Household in the Neolithic Period on the Territory of Southeast Macedonia - Zoran Rujak

НУ Завод за заштита на спомениците на културата и Музеј, Струмица NI Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum, Strumica

ACTA MUSEI ACTA MUSEI

TIBERIOPOLITANI

vol. 1

НУ Завод за заштита на спомениците на културата и Музеј, Струмица Institute for Protection of the Monuments of Culture and Museum Strumica

ACTA MUSEI TIBERIOPOLITANI НУ Завод за заштита на спомениците на културата и Музеј, Струмица NI Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum, Strumica

ACTA MUSEI TIBERIOPOLITANI НУ Завод за заштита на спомениците на културата и Музеј, Струмица NI Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum, Strumica

Publisher NI Institute for protection of cultural monuments and Museum Strumica Advisory Board Marjan Jovanov (Skopje) Svetla Petrova (Sofia) Ina Minoglav (Zagreb) Elena Kanzurova (Skopje) Adam N. Crnobrnja (Beograd) Martina Blečić Kavur (Koper) Lenče Jovanova (Skopje) Editorial Committe Zoran Rujak Vane P.Sekulov Duško Cvetanov Editor Vane P.Sekulov Computer Layod Nikola Maglešev Technical Editor Nikola Maglešev Printed by ZDVILUPT Fokus Print DOOEL Copies 350

This collection of works has been published with funds from the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Macedonia

Издавач НУ Завод за заштита на спомениците на културата и Музеј Струмица Издавачки совет Марјан Јованов (Скопје) Светла Петрова (Софија) Ина Миноглав (Загреб) Елена Канзурова (Скопје) Адам Н.Црнобрња (Београд) Мартина Блечиќ Кавур (Копер) Ленче Јованова (Скопје) Редакциски одбор Зоран Рујак Ване П.Секулов Душко Цветанов Уредник Ване П.Секулов Технички уредник Никола Маглешев Компјутерска подготовка Никола Маглешев Печати ЗДВИЛУПТ Фокус Принт ДООЕЛ Тираж 350

Зборникот е финансиран со средства од Министерството за култура на Р. Македонија

Contents Mitja Guštin , Alja Žorž Nova tablaat MurskaSobota, A case of a burial siteas a sacred area [8] Cristian SCHUSTER FUNERARY CUSTOMS OF THE EARLY BRONZE AGE IN SOUTHERN ROMANIA [14] Anelia Bozkova, P. Kiyashkina CIST GRAVES FROM THE HELLENISTIC NECROPOLIS OF MESAMBRIA ON THE BLACK SEA COAST [23] Krastina PANAYOTOVA FAMILY PLOTS IN THE NECROPOLIS OF APOLLONIA PONTICA [35] Slavica BABAMOVA ΗΡΩΣ ΧΑΙΡΕ NEW GRAVE INSCRIPTIONS FROM MACEDONIA [44] Jovanova Lenče Colonia Flavia Scupinorum The world of the dead [54] Aleksandar Bulatović HORIZON OF THE LATE ROMAN GRAVES WITH RECTANGULAR VESSELS IN SOUTHEAST SERBIA, EAST MACEDONIA AND WEST BULGARIA [74] Trajče Nacev , Vane P.Sekulov The tumulus of the domina from Gaynov Dol [85] Svetla Petrova THE FUNERARY URNS WITH GARLAND DECORATION FROM THE VALLEYS OF MIDDLE STRUMA [101]

Gordana Janeva Coins from the necropolis in Crveno Pole [123] Maja PETRINEC PAGAN BURIAL CUSTOMS IN THE EARLY AND LATE MIDDLE AGES IN THE CROATIAN TERRITORY BASED ON ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDS FROM MEDIEVAL GRAVEYARDS [134] Lenče Jovanova Inscriptiones Stoborum [142] Peter Turk Settlements of the middle 5th Millennium BC in central Slovenia [146] Dragisha Zdravkovski , Elena Stoyanova Kanzurova NEOLITHIC PILE DWELLINGS IN MACEDONIA AND LATER BUILDING TRADITIONS [156] Zoran Rujak HOUSEHOLD IN THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD ON THE TERRITORY OF SOUTHEAST MACEDONIA [161] Marina Onchevska Todorovska Opus Caementicumand ScupiConstruction [167] Kiro Ristov GRADISHTE TAOR (TAURESIUM) TOPOGRAPHY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SETTLEMENT [178]

PREFACE The challenge for the NI Institute for Protection of Monuments of Culture and Museum, Strumica to publish this edition Acta Musei Teberipolitani comes as a logical consequence of the already published edition "Water, Llife and Pleasure."

