Archaeologia BulgaricaXVII, 2 (2013), 1-16

Cultural and Chronological Position of the Chalcolithic Horizons III and IV at Bubanj Site Excavations from 19541

Dragan MILANOVI

Abstract: In 1954 archaeological excavations were conducted at the site of Bubanj on its eastern side. An examination of the excavation journal and finds allowed the reconstruction of the sites vertical and horizontal stratigraphy. In the third and fourth horizons, which con-sisted of the remains of collapsed settlement structures, distinctive archaeological material was found. According to the technological, morphological and ornamental features of the ceramic vessels, the remains of the settlement structures in horizon III belong to the com-munity of the Cernavod III culture. In horizon IV some of the finds can be attributed to the Cernavod III culture while the majority of finds belong to the Krivodol-Salcua-Bubanj cultural complex. The preliminary analysis of the material culture allows one to de-termine the cultural provenience and respective chronology of the settlement horizons in Serbia and to reconstruct economic activities carried out at Bubanj site.Key words: Bubanj site, stratigraphy, settlement horizons III and IV, Cernavod III and Krivodol-Salcua-Bubanj ceramic styles, Late Chalcolithic, Early Chalcolithic, economic activities.

The archaeological site of Bubanj is located west of the city of Ni, on the high ground above the left bank of the Niava river, at the entrance to Novo Selo (fig. 1). The sites location enabled the conflu-ence zone of the Niava into Juna Morava river to be surveyed and provided protection against flooding and rich alluvial land.

During the twentieth century most of the site was destroyed, leav-ing only its northeastern portion preserved (- et al. 2008, 309, fig. 2). The site originally had an ellipsoidal shape, oriented NW-SE; with a length over 300 m and a width of up to 170 m (fig. 2). The southern and western slopes were the most acces-sible, whereas, on the east side, the site was once connected to a high natural terrace. The north side, facing the river Niava, was inacces-sible due to the steep inclination of the terrain. The gentle slope on the west side led to the plain which surrounded the confluence of the Niava and Juna Morava.

The first survey was conducted by A. Ori Slaveti in 1935, when the existence of four prehistoric layers with three horizons was noted (Orssich de Slavetich 1940, 26-38, fig. 2)2.

Archaeological excavations on Bubanj were continued by M. Garaanin in 1954-1958. Research enabled him to define the cultural

1 The article presents the results of the project Archaeology of Serbia: Cultural Identity, Integrative Factors, Technological Processes and the Role of the Central Balkans in Development of Prehistory in Europe (OI177020) of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic Serbia.

2 The material was severely damaged during the Second World War; only a small amount is preserved today, but it lacks any data regarding context and the complete documentation is missing.

phases of the Copper and Bronze Ages (Garaanin 1957; 1958; 1958; Garaanin 1959a; 1959b; 1973)3. In the eastern section of the site, where Trenches I (campaign of 1954) and Ia were located (campaign of 1955), six layers and six settlement horizons (levels) were found4. In the publications, Garaanin defined levels II and III as a single level II-IIa ( 1958, 270, 272), therefore, describing six layers and only five levels (fig. 4) ( 1958, 271-272; Garaanin 1958, 225-228; 1973, 175). Four phases were originally distinguished: Bubanj-Hum Ia, Ib, and II, belonging to the Copper Age and phase III belonging to the Early Bronze Age, but neither ceramics nor other finds were ever completely published. All stages were perceived as stages in the development of the Bubanj-Hum group ( / 1983, 8). Later, thanks to new insights into the development of Copper Age cultures, M. Garaanin highlighted the existence of a hiatus between stages, and the lack of cultural continuity between the Copper Age and Early Bronze Age (Bubanj-Hum I-III) (Garaanin 1982, 154-166; / 1983, 8-13). Also, Garaanin pointed out that the phenomena defined as Bubanj-Hum Ia may actually be divided into two periods and do not represent uniform unit in cultural terms: along with the retention of certain fundamental and initial elements in the later phase, known only from the Bubanj so far, that is labelled Bubanj Ib today, there is also an influx of elements of a certain later culture of the Lower Danube and Oltenia, labelled Cernavod-Renie II group ... ( / 1983, 9).

