Necropolis under a tumulus at Veprčani: Representative case of using sacred places during several periods in the past

Six Late Roman graves and one prehistoric burial have been discovered under a tumulus in the course of investigations. The tumulus is around 11meters in diameter and around 1 meter high and is situated at Veprčani, in the mountainous area of Mariovo in south Macedonia. The graves mostly contained cists of broken stones or slabs covered with stone slabs, one grave was carved into the rock and one consisted of a dislocated grave association. One prehistoric burial containing the remains of a cremated individual and grave goods was encountered under a small stone mound to the south of tumulus. Regarding the grave goods, mortuary practice and funerary rituals of the original tumulus as well as the prehistoric burials, and material from the mound have been dated to the Ha A period, while the antique graves were dated to the 3rd-4th century

Multidisciplinarna istraživanja nalazišta Vrbjanska Čuka kod Slaveja (Pelagonija) – godina 2016.

The Vrbjanska Čuka archaeological site is a tell site of the type that is common in the Pelagonian region. It is located approximately 1.3 km south of Slavej and the same distance east of Vrbjani (Republic of North Macedonia). The site was excavated from 1979 to 1989, and new multidisciplinary research on the tell started in 2016. The recent archaeological excavations took place in a 15 x 10 m trench, where 2 houses with ovens, bins, railings and platforms in their interior were recorded. Typical characteristics of the Pelagonian Neolithic were observed in the material culture but also remains from the Classical antiquity and Medieval periods were documented. Besides the excavation and documentation of archaeological material, in 2016 an archaeobotanical analysis of organic samples was conducted, together with a geomagnetic survey of the whole area, digital topographic modelling of the tell and a 3D reconstruction of its appearance, and also an investigation of the prehistoric sites around Vrbjanska Čuka. This multidisciplinary approach provided new data and a more detailed understanding of the processes through which this settlement developed.Arheološko nalazište Vrbjanska Čuka je nalazište tipa tel kakvo je uobičajeno na području Pelagonije. Nalazi se oko 1,3 km južno od Slaveja, a toliko je udaljeno i od Vrbjana (Republika Sjeverna Makedonija). Nalazište je istraživano od 1979. do 1989. godine, a nova multidisciplinarna istraživanja na ovom telu počela su 2016. godine. U nedavnim arheološkim istraživanjima otvorena je sonda veličine 15 x 10 m u kojoj su otkrivene dvije kuće s pećima, jamama za otpatke, ogradama i platformama. Materijalna kultura je obilježena tipičnim značajkama pelagonijskog neolitika, ali zabilježeni su i ostaci iz antičkog i srednjovjekovnog razdoblja. Osim iskopavanja i dokumentiranja arheološkog materijala, istraživanja iz 2016. su obuhvatila i arheobotaničku analizu organskih uzoraka, geomagnetsku prospekciju cijele površine istraživanja, digitalno topografsko modeliranje tela i trodimenzionalnu rekonstrukciju njegovog izgeda kao i rekognosciranje prapovijesnih nalazišta oko Vrbjanske Čuke. Ovaj multidisciplinarni pristup rezulturao je novim podacima i sveobuhvatnijim razumijevanjem procesa razvoja ovog nalazišta

Research of the Vrbjanska Čuka site in 2017

[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.Peer reviewe

RESEARCH OF THE VRBJANSKA CHUKA SITE IN 2017. ИСТРАЖУВАЊЕ НА ЛОКАЛИТЕТОТ ВРБЈАНСКА ЧУКА ВО 2017 ГОДИНА.

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

The Early Neolithic tell of Vrbjanska Čuka in Pelagonia

[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.Peer reviewe