This edition summarizes several scientific papers presented in the second international symposium "The Dead Teach the Living" (Mortui Vivos Docent) held during 2011 and the third international symposium "Usefulness, Strength, Beauty," (Vtilitas, Firmitas, Venustas) ie, "From Wattle and Daub to Mortar� held during 2013.

In these symposia were presented several scientific papers in which arguments dealt with certain issues related to the archeology of the Balkans and the wider area.

The latest results of interdisciplinary studies at several localities and areas pertaining to the Balkan Peninsula and beyond are published in sixteen scientific papers. These papers are intended to familiarize the general public and the experts with the latest information derived from the decades of archaeological research of the region. Some of them refer to funeral practices and others are connected with the architectural activities from prehistoric times until the Middle Ages.

Thus, this edition represents another significant contribution to the enrichment of knowledge about the activities of cultures and civilizations that left traces in the past of the region.

Zoran Rujak

The 2nd International Symposium of Archaeology Funerary customs

UDK: 903.2/.23 (497.74) "634"

HOUSEHOLD IN THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD ON THE TERRITORY OF SOUTHEAST MACEDONIA Zoran Rujak NI Institute for protection of cultural monuments and Museum-Strumica zoranrujak@yahoo.com

Explorations of the Neolithic cultures on the territory of SE Macedonia, was significantly less than in the other regions in R. Macedonia. Almost all explored sites in the region, Angelci, Atici, Damyan (Kanly Cair and Boykovci), were excavated with few trenches during the eighties in the 20th century as part of the project “The oldest agglomerations from the early stone age in Macedonia from the aspect of territorial, chronological and cultural determination”.

We have partial information from most of the sites which considers the vertical stratigraphy of the layers, as well as determination of the cultural affiliation through the ceramographic characteristics of the pottery and terracotta idols.

Almost all of the explored sites belong to the type of settlements constructed on the low “river terraces”, close to good water springs. Unfortunately, the data which considers the dynamics of foundation, development and the end of the settlement, the degree of sedentism and social organization of the community, as well as relations in the household, are still open questions in the prehistoric archaeology in R. Macedonia.

This is due to the fact that most of the explored sites are not completely revealed, so we can only form the picture about the growing dynamics of the settlement on the basis of the vertically formed cultural layers in the small explored area.

As discussed, at present we have not completely explored dwelling sites from the Neolithic period in Southeastern Macedonia. Past explorations were focused only on the determination of the cultures and chronological sequences in the phases of the settlement.

During most of the campaigns surface facilities for households were identified. On the more extensively explored sites we have the same picture where, if we judge through the constructive elements, the dwellings were built with piles, woven with branches, and covered with wattle and daub. The roof of the dwellings was covered with this construction made from branches, straw and reed. In order to protect the roofs from the strong wind, heavy rains and snow, they were stabilized with branches and small stones on the roofs. Indeed as a large number of stones were found on the upper layers of collapsed wall structures, this does suggest that they were used to stabilize the roof.

Explorations undertaken on the Golema Trpeza site suggest that we have a complex site with three phases of development. The first phase is from the Late Neolithic period, the second from the latest phases of The Early Bronze Age and the third is from the period of the Roman Empire.

During the years 2010, 2012 and 2013, systematic archaeological excavations were undertaken on the site of Golema Trpeza, near the village Staro Konyarevo, in the vicinity of the border between R. Macedonia and R. Bulgaria. Proceeding with knowledge of architectonic characteristics of the epoch of the Neolithic, the first few dwellings from the Late Neolithic period were defined. The excavations showed that both pit and surface dwellings existed on the site.

