42 wt%) and Sn-bearing (average 0.7 wt%) composition of the glass, along with the inclusions of secondary cassiterite, indicate that the slag was derived from the refinement of leaded bronze (i.e., lead removal). Although the detrital glass slag grains lack direct archaeological context, broader archaeological observations limit their production to either the Roman or Medieval Periods. The presence of Pb-Cu-Sn metallurgical glass grains in a river at Bukulja provides the first concrete evidence of prehistoric tin mining at this locality, which demonstrates that sluicing for crushed glassy residues is a viable means to prospect for as yet undiscovered sites of ancient metallurgical activities.

In the course of the ’60s and ’70s of the previous century, Nikola Tasić, member of the Academy, conducted a series of archaeological excavations in the territory of north-eastern Serbia. Thanks to numerous excavations and surveys, a conclusion can be made that the aforementioned territory represented a suitable area for the formation of settlements during the Copper, Bronze, and Iron Ages. Due to the poor quality and fertility of the soil, the Iron Gates region, the Kučaj mountain, and the Timok valley were primarily suitable for the development of stockbreeding, rather than agriculture. It seems as if the basic advantages of the region were its hydrological and mineralogical potentials. On the other hand, by analysing the cultural stratigraphy of settlements that formed on dominant positions (hilltops), one can observe that certain patterns occur repeatedly. The goal of this paper is to provide a better understanding of the motives of late prehistoric populations (from the fourth to the first millennium BC) to form numerous hilltop settlements in the region, through the analyses of spatial distribution and cultural stratigraphy.

Der Fundplatz Svinjarička Čuka, der auf einer flachen Flussterrasse im südlichen Serbien liegt, wird seit 2018 von einem internationalen Forschungsteam im Rahmen eines interdisziplinären österreichisch-serbischen Kooperationsprojekts untersucht. Die prähistorische Besiedlungsgeschichte der Terrasse reicht bis in die frühe Jungsteinzeit zurück und erstreckt sich über die Kupfer- und Bronzezeit bis in die Eisenzeit. Die wichtigsten wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse zum Neolithisierungsprozess in Serbien und eine repräsentative Auswahl der bedeutendsten Funde der ersten Ausgrabungskampagnen werden in diesem zweisprachigen (englisch und serbisch) Begleitband zur permanenten Ausstellung im Nationalmuseum von Leskovac erstmalig vorgestellt. Belege für eine dauerhafte, feste Architektur der neolithischen Starčevokultur aus der Zeit um 6000 v. Chr. und das reiche Fundspektrum geben Einblick in die materielle Kultur der ersten Ackerbau betreibenden, sesshaften Gesellschaften in einer Region, die entlang der großen Flusskorridore die Kulturen des Mittelmeerraums mit denen der Donauregion verbindet. Die einzelnen Kapitel geben nicht nur einen Überblick über die Grabungsergebnisse und das Fundmaterial, sondern auch über die Ebene von Leskovac und die Entdeckung des Fundplatzes mit Hilfe von systematischen Surveys und geophysikalischen Prospektionsmethoden. Darüber hinaus werden Einblicke in die vielfältige Anwendung multidisziplinärer Methoden bei der Fundauswertung (wie z. B. Mikroarchäologie, Gebrauchsspuren- und Rückstandsanalysen, Radiokarbondatierung) und in das umfangreiche Beprobungsprogramm an archäologischem, geologischem, anthropologischem, archäozoologischem und archäobotanischem Material mit modernsten naturwissenschaftlichen Labormethoden gewährt.

Searching for the Neolithic along the Vardar-Morava River corridor revealed several new sites in a previously underexplored region. Multidisciplinary investigations at Svinjarička Čuka identified Neolithic and Bronze Age occupation. Highlights presented here demonstrate the potential of this new key site for enriching our understanding of the prehistory of the Balkans.