A hiatus occurred between the horizons of Bubanj-Hum Ia and Bubanj Ib and between the Bubanj Ib and Bubanj-Hum Ib ( / 1983, 9, 13). In Garaanins early works levels V-III and layers 5-4 were designated as Bubanj-Hum Ia and levels II and IIa and layer 3 as Bubanj-Hum Ib ( 1958, 269-270, 272). Later, a special Bubanj Ib group was distinguished which contains level III portable items in the eastern plateau and part of the material of the correspond-ing layers ( / 1983, 13). Garaanin then designated levels V-IV and layer 5 to the Bubanj-Hum Ia group ( / 1983, 11), and levels II and IIa and the lower part of layer 2 to the Bubanj-Hum Ib group (Garaanin 1982, 160; / 1983, 13), suggesting that the material that corresponds to level III may be linked to layers 4 and 3. According to the same author, in level III, typical forms of the Bubanj-Hum Ia group are rare and often do not belong to precisely defined units. Fine pottery was made more poorly, bowls with an inverted rim are rougher, often undecorated, and have some change in form, whereas the plates with thickened rim were mostly replaced by a form in which the rim is only obliquely cut towards the interior of the vessel ( / 1983, 13). Likewise, coarse pottery was often decorated below the rim with a series of notches made with fingernails or embedded circles together with bowls with vertical ribbed ornamentation below the rim. The ap-pearance of vessels with deep-carved spiral ornaments accompanied on the outside by series of dots should also be noted. All these phe-nomena are well known in the Cernavod-Renie II group in Romania ( / 1983, 13)5.

The latest archaeological researches of the site were conducted from 2008-2011 by the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade and the

3 Different periodizations are in use in Serbia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria for the Copper Age, Chalcolithic or Eneolithic. So, Cernavod III and Krivodol-Salcua-Bubanj (KSB) sites in Bulgaria were considered as Early Bronze Age I and Late Chalcolithic settlement horizons ( 1986; Alexandrov 1995; Nikolova 1999), in Romania as a transition period from the Eneolithic to the Bronze Age as well as Early Copper Age, while in Serbia and Hungary this period belongs to the Middle/Late Eneolithic or Early Eneolithic (see cited references).

4 I would like to thank the curator of the National Museum in Ni, T. Trajkovi Filipovi, for her help in obtaining documentation from earlier research at the site. The analysis of the vertical and horizontal stratigraphy of Trench I (1954) was done on the basis of the ex-cavation journal, the leveling measure-ments journal, descriptions of field in-ventory material (documentation of the National Museum in Ni), and techno-logical, morphological and ornamental features of the ceramic vessels (invento-ry material includes 1015 finds, the most frequent being fragmented ceramic ves-sels) currently preserved in the prehis-toric collection of the National Museum in Ni. There is no excavation journal from Trench Ia (1955). Interpretations were significantly hampered by the lack of field documentation for research campaigns from 1954-1955 (drawings and photographs). Distinguished levels (or horizons) should be understood as the remains of buildings and surround-ing areas. The levels are primarily noted by the presence of scattered or compact daub and baked clay that represent the remains of houses and other buildings. The thickness of these levels was deter-mined by the upper and lower surfaces of the collapsed buildings. he cultural layer represents soil in which the levels were detected.

5 D. Nikoli (2000) noticed that ce-ramic vessels from Garaanin level III belong to Cernavod III-Bolerz style.

2 DRAGAN MILANOVI

National Museum in Ni6. The significance of this research lies in the supply of data that facilitate the interpretation of incomplete documentation from the excavations of 1954-1958 and the possibility of reconstructing the vertical and horizontal stratigraphy of the investigated part of the site. Also, it became much easier to define the large amount of diverse cultural and chronological archaeological material known from earlier research, allowing for a better understanding of the Neolithic, Copper and Early Bronze Age cultural patterns in the basins of the Juna Morava and Niava.

