Bronze Age funerary practice in the Western Morava basin

Област Западног Поморавља, дефинисана током истоимене реке и појединих притока, представља природну спону између западне и централне Србије...Defined by the flow of the river and its tributaries, the region of the Western Morava basin represents a natural connection between western and central Serbia, which in wider sense links the Dinarides of the western Balkans and the Morava Vardar route. A significant number of funeral sites originate from the Bronze Age, and they are mostly concentrated in the northern part of this area, while the settlements are rare and insufficiently known despite very intensive field surveys. During several decades of the intensive research, a significant amount of the material was collected from the necropolises, which provided an opportunity to reconsider the previous attitudes and knowledge, especially the ones regarding some recent archeological research and the ones compared to the contemporaneous analysis from the neighboring regions. Examining the different types of the necropolises used through the various phases of the Bronze Age, we can infer that the barrows are always noticed in the northern part of the Western Morava basin bordered by the valley. Downstream of Kraljevo, the basic concept is rather different, primarily due to the fact that flat necropolises were used without preserving any grave mark, thus hindering their identification. This type of necropolis distribution has remained almost unchanged during the whole period of the Bronze Age development, which consequently has provided a reliable opportunity to define a bordering are The basic concept for the material systematization has been primarily determined by the necropolis type, and the following characteristics type of material, shape, decoration and function, whereby the material traces of the executed rituals that followed the funeral were not omitted. The characteristics, amount and place of finding of the material traces..

Contribution to the Study of Spectacle-shaped Pendants in Western Serbia

This paper discusses spectacle-shaped pendants made of bronze wire representing relatively frequent grave goods found under the Middle Bronze Age tumuli in the western Serbian region. Within these finds, based on the manufacturing details, it is possible to distinguish exceptional pieces representing a unique phenomenon characteristic exclusively to this region. By comparing them with the objects found in the nearby territories, as well as in a wider area of distribution of metallic products from Central Europe and the Carpathian Basin, it can be concluded that these pieces of jewelry, together with the different types of torcs, pins and bracelets, as well as the used decorative patterns, were quite possibly manufactured in local workshops operating most probably in Western Serbia

Three Roman bronze vessels from the National Nuseum in Čačak

Rimske bronzane posude: dve situle i kaserola, otkrivene su slučajno prilikom izgradwe porodične kuće u centru Čačka 1960. Vedra su opredeljena u poznate tipove Bargfeld i Hemoor, koji su široko rasprostranjeni u Rimskom carstvu, a posebno duž rajnskog i dunavskog limesa, gde se, mahom, nalaze kao uobičajeni delovi vojničke opreme, dok kaserola pripada vrlo retkom tipu sa pomičnom drškom, takođe nošenom u vojničkom prtljagu kao posuda za pripremanje hrane, a posebno za pečenje hleba. Sve tri posude mogu se opredeliti u period II-III v., kada su na mestu današnjeg Čačka, tada graničnoj oblasti provincija Gornje Mezije i Dalmacije, bile stacionirane jedinice Cohors VIII voluntariorum, Cohors II Delmatorum, kao i beneficijariji iz redova Legio XI Claudia.Three Roman copper alloy vessels, rare in western Serbia, were found in 1960 in central Čačak. Two buckets (situlae) and one pan (trulla), were discovered by chance, during construction work, in the vicinity of a massive Roman wall built of stone and mortar. The first bucket (fig. 1/1), (Reg. No. A 721) well preserved, has a bi-conical body with the rim turned on the outer side (dimensions: rim diameter 20-20.5 cm; base diameter 14.5 cm; height 17 cm). The shoulder of the vessel is positioned at 2/3 of its height which identified this situla as the Barfeld type dating from 1st to 2nd century A.D. Several finds of buckets belonging to this popular type have been made in Serbia, mostly dredged from the river Sava at Sremska Rača near Sirmium. Nevertheless, it resembles most closely the situla from the National Museum at Vršac, probably found in the vicinity of Stara Palanka. The second bucket (fig. 1/2) (Reg. No. A 722) identified as a Hemoor type situla is partially preserved (dimensions: rim diameter 16 cm; height 8 cm; handle diameter 0.8 cm). The upper body of the vessel is adorned with two pairs of parallel incised lines. The vessel is made of copper tin alloy (thickness: 1.5-2 mm) and has a greenish patina. Hemoor type buckets were found in great numbers both within the Roman empire and outside its borders. They were dated to 200-300 A.D. and divided into two variants. Samples from Serbia belong to the Pannonian variant with shallower recipient, low ring-like foot and almost circular handle holders. Analogies from the territory of the Sava and Danube valleys are known from Osijek (Mursa) in Croatia and the site Groblje at Šetjernej in Slovenia, as well as from some Pannonian urban centres (Sophiana, Intercisa, Vindobona). The third vessel (fig. 2), (Reg. No. A 723) exceptional in shape, was beaten from a copper alloy sheet with a high percentage of copper which gives the alloy its intensive red color (dimensions: base diameter 24 cm; height 4 cm; handle length of 14 cm; handle width 2.5 cm). It is made in the shape of a round shallow recipient with vertical sides and single folding handle positioned horizontally. Vessels of this peculiar shape resembling modern frying pans, were certainly used for food processing, most probably for bread baking (Bratpfanne). The chronology of these vessels, made of copper alloy or iron, spans the period from the middle of 2nd to the end of the first third of the 3rd century A.D. They have been found all over the Roman empire: Britain, France, Southern Italy Austria, Germany and all the way to Egypt. The pan belongs to the unusual type of Roman bronze vessels rare both in the Central Balkans and over a broader territory. The only analogy from Serbia that is known to us comes from the limes in the Iron Gates gorge. It was found in a hoard of bronze vessels uncovered at the Roman fortress Campsa near Ravna, dated to the first half of the 3rd century A.D. The copper alloy vessels from Čačak should be connected most probably to the presence of the Roman army in this territory already confirmed by several votive inscriptions. These inscriptions mention a centurion of Cohors VIII voluntariorum, beneficiarii from Legio XI Claudia and even the military tribune of Cohors II Delmatorum. According to epigraphic data, a Roman military fortification of ca. 5 ha should be expected in the vicinity of Čačak, dated as early as the end of the 2nd and with more certainty during the 3rd century. A camp of that size would have been large enough to accommodate the cohors milliaria equitata garrison mentioned in votive inscriptions. The presence of a Roman garrison of such a considerable number and character in the vicinity of Čačak can be explained by the strategic importance of this territory on the crossroads of important Roman land communications between the provinces of Upper Moesia and Dalmatia as well as the importance of the Roman silver mines at Kosmaj and Rudnik nearby