The archaeological materials from the Velika Humska Čuka site on the northern fringe of the Niš Basin in southeastern Serbia were analyzed to reveal the provenance of ceramics and other artifacts. This study focused on the elemental analysis of 61 samples, including local clay pits, potsherds, and whole vessels. Samples were chosen based on stylistic and typological characteristics to distinguish local and “foreign” pottery. Elemental analysis was conducted using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry, complemented by principal component analysis (PCA) for data interpretation. Results indicated that the majority of pottery samples, over 80%, were produced using local clay from deposits near the site. However, approximately 20% of the analyzed vessels were made using clay from deposits near the Bubanj site, 8 km south of Velika Humska Čuka. A vessel on a hollow high foot combining stylistic elements of the Bubanj-Hum I group and Early Eneolithic Pannonian groups was made of clay not sourced from any identified local deposits, suggesting its non-local origin. While the predominance of local materials suggests self-sufficient production, the use of non-local clays and stylistic influences highlights long-distance connections and exchanges. The study emphasizes the importance of Velika Humska Čuka in understanding the development of ceramic traditions and the cultural dynamics of the Early Eneolithic in the Central Balkans.

During the excavations of the multi-layered prehistoric site of Svinjaricka Cuka in south-eastern Serbia, a single burial was recorded. According to the grave goods, the burial custom, and an absolute date, the burial can be positioned into the second half of the 3rd millennium BC. The remains of the deceased female individual were recorded within a stone cist, accompanied by pieces of gold jewellery and red ochre. Altogether, the burial custom and its architecture are quite uncommon for this region during the Early Bronze Age and, so far, represent a unique find within the South Morava valley and the neighbouring regions. This study provides a detailed interpretation of the grave, along with the anthropological analyses of the deceased and the analyses of the chemical-physical composition of the gold objects.

The most common scientific analysis of archaeological ceramics aims to determine the raw material source and/or production technology. Scientists and archaeologists widely use XRF-based techniques as a tool in a provenance study. After conducting XRF analysis, the results are often analyzed using multivariate analysis in addition to interpretation and conclusions. Various multivariate techniques have already been applied in archaeological ceramics provenance studies to reveal different raw material sources, identify imported pieces, or determine different production recipes. This study aims to evaluate the results of multivariate analysis in the provenance study of ceramics that belong to three cultures that settled in the same area during various prehistoric periods. Portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pEDXRF) was used to determine the elemental composition of the ceramic material. The ceramic material was prepared in two different ways. The ceramic body material was ground into powder, homogenized, and then pressed into tablets. After that, the same fragments are polished in suitable places. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the tablets and polished pieces. The results were subjected to both unsupervised and supervised multivariate analysis. Based on the results, it was concluded that qualitative analysis of the well-prepared shards’ surface using EDXRF spectrometry could be utilized in provenance studies, even when the ceramic assemblages were made of similar raw materials.

Despite a relatively high degree of archaeological research and related publications, the territory of north-eastern Serbia represents a ?vacuum? of sites during the Early Bronze Age. When observed within the Late Eneolithic-Early Bronze Age-Middle Bronze Age sequence, a significant gap in the quantity of sites can be highlighted for the Early Bronze Age (c. 2800-2000 BCE). New data and absolute dates from the territory of north-eastern Serbia indicate that the development of the Early Bronze Age this territory was influenced by both the Great Pannonian Plain and the Central Balkans. The paper provides an overview of the Early Bronze Age in the territory of north-eastern Serbia based on the new absolute dates from the region, stylistic and typological analyses, settlement trends and the possible social and natural factors.

In 2022, during the construction works on the route of the ?-761 Corridor, a bronze sword with a fully cast hilt was recorded in gravel pit no. 8, on the right bank of the West Morava river. Additional surveys of the location determined that the wider area represents the former riverbed from which the sword most likely originates. The find represents an exceptional example of a sword with three parallel transverse midribs, whose ornamental motifs clearly point to the Gundelsheim type (i.e., the former Erlach type). The decoration on the upper and lower discs of the pommel clearly indicates south-western German workshops, since it is one of the most common and most representative, if not the most favourite ornamental combinations on the swords of the Gundelsheim type in this region. The sword was X-rayed and subject to XRF analyses at the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences. The blade was also analysed for use-wear. With the other bronze swords of the so-called Central European type in the territory of the Balkans (Riegsee and Reutlingen), the sword from the bed of the West Morava river certainly represents the herald of changes that occurred during the Late Bronze Age in parts of the Mediterranean and its hinterland. It should be highlighted that this sword represents the first example of this type recorded south of the Sava and Danube, with a quite narrow dating, to a period of 1200-1100 BC.