The aim of this paper is to clearly define horizons III and IV, their characteristics and positions in the vertical and horizontal stratigraphy of the excavated portion of the site and to distinguish characteristics of the ceramic styles that can be found in these hori-zons. Distinctive ceramic material will enable general observations about the relative synchronization and distribution of Cernavod III-Bolerz and Krivodol-Salcua-Bubanj (KSB) settlement horizons in Serbia. Also, a large amount of finds from these horizons will allow the development of a model for economic activities at the site.

Fig. 1. Location of the site Bubanj in the wide alluvial landscape between the Juna Morava and Niava rivers, geological map of SFRJ, Ni 1:100 000

Fig. 2. Plan of the site with Oris and Garaanins trenches (after Garaanin 1958, plan 1)

6 The director of the research project is A. Bulatovi, while the author is a mem-ber of the professional team.

Fig. 3. Bottom of Trench I from 1954 campaign, reconstruction based on the

excavations journal

CuLTuRAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE CHALCOLITHIC... 3

Archaeological excavations on the eastern plateauArchaeological research at the site of Bubanj in 1954 (Trench I) and 1955 (Trench Ia) were carried out on the eastern plateau.

Trench I, measuring 6 (N-S) x 10 m (E-W), was set at the part of the site characterized by a gradual inclination to the south and south-west (fig. 2). The Trench was divided into 2 x 2 m squares, which were marked by Latin letters, arranged in a north-south direction, going from east to west (fig. 3). At the middle of the Trench a control profile 0.5 m wide was left, extending through squares g, h and i. The thickness of archaeological layer was 3.16 m.

Trench Ia was set so that its southern border coincided with the northern edge of the eastern half of Trench I. Its dimensions were 5 x 3 m (Garaanin 1957, Plan Beilage 4; 1958, 269). In this way the new Trench was a northward extension of Trench I, in the northeastern part, where squares a-f were, and in the eastern half where squares g, h and i were7.

Levels (horizons) III and IVBased on insights into the 1954 excavation journal, and the techno-logical, morphological and ornamental analysis of ceramic material, the existence of the settlement horizons described in earlier publica-tions as settlement horizons (levels) III and IV was ascertained (fig. 4) ( 1958, 271-272; 1973, 175).

Level III in Trench I was recognized because it contained the re-mains of a settlement structure in the form of small areas of hard-baked earth, larger amounts of scattered daub, the remains of baked earth walls (in the foundation zone), a floor (labeled as level of the floor IIIa) and ceramic fragments. This horizon extends along the entire surface of the Trench, and lies both over and somewhat within the layer of brown soil (fig. 4, layer 4). An examination of the excava-tion journal and finds suggesting an above-ground building of the Cernavod III community.

Level IV was recognized in the layer of brown soil, and was sin-gled out as an area containing more or less compact daub, larger and smaller rocks in daub, the remains of walls, partially preserved floors in situ8 and ceramic vessel fragments. According to Garaanin, level IV belongs to layer 5 (layer of yellow soil), and represents the re-mains of a building and a settlement horizon belonging to the Early Chalcolithic Bubanj-Hum Ia group (Garaanin 1982, 160;

Fig. 4. Northern profile of trench I (after Garaanin 1958, plan 2, with modifications)

7 The archaeological material from ex-cavations in 1955 was not attributed to some of the settlement units or cultural layers but to mechanical layers. In lay-ers 10 and 11, fragments of vessels of the Cernavod III ceramic style were found.

8 The floor dimensions in square l were 0.45 x 0.37 m, in squares k and l 0.6 x 0.4 m, wheras in squares h-i and l-i they are unknown. Precise data about relative depths are missing, but these floor parts occur at approximately the same depth and were considered a part of one build-ing horizon.

