In the first half of the 1980s, lithic materials from the prehistoric settlement of Ovčarovo-Gorata in northern Bulgaria were studied by Vietnamese archaeologist Nguyen Van Binh. At that time, he was a doctoral student in the Department of Prehistory of the National Archaeological Institute and Museum Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. In 1985, Nguyen Van Binh completed his doctoral thesis “Prehistoric flint artifact assemblages from the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene on the basis of materials from North East Bulgaria”, which presents the results of lithic assemblages processed from the site

Gatsov, Ivan

Sirakov, Nikolay

English

Journals of Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana

527
Documenta Praehistorica XLIII (2016)
Book review
Raiko Krauß 
Ov;arovo-Gorata. Eine frühneolitische Siedlung in Nordostbulgarien. Mit Beiträgen von Gerwulf Schneider, Mal-
gorzata Daszkiewicz, Ewa Bobryk, Nguyen Van Binh, Petar Zidarov, Florian Klimscha, Norbert Benecke und Ele-
na Marinova (Archäologie in Eurasien 29). Bonn πHabelt-Verlag∏ 2014, xiii+350 pages, 209 figures, 74 plates.
ISBN 978-3-7749-3914-1
In the first half of the 1980s, lithic materials from
the prehistoric settlement of Ov≠arovo-Gorata in
northern Bulgaria were studied by Vietnamese ar-
chaeologist Nguyen Van Binh. At that time, he was
a doctoral student in the Department of Prehistory
of the National Archaeological Institute and Museum
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. In 1985, Nguyen
Van Binh completed his doctoral thesis “Prehistoric
flint artifact assemblages from the Late Pleistocene
and Early Holocene on the basis of materials from
North East Bulgaria”, which presents the results of
lithic assemblages processed from the site. 
Three decades later, thanks to Raiko Krauss, the
work of Nguyen Van Binh on the flint assemblages
of this prehistoric settlement was published with his
consent in Krauss’ monograph Ov≠arovo-Gorata.
Eine frühneolitische Siedlung in Nordostbulgarien.
Archäologie in Eurasien, Herausgegeben von Svend
Hansen, Band 29, DAI, Eurasien-Abteilung, Habelt-
Verlag Bonn, 2014.
The study of flint assemblages from Ov≠arovo-Go-
rata by Nguyen Van Binh is one of the first compre-
hensive and professional studies in Bulgaria of chip-
ped stone artefacts from the Neolithic period. Natu-
rally enough, this analysis of flint assemblages bears
the imprint of its time. 
Work on the thesis was carried out in the early 80s
and is consistent with the then prevailing methodo-
logical trends in lithic studies. These were associat-
ed with traditional technological and typological ana-
lyses, which still focused heavily on typology and the
more formal treatment of technological aspects.
With regard to the work of Nguyen Van Binh, the
valuable results of such a study of flint raw materials
used in the preparation of flint tools should be par-
ticularly noted. The Neolithic flint industry at the
prehistoric settlement of Ov≠arovo-Gorata has large-
ly been associated with the use of local varieties of
raw materials, which were processed mainly in the
area of the settlement.
The analysis conducted by Nguyen Van Binh allows
us to trace chaînes opératoires stages within a pre-
historic settlement as well as see that the core pre-
paration stage was not done at the site under discus-
sion. The evidence for this is the absence of cortical
flakes and the lower frequency of crest specimens
compared to sites where core preparation occurred