The pit house on the Golema Trpeza site has oval form with the surface of 6,72 m² and we could hardly accept that it was used for members of even one family.

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Its explored dimensions are 4,20 x 1,60 m with the depth of 1,20 m (fig. 1).

The last agricultural activities took place during the last decade of the 20th century when heavy, mechanized equipment was used for tillage of the whole area. However, we managed to separate several closed architectural units which we believe represent dwellings from the time of Neolith.

The remains of the excavated dwelling indicate that it was rectangular with dimensions 7.20 x 6.10 m, oriented NE - SW, which is the direction of the plateau extension (fig.2).

Fig.01

Also, the absence of hearths and oven in the dwelling could be explained by its use during the hotter days in the year, and during the time of constructing the surface building. At the termination of its function for housing, it was used as a landfill for debris, which additionally supports its use as an interim dwelling pit house. Most archaeologists consider that pit houses and semi-subterranean dwellings, particularly during the Late Neolithic, are short-term housing objects whose interval of use could be measured with the time needed to build a surface dwelling. Some of them, as B. Bruckner, considered that they were used as temporary lodging for the founders of the settlement who used it while constructing a bigger and more comfortable surface building (Brukner 1976: 48; Brukner 1982: 144).

There were several remains of surface dwellings of which only the dwelling excavated during campaigns in 2012 and 2013 was predominantly excavated. This dwelling appears on the central area of the plateau, i.e., on the east side of the excavated squares. This facility, together with the space around it, gives us sufficient data to provide an initial picture of housing during the Late Neolithic period.

Unfortunately, with these excavations we have concluded that the entire area of the settlement was located, relatively shallow, about 30-40 cm under the surface layer, and that over the years it has been devastated by extensive tillage. Many of the architectural elements were relocated from their original constellations.

Fig.02

The west side of the house is limited by poles set in rows. Unfortunately, the poles which determine the perimeter of the facility are not preserved in large number. Only two poles were found with the excavations on the west side of the facility with the direction of extension east - west, two poles on the north side with the direction of extension S - W and one pole on the east side of the facility.

Diameter of the post holes varies and they are usually with the average width of 12-18 cm.

There are two concentrations of collapsed wall in the dwelling itself, with extension direction NE SW. The collapsed wall partially covered a raised platform about 10-15 cm above the floor substructure. The wattle and daub wall structure was made from a mixture of earth, clay, finely cut straw, chaff, etc.

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The imprints of thinner branches and beams on the collapsed wall made from wattle and daub could be clearly seen. On the other hand, the imprints of the poles that held the construction of the facility are rather rarer. The poles are clearly seen on some imprints and they are usually with a width of 14-20 cm. Most fragments of wattle and daub with imprints of woven branches were found on the east side that may indicate the direction of the demolition of the building during the time it was deserted.

On the collapsed wall structure (made from wattle and daub) are specifically located fragments decorated with stucco decoration. One of them, found on the south side of the building, has a plastic molded horseshoe application that was decorated with small recesses. The other one, with an irregular rectangular shape, was decorated with incised zigzag lines (fig.3).

Its preserved remnants could only be explained by the fact that it was an oven destroyed when the facility was abandoned (fig.4)

Fig.04

Two fragmented female figurines (fertile goddesses) were excavated in the structure made from daub (fig.5).

Fig.05 Fig.03

In this structure was a raised surface some 15-20 cm above the floor substructure and it suggests some kind of platform that stood in a certain relation with an oven. The practice of locating, the so-called "Sacred Places" near an oven, has been noted in dwellings across various sites in Macedonia and beyond.Near this structure fragments of a larger jar dug into the soil were uncovered that may have had a function in food preparation (fig.6). The remains of this fine monochromatic pottery in the same position and finding of the bottom of a bowl (that probably hung over this spot) with two holes through which a tiny band would be inserted is another confirmation of the importance of this space next to the oven.

Considering the fact that the fragment with a zigzag decoration had extensive traces of burning, we think that it was probably a constructive part of an oven.

In the northeastern part of the building a large quantity of fine dirt mixed with ashes was found.