4 DRAGAN MILANOVI

/ 1983, 11). The mixture of the KSB and Cernavod III ceramic material was recorded in this level. The vessels made in Cernavod III style were discovered between the IIIa and IV floor levels in squares l and i (Fig. 9/6-8), in daub in the neighboring square k (fig. 9/1, 4), and in the intercalation of ash and soot in squares k and l (fig. 9/2, 3, 5), qualified in the excavation journal as belonging to level IV. The majority of finds in level IV and in the lower part of the brown soil layer belong to an older (KSB) style.

Thus, it can be concluded that settlement levels III and IV may be linked to the layer of brown soil, which is in the Garaanins works marked as layer 4. underneath this layer there is a new layer of yellow soil (fig. 4, layer 5)9. In their vertical stratigraphy these levels were situated below the layers and levels belonging to the Early Bronze Age (Bubanj-Hum III) and Late Chalcolithic (Bubanj-Hum II, Bubanj-Hum Ib) (levels I and II-IIa and layers 1-3) and above those from the Early Chalcolithic (Bubanj-Hum Ia) and Neolithic (Starevo) (level V and layers 5 and 6). The dimensions, orientation and reconstruction of the appearance and function of level III and IV structures was not possible, due to the lack of field documentation.

Vessels in the Cernavod III ceramic style from hori-zons III and IVThe most common vessels in level III are those made of clay, with sand added, and are baked in shades of brown, gray and black. Vessels sur-faces were burnished or slightly burnished, rarely polished. Vessels with a concave or conical neck with an emphasized transition from the upper to the lower cone-shaped base predominated (fig. 5/3-5), whereas hemispherical and conical vessels were fewer in number (fig. 5/1-2). The first vessel type mentioned was in most cases decorated by a series of small oval or rectangular pricks (impressions) at the connection of the upper and lower conical sections (fig. 5/3-5), and occasionally decorated on the inside by flutes (fig. 5/3). The follow-ing were also recorded: a hemispherical deep vessel with a flattened rim (fig. 6/3), a vessel with a short cylindrical neck and rounded bel-ly (fig. 6/4), a hemispherical cup with a striped handle which rises above the rim (fig. 6/7) and a well-baked shallow bowl, gray in color, with a crescent-shaped handle ( / , 1983, fig. 100). There are also pots, amphorae and small amphorae with a cylindrical or conical neck and a round container (fig. 6/1-2, 5-6). Other decora-tions included a series of spherical pricks on the shoulder of the ves-sel (fig. 6/2) or on the outside of the rim (fig. 6/3), vertical incisions (fig. 6/5) and vertical plastic ribbing (fig. 6/7). Thick-walled vessels were recorded in the ceramic material, crafted with the addition of large quantities of sand and small stone and decorated with rough-ened surfaces by spraying wet clay (barbotine) or by the addition of plastic stripes.

A significant amount of ceramic material was discovered within level IIIa. Fine pottery was usually made of clay, with sand added and less frequently small pebbles, which was baked in shades of brown or gray, rarely black or orange. The majority of vessels were burnished or slightly burnished. The following shapes of fine pottery were recorded: slightly S-shaped bowls (fig. 7/1), spherical (fig. 7/2), biconical (fig. 7/3) and conical bowls (fig. 7/4), conical pots, amphorae, and beakers

9 This layer consists of the remains of the KSB (Bubanj-Hum Ia) earlier settle-ment phase (level V).

CuLTuRAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE CHALCOLITHIC... 5

with a more or less emphasized S-shape (fig. 8/1-8). The ornamenta-tion included small spherical pricks (fig. 8/4), a series of vertical inci-sions (fig. 8/3), irregular square impressions (fig. 8/4), plastic stripes with incisions (fig. 8/5), fluting (fig. 8/6), incised lines (fig. 8/7), or the barbotine technique (fig. 8/8). A decoration in the form of dimple-like impressions appears on the rim of the vessel. This level also contained a gray colored plate or lid fragment decorated with an incised spiral and pricks ( / , 1983, fig. 105). Similar to level III, vessels with additional amounts of sand and small pebbles and rough outer surfaces were noticed.