on site. Flint production focused mainly on the acqui-
sition of flakes; moreover, the presence of splintered
pieces was also noted. With regard to the core knap-
ping process, the initial exploitation was linked to
single platform specimens which were later trans-
formed into two platform cores. The last stage of
core knapping usually occurred on cores with an al-
tered orientation – e.g., all surfaces were used. Ngu-
yen Van Binh’s work revealed the relationship bet-
ween technological characteristics and the type of
raw material and nodule dimensions. 
The lithic assemblage’s typological structure includes
flakes, end scrapers, and retouched flakes; perfora-
tors and drills are relatively poorly represented,
straight and oblique truncations, and denticuled
tools and fragments. Microliths occur in single items
in the form of micro end scrapers and bladelets. Ac-
cording to Nguyen Van Binh, this was due to the lack
of sieving rather than other factors. It should be
noted that some of the conclusions drawn by Wang
Bin Ngun have not lost their relevance today, such
as the similarity of Ov≠arovo-Gorata lithic assem-
blages and those of Ussoe I and Podgorica in north-
eastern Bulgaria.
On the other hand it is regrettable that the lithic as-
semblage was not available along with other groups
of finds from the site in the monograph on Ov≠arovo-
Gorata, so that the analysis could be updated and the
possibilities for interpretation increased.
Van Binh assumed that they were at least two chaî-
nes opératoires, one of which is relatively poorly re-
presented – for lamellar production (see bladelet
cores – Abb.130: 1–3 and bladelet/microbladelet dé-
bitage products – Abb. 152: 9; Abb. 164: 6; Abb. 171:
DOI> 10.4312\dp.43.29 
528
Documenta Praehistorica XLIII (2016) – Book review
1, 3; Abb. 173: 3–5, 7, 8, 19; Abb. 174: 4; Abb. 184:
1, 4, 5, 11). While there are no data on the process-
ing of these bladelets in geometric microliths (which
may be due to the lack of sieving and washing), there
is still a series of retouched microlithic forms, suffi-
ciently distinctive semi-circular and circular micro
end scrapers (Abb. 155: 3, 10–12; Abb. 159: 9–12).
Although these elements are less represented in the
Ov≠arovo-Gorata lithic collection, they deserve more
attention than they were given years ago in Nguyen
Van Binh’s dissertation.
The quality of illustrations is very high and allows
one to get a good idea of the core types and retouch-
ed tools, all of which are accompanied by technical
and typological characteristics.
It should be pointed out that it was Krauss’s ambi-
tion to present as fully as possible the results of dif-
ferent studies from this settlement in order to create
a general background for studies of the Neolithic in
the Central and Eastern Balkans. Although these stu-
dies were done more than 30 years ago, most of Ngu-
yen Van Binh’s conclusions are relevant today and
have their place and weight in the study of the Neo-
lithic in the Lower Danube basin.
The professional level of the study of chipped-stone
assemblages as presented by Nguyen Van Binh in
the monograph Ov≠arovo-Gorata is undoubtedly to
the great merit of Krauß, to whom we owe the inva-
luable opportunity to add these almost unknown
data to our general scientific knowledge and to ad-
vance the debate on Neolithisation in Southeast
Europe.
Ivan Gatsov,
New Bulgarian University, Sofia and
Nikolay Sirakov,
National Archaeological Institute and Museum,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 


