Emil Kmetič-Marceau 22 mars 2018

Neolitik bliskog istoka i jusgoistočne Europe - Seminar

Anzabegovo-Vršnik Group
Structure
Introduction

1. Geographical context
2. Chronological context
3. Neolithization process
4. Settlement Organization
5. Material Culture
6. Economy
7. Burials and Rituals
8. Art
9. Conclusion
Introduction

Hi everyone, the subject we received for this presentation is the Anzabegovo-

Vršnik group, so today, we will present you this Neolithic culture that originated in
what is today Macedonia's territory.
After research campaings in the site of Vršnik by Gockova in 1954, archaeologists
became aware of the existence of a cultural complex belonging to the Neolithic in
a region corresponding approximately to Northern Macedonia, and they decided
to name this cultural group, the Vršnik group. However, after excavations in
Anzabegovo, which revealed more about the stratigraphic context on the site and
the global importance of the site in the regional cultural processes, archaeologists
started to address this culture as the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group.

To present this group, we will first start of by the geographical and chronological
context in which Anzabegovo-Vršnik group. Then, we will briefly explain the
process of Neolithization that occurred in the region and how it is related to the
establishment of a regional cultural group in Northern Macedonia. And finally, we
will be addressing probably the most interesting element of this group and what
made it acknowledged by archaeologists outside the Balkans, and that is the
anthropomorphic objects, mostly anthropomorphic figurines and house models.
Geographical context

Neolithic culture features a predominantly agricultural civilization, depending on

the natural and geomorphologic conditions on the field. The landscape in
Macedonia during the 7th-5th millennium BC was identical throughout the entire
territory.The climate was precipitatious with mild winters.This,along with natural
and geographic conditions,enabled Neolithic man to lead a relatively calm and
tranquil life. .(N.art.i.t.r.o.M str.18)

The settlements and other archaeological finds belonging to the Anzabegovo-

Vršnik group are mainly found in the Ovče Pole (ili Polje na hrvatskom), but also
in the neighbouring regions of Skopje and Polog. Although the total geographical
area occupied by the group varied thoughou the phases it remains that compared
to the Velušina-Porodin group in Pelagonian region of Southwestern Macedonia,
the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group covers a much wider territory.

The boundary of the Velušina-Porodin and the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group is an

interesting one. In the oldest phase, the second group was limited to the territory
whose centre was the Skopje region, Ovče Pole, the valleys of Bregalnica and
rivers of Lakavica. In this phase, Polog and parts of the Skopje region were under
the direct cultural influence of the Velušina-Porodin group. During the Middle
Neolithic period, the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group began spreading throughout the
entire Upper Vardar region, the Kumanovo region and the valleys and fields down
the rivers Pčinja, Kriva Reka, Bregalnica, Lakavica, Strumica and Vardar up to
Demir Kapija. The size of this territory was not reduced during the Late Neolithic
period, but the natural resources were, which led to the abandonment of some
settlements and concentration of life in a limited number of settlements. The
territory of the Velušina-Porodin group was reduced and limited to Pelagonija only.
.(N.art.i.t.r.o.M str.19)
Sites and settlements
The most important sites in the Ovče Pole are Anzabegovo, Vršnik and Rug-Bair,
where as the Skopje basin is home to the settlement of Zelenikovo.

As mentioned before, Vršnik was at first considered the type-site of this regional
cultural group following excavations

Anzabegovo is clearly the most researched site in the region with many
archaeologists participating in excavations and in the publication of their results
such as Korošec, Garašanin and Gimbutas.
The Rug-Bair site, located near the actual village of Gorobinci was reasearched in
1961 by Saržovski and in 1975 by Salev.
Zelenikovo was one of the first site thouroughly researched starting from the first
excavations in 1954 undertaken by archaeologist Petra Gockova-Slavska. Then
followed excavations in 1964 and 1967 by Galović, in 1976 by Garašanin and
Spasovska and in 1981 by Garašanin and Biblija.

Chronological Context and Periodization

According to the archaeological finds, the Neolithic in Macedonia lasted from
around the end of the second half of the 7th millennium to the middle of the 5th
millennium. That would place the presence of Neolithic communities in Macedonia
from the start of the Neolithization process throughout the Balkan region up to 4500
BC.
Neolithic in Macedonia is divided in three stages: Early, Middle and Late Neolithic.