The Late Antique dietary habits in Western Serbia: a case study of the Čačak – Dvorište Gimnazije site

The analysed faunal material was collected during the rescue archaeological campaigns conducted between 2014 and 2018 by the National Museum Čačak at the Dvorište Gimnazije site in Čačak (Western Serbia). The Late Antique building remains, constructed in the 3rd–4th century, preserved at the foundation level were discovered at the site. After its destruction, building was reused during the late 4th and the 5th century but in a more primitive manner. Remains of a few pits, hearths, and probably primitive dwellings belong to this horizon. The 3rd horizon at this site dates to the Late Medieval period (the 15th and the first half of the 16th century), and it is represented by a Christian necropolis dug into the Roman building. Faunal material is more abundant in the Late Antique period than in the Late Medieval context. The remains of mammals form the majority of the faunal sample. Domestic species are more frequent within the assemblage and include cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, horses, dogs, and cats. Furthermore, wild species are represented by wild boar, red deer, roe deer, fox, and hare. The most common are the remains of cattle, followed by pigs and caprines. Among wild mammals, the most numerous remains belong to wild boar and red deer. The greater importance of domestic mammals is expected for the Late Antique and Medieval archaeological sites in Serbia. In addition, the bird remains were confirmed as well. Among them, the remains of chicken were the most numerous. Since this is a newly discovered site, additional archaeological excavations in the vicinity are needed to create a broader picture of this site and its role within the currently unnamed ancient settlement that lasted throughout the centuries by the Western Morava River. Moreover, new zooarchaeological research will enable a better understanding of human–animal relationships of the inhabitants of this settlement in the past

Lost and Found: Animal Management Throughout the Roman and the Late Antique Periods Within the Settlement(s) Under the Modern City of Čačak (Western Serbia)

Even though archaeozoology of the Roman and the Late Antique periods is a young discipline that has gained momentum in Serbia in recent decades, there is still modest information originating from the area of Western Serbia. So far, the data from the archaeological site Jerinin grad – Brangović has been published (Kukić, Mladenović 2014). However, in the last two years, analyses of archaeofaunal material from the area of present-day Čačak, which includes three sites/locations – Courtyard of the Gymnasium, Courtyard of the National Museum, and Courtyard of the Church of the Ascension of the Holy Virgin – dating back to the Roman and Late Antique periods, have gotten underway. This paper aims to provide an insight into animal management within the same landscape at three different locations through time by comparing taxa ratios, body part profiles, age and sex data, pathological changes, as well as butchery mark patterns between various sites/locations to reveal plausible diachronic and contextual differences in the strategies of animal exploitation

The Abundance Revealing Status? First Iron Age Princely Necropolises in Western Serbia and their Relation to the Common Funerary Practice

The paper treats different features of grave inventories in the First Iron Age graves in western Serbia. The number of objects in grave inventory and quality of each item are set as the main criteria for determination of groups. It is supposed that the quantity and quality of the grave goods, as well as massiveness of the grave structure and its position, represent the features that reveal status of the deceased

The Role of Amber in Forming the Social Identity of the Bronze Age Communities in Western Serbia Revealed through Funerary Practices