According to its specific ceramic style, part of the discov-ered archaeological material from level IV can be attributed to the Cernavod III settlement horizon. The most frequently discovered vessels were made of clay with the addition of sand and small pebbles, baked in shades of brown, rarely gray and black. Vessels had bur-nished or slightly burnished surfaces. Fine pottery included a bowl with a conical neck and a rounded upper and lower cone-shaped con-nection (fig. 9/1), S-shaped bowl (fig. 9/2), conical bowl (fig. 9/3), vessels with a cylindrical neck and spherical, rarely slightly rounded belly (fig. 9/4-8). Decorations included dimple-like impressions on the rim (fig. 9/3); a series of small pricks on the upper and lower cone-shaped connection (fig. 9/1), on the shoulder (fig. 9/6), with a series of large square impressions (fig. 9/2), with a plastic stripe and shallow, vertically incised lines (fig. 9/8); and incisions of horizontal lines (fig. 9/4, 7). The other group consists of unevenly baked vessels, with thicker walls and rough outer surfaces.

Vessels in the KSB ceramic style from horizon IVFine pottery is usually made of clay with sand added, less frequently small pebbles are also added, and is baked in shades of colours black, gray or brown. The majority of vessels were burnished or slightly bur-nished, rarely polished. The fine pottery inventory consisted of large globular pots (fig. 10/1-2) and hemispherical bowls (fig. 10/3); most frequent were bowls with inverted rim (fig. 10/5-6), conical bowls with two vertical handles, plates with round thicken rim from the inner side (fig. 10/4) and beakers with two handles (kantharoi) (fig. 11/2). The majority of ceramic material was undecorated (fig. 10). The most common types of ornamentation were channeling (fig. 11/2, 4, 5, 7), barbotine (fig. 11/1), pinching and bulges (fig. 11/1, 6). Incisions, impressions and graphite ornaments were rare (fig. 11/3, 8). Also, vessels made of clay with additional amounts of sand and small pebbles, rough outer surfaces, and thicker walls were noticed. Amphorae, large pots and pithoi decorated with barbotine or undeco-rated were common.

Concluding RemarksBy analyzing the finds in these levels and the course of excavations, the following can be concluded: both settlement horizons (III and IV) were located in the layer of brown soil (layer 4), level III can be attributed to the Cernavod III settlement and level IV represents the remains of the KSB settlement structure. Also, it cannot be de-termined with certainty whether the remains of only one building were discovered within level IV and whether the floor fragments (in

6 DRAGAN MILANOVI

squares l and i), associated with this level, may be considered as a part of some older building phase of the Cernavod III settlement.

Besides the clear description from the 1954 excavation journal, this interpretation of stratigraphic characteristics from the site of Bubanj was corroborated by the results of the 2008-2011 archaeo-logical excavations. Namely, in the layer of brown soil (thickness of 0.2 to 0.6 m in the southern part of the Trench I) formed just above the Early Chalcolithic layers, the remains of settlement objects were recorded, which are associated with the Cernavod III and KSB com-munities10. In the vertical stratigraphy this layer was positioned just beneath a layer of whitish gray, ashy soil and a thin layer of com-pact gray soil, 2-4 cm thick, belonging to the period of the developed phases of the Late Chalcolithic, and above the Early Chalcolithic layer of yellow soil. In the upper part of that layer, settlement objects were recorded in a somewhat lighter brown soil ( 2011, fig. 4). They were attributed to the Cernavod III settlement based on specific finds, mostly ceramic fragments ( 2011). Besides Cernavod III objects, in the lower part of the layer, objects of the KSB complex were recorded. During the 2011 campaign, in Trench II, which was an extension of Trench I on the eastern side, a layer of brown soil was clearly defined. It was noted that ceramic material of the Cernavod III style appears in the layer of brown soil just above a slightly darker-brown layer of soil, attributed to the KSB cultural complex.

The mode of production, shapes, surface treatment, and deco-rations of vessels from level III and a portion of the material from

Fig. 5. Level III, finds

10 The term object refers to a unit re-corded during archaeological excava-tions. These units represent the remains of the residential and working structures, pits, graves, ovens, fireplaces and other archaeological units.

CuLTuRAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE CHALCOLITHIC... 7

level IV, exhibit characteristics of the Cernavod III style, which were also characteristic of the Cernavod III-Bolerz complex, that formed over a vast area of Central and Southeastern Europe. A simi-lar ceramic repertoire existed in the following settlements: Vajuga-Korbovo and ue Slatinske in the Iron Gate area, Maskare-Bedem in the zone of confluence of Zapadna and Juna Morava, Smoluka peina near Tutin and Gladnice near Graanica (Krsti 1986; 1984; Jevti 2001; / a 2006; 1985; 1961 respectively). The most characteristic ceramic vessels of the Cernavod III period were bowls with a concave or conical neck, and a more or less emphasized upper and lower cone-shaped connec-tion; conical, hemispherical, and spherical bowls with inverted rim; S-shaped bowls; lids or plates of the Bratislava type; and decorations on vessels made by fluting, incising and pricking. This ceramic style was common to settlements within the Eastern Balkans ( 1990; Alexandrov 1995; Lichardus / Krastev Iliev 2001; Nikolova1999; 2001; Zmeykova 2001; Leshtakov 2001; 2002; Berciu 1964; Morintz / Roman 1968; Nica 2001; Roman 2001; Nemeti 2001), and the Southern Balkans (Maran 1997; 1998; Sfriads 2001; Korkuti 2006). Similar ceramic forms with a slightly more diverse typological repertoire, and a similar manner of vessel decoration were charac-teristic of the Bolerz phase of the Baden culture in Central Europe and the Western Balkans (Nmejcov-Pavkov 1964; 1979; 1984; Kalicz 2001; Bondr 2001; Horvth 2001; Ruttkay 2001; Zpotock / Zpotock 2001; De Capitani / Leuzinger 2001; Govedarica 2001). Such settlements were recorded in Northern Serbia at: Belo Brdo near Vina, Gradina in Batrovci, Gomolava near Hrtkovci, Mostonga I and Cerje near Karavukovo, Donja Branjevina I near Deronje, Klisa near Novi Sad (unpublished) and BrzaVrba near Kovin (Spasi 2010;

Fig. 6. Level III, finds

8 DRAGAN MILANOVI

Tasi 1995; 2001; Petrovi / Jovanovi 2002; Karmanski 1970; Medovi 1976). The ceramic sequence for most of the Late Chalcolithic sites in Serbia has not often been published. Most finds are accidental or surface finds (archaeological prospection). The fact that published material from the Cernavod III-Bolerz horizon at certain sites was attributed to the Bubanj-Hum Ib (Baden-Kostolac horizon according to M. Garaanin) or the Baden culture contributed to the poor explo-ration of settlements from this cultural horizon in Serbia11. For some sites it was merely stated that they belonged to the Cernavod III or Bolerz phase of the Baden culture, or rather the Cernavod III-Bolerz cultural complex, even though publications were restricted to several vessels, vessel fragments, or missing altogether12. Although regional variations in the ceramic production of the Cernavod III-Bolerz cultural complex has yet to be distinguished, a specific style may be discussed, one that was characterized by a fairly uniform ves-sel morphology and the use of specific ornamental techniques and motifs.

Features of the ceramic vessels from horizon IV and the layer of a dark brown soil allow us to determine that the settlement belongs to the KSB cultural complex, which is found in Western Bulgaria, Oltenia, Eastern Banat, the southeastern part of Serbia, Pelagonia and Skopje in FYROM ( 1986; Georgieva 1990; 1973; Tasi 1995). Despite the fact that the ceramic sequence of this period has not yet been studied in detail in Serbia (unlike Bulgaria and Romania, see Nikolova 1999; Georgieva 2012; Radu 2002), according to ceramic style features that include beakers (kantharoi) with two handles and other mentioned shapes; the prevalence of undecorated pottery and chanelling on fine pottery; the very rare appearance of fragments decorated with graphite and painting; and coarse vessels decorated with barbotine or no decoration at all, it can be proposed

Fig. 7. Level IIIa, finds found on the floor

11 For instance, the so-called Bubanj-Hum, Baden-Kostolac (see Zotovi 1978; 1959; 1961; 1961a; 1970) or simply Baden ceramic forms and orna-mental features on vessels ( / 1983, 27) were also recorded at several sites in Western Serbia, exca-vated between 1950 and 1970.