After removal of this layer a larger oval structure appeared (with dimensions 1.5 x 1.20 m).Despite the great devastation, remains of this structure suggest the possibility that an oven used for heating and cooking was located on this position.

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Everything presented here points us to the conclusion that after the time of relatively stable residence in the dwelling, the facility was probably abandoned and that during the abandonment some structures from the facility were destroyed (fig.7, 8).

Fig.06

The finding of a constructive element made from wattle and daub, and perforated in the middle, is interesting. This finding suggests either a plastered pillar or some kind of chimney for the smoke from the dwelling.

In the area, south of an oven, there was a platform raised about 10 cm above the floor substructure made from well-sifted and well pressed reddish earth. On the same position were found several recipient-basins, described by some authors as small silos for grain. Another confirmation of this thesis we received from the east side where a fragment of a stone mill with a small circular hole on the top of the surface recipiente was found.

In the vicinity of this position a post hole of a bearing pole appeared, which probably held the ridge of the roof.

The floor substructure was made with a thick layer of daub and well-sifted reddish dirt. The excavation noted several layers of floor which indicates that it was renewed several times.

On the NE side, outside the facility, several vessels were found buried in virgin soil. The first two, with smooth surface, in the immediate vicinity of the facility, were fine monochromatic vessels. The other two, with rough surface, were found in the northern part of the trench. Those were large store-jars placed parallel to each other. In the northern profile of the trench traces of at least one store-jar is clearly noticeable, so this part of the settlement was probably organized as a space for storing grains.

In the external area, west of the facility, were several waste pits and one circular hearth on which, most probably, the food was prepared during the hotter days.

Fig.07

Fig.08

Namely, what Chapman observed analyzing material from Vinca, we can apply to our sites too.

His conclusions, based on the material remains, are that no particular specialization in production activities existed (Chapman 1981: 62-68).

Although the structure of the findings in the houses did not provide a complete inventory during the time when the object was in its full phase of life, but its last stage when the dwelling was extinguished by abandonment or aggressive destruction, certain elements still give us clear indications of its final sequences. The existence of ovens and hearths, small basins interpreted as barns, cult places, buried store-vessels - pithoi, etc. still gives us some insight into the internal and external organization of the houses.

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The ratio of all these elements speaks in favor of the determination of household life during the Neolithic in this region.

If we accept the fact, on the basis of yet insufficient exploration of the settlements in the region, that a household is the lowest socio-economic entity during the Neolithic period, we have to mention that we can't identify special characteristics that would complete the exploration of housing in our region. The architecture of the Neolithic house usually gives us information from the beginning of its use, while the actual end of its use should be related with the findings in it.

Knowing the size of the household is important because it is one of the key factors for the implementation of various activities in, around and out of the house. Bearing in mind the size of the houses during the Late Neolithic on Golema Trpeza, we think that small and close family relationships prevail in households which also represents the dominant form of social organization during the Neolithic. Correlation with the other households within the settlement, their placement and structure, unfortunately, is not known.

So, in the upcoming years we need further intensification of the archaeological and multidisciplinary research on the different settlements from the Neolithic period in the area of SE Macedonia.

With their completion we hope to obtain a full picture of the relation between architectural units, i.e. possible phases, the manner of their organization, dynamics of their construction etc., and, on the other hand, we hope that we will be able to determine the socio-economic and cultural issues related to holders of Neolithic cultures in our country.

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Bibliography: Brukner, B, 1976, Novi prilozi proucavanja formiranja neolitskih i eneolitskih naselja ujugoslovenskom Podunvlju. Naseljavanje i naselja u praistoriji, Materijali XIV. Prilep: Arheolosko drustvo Makedonije, Savez arheoloskih drustava Јugoslavije, 47-51.

Brukner, B, 1982, Ein Beitrag zur Formeirung der neolithischen und äneolithischen Siedlungen im jugoslawischen Donaugebiet. Palast und Hütte.

Bauen und Wohnen in Altertum, herausgegeben von D.Papenfuss und V.Michael Strocka, Mainz am Rhein, 141-151.

Chapman, J. 1981, The Vinca Culture of South East Europe, BAR International Series 117, Oxford Editors, Lee Roberts and Carol Partridge

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