Book review: Raiko Krauß: Ovčarovo-Gorata. Eine frühneolitische Siedlung in Nordostbulgarien

Ivan Gatsov

Nikolay Sirakov

Directory of Open Access Journals

527Documenta Praehistorica XLIII (2016)Book reviewRaiko Krauß Ov;arovo-Gorata. Eine frühneolitische Siedlung in Nordostbulgarien. Mit Beiträgen von Gerwulf Schneider, Mal-gorzata Daszkiewicz, Ewa Bobryk, Nguyen Van Binh, Petar Zidarov, Florian Klimscha, Norbert Benecke und Ele-na Marinova (Archäologie in Eurasien 29). Bonn πHabelt-Verlag∏ 2014, xiii+350 pages, 209 figures, 74 plates.ISBN 978-3-7749-3914-1In the first half of the 1980s, lithic materials fromthe prehistoric settlement of Ov≠arovo-Gorata innorthern Bulgaria were studied by Vietnamese ar-chaeologist Nguyen Van Binh. At that time, he wasa doctoral student in the Department of Prehistoryof the National Archaeological Institute and MuseumBulgarian Academy of Sciences. In 1985, NguyenVan Binh completed his doctoral thesis “Prehistoricflint artifact assemblages from the Late Pleistoceneand Early Holocene on the basis of materials fromNorth East Bulgaria”, which presents the results oflithic assemblages processed from the site. Three decades later, thanks to Raiko Krauss, thework of Nguyen Van Binh on the flint assemblagesof this prehistoric settlement was published with hisconsent in Krauss’ monograph Ov≠arovo-Gorata.Eine frühneolitische Siedlung in Nordostbulgarien.Archäologie in Eurasien, Herausgegeben von SvendHansen, Band 29, DAI, Eurasien-Abteilung, Habelt-Verlag Bonn, 2014.The study of flint assemblages from Ov≠arovo-Go-rata by Nguyen Van Binh is one of the first compre-hensive and professional studies in Bulgaria of chip-ped stone artefacts from the Neolithic period. Natu-rally enough, this analysis of flint assemblages bearsthe imprint of its time. Work on the thesis was carried out in the early 80sand is consistent with the then prevailing methodo-logical trends in lithic studies. These were associat-ed with traditional technological and typological ana-lyses, which still focused heavily on typology and themore formal treatment of technological aspects.With regard to the work of Nguyen Van Binh, thevaluable results of such a study of flint raw materialsused in the preparation of flint tools should be par-ticularly noted. The Neolithic flint industry at theprehistoric settlement of Ov≠arovo-Gorata has large-ly been associated with the use of local varieties ofraw materials, which were processed mainly in thearea of the settlement.The analysis conducted by Nguyen Van Binh allowsus to trace chaînes opératoires stages within a pre-historic settlement as well as see that the core pre-paration stage was not done at the site under discus-sion. The evidence for this is the absence of corticalflakes and the lower frequency of crest specimenscompared to sites where core preparation occurredon site. Flint production focused mainly on the acqui-sition of flakes; moreover, the presence of splinteredpieces was also noted. With regard to the core knap-ping process, the initial exploitation was linked tosingle platform specimens which were later trans-formed into two platform cores. The last stage ofcore knapping usually occurred on cores with an al-tered orientation – e.g., all surfaces were used. Ngu-yen Van Binh’s work revealed the relationship bet-ween technological characteristics and the type ofraw material and nodule dimensions. The lithic assemblage’s typological structure includesflakes, end scrapers, and retouched flakes; perfora-tors and drills are relatively poorly represented,straight and oblique truncations, and denticuledtools and fragments. Microliths occur in single itemsin the form of micro end scrapers and bladelets. Ac-cording to Nguyen Van Binh, this was due to the lackof sieving rather than other factors. It should benoted that some of the conclusions drawn by WangBin Ngun have not lost their relevance today, suchas the similarity of Ov≠arovo-Gorata lithic assem-blages and those of Ussoe I and Podgorica in north-eastern Bulgaria.On the other hand it is regrettable that the lithic as-semblage was not available along with other groupsof finds from the site in the monograph on Ov≠arovo-Gorata, so that the analysis could be updated and thepossibilities for interpretation increased.Van Binh assumed that they were at least two chaî-nes opératoires, one of which is relatively poorly re-presented – for lamellar production (see bladeletcores – Abb.130: 1–3 and bladelet/microbladelet dé-bitage products – Abb. 152: 9; Abb. 164: 6; Abb. 171:DOI> 10.4312\dp.43.29 528Documenta Praehistorica XLIII (2016) – Book review1, 3; Abb. 173: 3–5, 7, 8, 19; Abb. 174: 4; Abb. 184:1, 4, 5, 11). While there are no data on the process-ing of these bladelets in geometric microliths (whichmay be due to the lack of sieving and washing), thereis still a series of retouched microlithic forms, suffi-ciently distinctive semi-circular and circular microend scrapers (Abb. 155: 3, 10–12; Abb. 159: 9–12).Although these elements are less represented in theOv≠arovo-Gorata lithic collection, they deserve moreattention than they were given years ago in NguyenVan Binh’s dissertation.The quality of illustrations is very high and allowsone to get a good idea of the core types and retouch-ed tools, all of which are accompanied by technicaland typological characteristics.It should be pointed out that it was Krauss’s ambi-tion to present as fully as possible the results of dif-ferent studies from this settlement in order to createa general background for studies of the Neolithic inthe Central and Eastern Balkans. Although these stu-dies were done more than 30 years ago, most of Ngu-yen Van Binh’s conclusions are relevant today andhave their place and weight in the study of the Neo-lithic in the Lower Danube basin.The professional level of the study of chipped-stoneassemblages as presented by Nguyen Van Binh inthe monograph Ov≠arovo-Gorata is undoubtedly tothe great merit of Krauß, to whom we owe the inva-luable opportunity to add these almost unknowndata to our general scientific knowledge and to ad-vance the debate on Neolithisation in SoutheastEurope.Ivan Gatsov,New Bulgarian University, Sofia andNikolay Sirakov,National Archaeological Institute and Museum,Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 

Book review: Raiko Krauß: Ovčarovo-Gorata. Eine frühneolitische Siedlung in Nordostbulgarien

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