12 In Vojvodina: Beljarica near Zemun, Lice near Erdevik, sites in Vrac and its vi-cinity, near Potporanj, Banatski Karlovac and enta (Tasi 1961; 1996; uzelac 2002); in Western Serbia: Masinske njive and Jariite 1 near Laj-kovac and Gradina Ostenjak in Likodra near Krupanj (Spasi 2008; Garaanin 1997); in Central Serbia: Novaka uprija near Smederevska Palanka, elava glavica near Oraac, Divostin and Kosa near Koriani ( et al. 1986; / 1990; 1985); in Southern Serbia: Gradac in Zlokuane and Donja Toponica near Ni ( 1972; / 2006, T. XXVIII/3).

CuLTuRAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE CHALCOLITHIC... 9

Fig. 8. Level IIIa, finds found on the floor

Fig. 9. Level IV, finds

10 DRAGAN MILANOVI

that the settlement was roughly synchronous with the following set-tlement horizons: Krivodol 3-4, Zaminec C, Teli 3, Salcua IIc-III ( 2007; 1975; Nikolova 1999; 2012; Radu 2002). The closest parallels are found in the ceramic inven-tory of the settlements Velika humska uka near Ni and Gradac Zlokuane near Leskovac ( / 1959; 1972)13. On the basis of our present state of knowledge it can be said that the related horizons also include Eastern Serbia and the basin of the Juna Morava with the northernmost known point (so far) at the confluence zone of the Juna and Zapadna Morava (Panjevaki rit near Jagodina and Poljna near Blagotin).

The position of the site within the wide alluvial plain as well as the preliminary material culture analysis of old (1954-1958) and new excavations (2008-2011) (large number of grindstones, flint blades for hafting into the wooden handle, bone sickles, storage facilities-si-los and large vessels) show that gardening; field cultivation, especial-ly cropping the cereals; and the exploitation of animal products (in Early Chalcolithic layers the most common were cattle, ovicaprines, pigs and dogs, with somewhat higher percentage of wild animals, compared with Late Chalcolithic layers) (Bulatovi 2010); were the most important activities in the Chalcolithic. Also, a large number of spindle whorls suggests that weaving was one of the dominant crafts in the settlement.

The Cernavod III settlement at the site of Bubanj was formed above the KSB settlement, which was defined by settlement horizons III and IV. Archaeological traces suggest a more permanent inhabita-tion during these periods, with above-ground buildings. The exist-ence of the Cernavod III settlement in the eastern part of the site, explored in 1954 and in 2008-2011, can be dated to the beginning of Late Chalcolithic, approximately between 3500-3200 BC based on

13 Without radiocarbon data and more detailed analysis of the material culture a precise periodization of the KSB sites in Serbia cannot be established. The most important excavated sites in Pomoravlje are: Panjevaki rit near Jagodina, Poljna near Blagotin, Antin ukar near Vranje ( 1997; / 1996; 1998); in Eastern Serbia: grave from Lepenski Vir, Vajuga near Korbovo, Zlotska peina, etae-Vrkanj near Kovilovo, okulu Bala near Krivelj and kodrino polje near Knjaevac ( 1972; Krsti 1986; 1992; / 1997).

Fig. 10. Level IV, finds

1

2

3

4

5 6

CuLTuRAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE CHALCOLITHIC... 11

radiocarbon dates from sites in the surrounding area (Nikolova 1999, T. I, 178-183)14, while the latest KSB settlement should be dated to the end of the 5th or beginning of the 4th millennium BC (Nikolova 1999, 71-86; Boyadziev 1995).

14 The Baden Bolerz culture was dated to between 36403370 BC (Stadler et al. 2001, 544).

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16 DRAGAN MILANOVI