Appearance of amber artefacts in the territory of Serbia can be connected with the Middle Bronze Age, which is later in comparison with the earliest finds of the Baltic amber in south Europe and the Mediterranean. The sites which yielded the amber products are neither numerous nor with even spatial distribution. The Middle Bronze Age finds are grouped inside borders of two geographical units of the central Balkans: the one in Western Serbia, comprising the basins of the rivers Drina and West Morava (sites Belotić-Šumar, Bela Crkva-Cerik Bandera, Banjevac-Jovanin Breg, Brezjak-Paulje, Vranjani-Veliki Lug and Jančići-Ravnine) and the other in the region of Kosovo and Metohija. In all of the cases, the amber finds have funerary context. Reflection of events at the turn of the Middle to Late Bronze Age can be easily recognised in funerary practices, with amber as an important part of grave inventory. The role of amber in forming the social identity of the local communities in Western Serbia can be comprehended having in mind that the rest of the grave inventory is opulent, comprising pottery, bronze jewellery and accessories. It is presumed that the amber decorated the attire of the individuals, possibly socially prominent, but certainly belonging to connected cultures and cultural groups. It is possible that placing the amber in the grave is actually putting the emphasis on the connectivity. The amber, albeit present in small amounts, reveals the importance of this precious resin, the procurement of which was not an easy and safe assignment

Remarks on Tumular Necropolises and “Invisible“ Settlements in Western Serbia in the First Iron Age

Research history of tumular necropolises in Western Serbia provided us with sufficient data to define the basic characteristics and regularities in funerary practice, particularly for the Bronze and Iron Ages. Majority of the First Iron Age graves in this part of the Balkans can be firmly tied with the strong influence of the Glasinac or Glasinac – Mati culture/cultural complex. Its population practiced both inhumation and cremation of the deceased, accompanied by typical elements of attire, with tumular grave marks. In contrast to the well explored necropolises, settlement sites in Western Serbia are still under a question mark. Our knowledge is restricted to some multilayered hill-fort sites, whose poorly preserved stratigraphical sequence comprises First Iron Age material, too. The material confirmation of settlement activities can be treated as a testimony to the specific settlement strategy during the period. However, seven decades of intensive field surveys as well as many sondages, have not provided definite regularities of Iron Age settlements.Istoria cercetărilor necropolelor tumulare din vestul Serbiei ne oferă date suficiente pentru a determina caracteristicile și regularitățile de bază în practica funerară, cu precădere pentru Epoca Bronzului și Epoca Fierului. Majoritatea mormintelor din Prima Epocă a Fierului din această zonă a Balcanilor poate fi strâns legată de influența dominantă a culturii Glasinac sau a complexului cultural Glasinac-Mati. Aceste populații practicau atât înhumarea, cât și incinerarea defuncților, însoțite de elemente specifice veșmintelor, cu markere de mormânt tumular. În contrast cu necropolele bine documentate, poziția așezărilor din vestul Serbiei este încă sub semnul întrebării. Cunoștințele noastre se restrâng la câteva așezări fortificate multi-stratificate, a căror secvență stratificată slab conservată cuprinde material din Prima Epocă a Fierului. Confirmarea materială a activităților din așezare poate fi considerată ca mărturie a unei organizări specifice a așezărilor din această perioadă. Cu toate astea, șapte decenii de cercetări intensive de teren, precum și multe sondaje, nu au definit sistematizarea așezărilor din epoca fierului

Green urban policies –the case of Belgrade [Tenth International Landscape Architecture Exhibition]

Рад студената мастер програма је био усмерен на боље разумевање теме ''политике, као намере да се нешто заиста учини'', и као део савремених напора на пољу повезивања и планирања са реалним изворима финансирања, који су утврђени мерама, како УН и ЕУ политика (Париски договор, Циљеви одрживог развоја, Нова ЕУ Кохезиона политика 2021-27, Зелени договор за Западни Балкан), националним и локалним политикама урбаног развоја (Стратегија развоја Града Београда, Стратегија пошумљавања Града Београда, План одрживе урбане мобилности, Акциони план за одрживу енергију и климу за Град Београд, Акциони план за зелени град). Фокус је био на пројектима које Град реализује у сарадњи са међународним програмима и банкама, уз подршку националних институција, градске управе, организација и установа, невладиних организација. Приказ мапираних пројеката није коначан. У питању је модел за приказивање, праћење реализације и евалуацију пројеката од значаја за урбани развој урбаних насеља. Анализа указује на значајан број реализованих пројеката у домену Зелене агенде - заштите животне средине и климатских промена.The work of the master's students was aimed at better understanding the topic of "policy as an intention to actually do something", as part of contemporary efforts to connect planning with real sources of funding outlined in UN and EU policy (Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development Goals, New EU Cohesion Policy 2021-27, Green Deal for the Western Balkans), as well as national and local urban development policies (Development Strategy of the City of Belgrade, Afforestation Strategy of the City of Belgrade, Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, Action Plan for Sustainable Energy and Climate for the City of Belgrade, Action Plan for a Green City). The focus was on projects that the city implements through cooperation with international programs and banks, with the support of national institutions, city administration, organizations and institutions, and non- governmental organizations. The display of mapped projects is not final, and it represents a model for presenting, monitoring the implementation and evaluating projects of importance for the urban development of urban settlements. The analysis indicates a significant number of implemented projects in the field of the Green Agenda - environmental protection and climate change