The Anzabegovo-Vršnik group began forming during the Early Neolithic and further
developed during the Middle Neolithic. Oldest finds belonging to the group that
were dated are mostly charcoal remains found in Anzabegovo. Oldest charcoals
dated show that there is 95% chances that Anzabegovo’s settlement occurred
between 6500 and 6200 BC. Based on excavations in Vršnik, archaeologists first
divided the group in four basic phases. Later, after large scale excavations
undertaken at Anzabegovo’s site, archaeologists further divided the Anzabegovo-
Vršnik I phase and there is two slightly different periodizations put forward. Fist of
all, the most used periodization is the one elaborated by Garašanin and Sanev.
For them, the Anzabegovo-Vršnik I phase which belongs to the Early Neolithic can
be divided into three stages I-a, I-b i I-c. The next phases II, III and IV are all part
of the Middle Neolithic. For Gimbutas, the difference is that the phase I is divided
in I-a and I-b and the phase IV would belong to the Late Neolithic and be divided
in IV-a and IV-b. The periodization and the sub-phases are based on pottery forms
and paintings patterns, the white-painted vessels being typical of the Early
Neolithic while dark-painted vessels are characteristic of the Middle Neolithic.

According to Gimbutas’ periodization, the absolute chronology for the stages would
be something like this: Anzabegovo-Vršnik I-a and I-b from 6100 to 5800 BC,
Anzabegovo-Vršnik II and III from 5800 to 5300 BC and Anzabegovo-Vršnik IV-a
and IV-b from 5200 to 5000 BC.

Neolithization Process
Neolithic culture in the Republic of Macedonia, as represented in the Velušina-
Porodin and Anzabegovo-Vršnik cultural group,belongs to the Balkan-Anatolian
culture complex. It derived on a broad cultural basis from the process of primary
neolithization through the predominant participation of monochrome polished and
painted pottery. This process took place in the period from 6,400 to 6,100 BC. The
oldest settlement in the Skopje region is Govrlevo, where the group starts to
spread throughout the entire valley and towards the east in Ovče Pole, in the north
towards the Kumanovo region, and via the Preshevo watershed up north to the
Morava river valley. From Ovče Pole in the east down the Bregalnica river valley,
the group spreads towards the Middle Struma region, and goes south down the
river Lakavica towards the Strumica region. (N.art.i.t.r.o.M str.19)

But to understand more both the geographical and chronological contexts of the
Anzabegovo- Vršnik group, we need to look at the Neolithization process that led
to the establishment of Neolithic communities and cultural groups in Macedonia
and what it reveals on our particular cultural group. It is widely accepted that the
Neolithic arrived in Macedonia in an already developed or established form during
a process that took place at the end of the 7th millennium, somewhere in between
6400 and 6100 BC. That means that there were no clear transition phases or
protophases of the Neolithic like it was seen in other regions, as for examples pre-
ceramic Neolithic communities.

For this reason, many archaeologists such as Gimbutas, which was part of many
excavations in the region, argued that even if autochthonous Mesolithic
communities existed, they would have had a minor influence, or even none on the
process of Neolithization and the establishment of Neolithic settlements in the
region. It is also mainly accepted that the new population groups settling in the
area came from Thessaly as shown on the picture and went through Pelagony and
then central Macedonia and the Skopje region before spreading west towards
Polog region and East towards Ovče Pole.
However, although Mesolithic settlements preceding the establishment of Neolithic
cultures in Macedonia haven't been discovered, it is very plausible that they in fact
existed. Other hypothesises that take this in account are were forward such as the
“frog-leap” colonization hypothesis defended by Zvelebil. A “Frog-leap”
colonization is a selective colonization of a certain region by small groups whose
aim are optimal exploitation regions. This form of colonization and establishment
of settlements implies a communication and relations with autochthonous
populations which could thus have had some sort of influence, either genetical,
economical or behavioural in the development of the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group.

This model seems to fit rather well to explain the Neolithization of the territory
concerned by the Anzabegovo- Vršnik group. As a matter of fact, in the start of the
Early Neolithic, each region had its own authentic cultural characteristics and
identities as shown by the pottery vessels finds which clearly exhibit different forms
and painting patterns from regions to regions. This means that there were different
groups of people settling in the area that already had a specific identity and they
could have further developed these identities through contacts with Mesolithic
populations.
Pottery

The pottery from the oldest layer in Anzabegovo,according to the general features
of forms and ornaments,demonstrates visible similarities with the Anatolian type.
The connections with Thessaly, settlement phases from Protosesclo,Presesclo
and Classical Sesclo, become more evident. Further in the evolution, during the
entire Middle Neolithic period, the Anzabegovo ties with the Northern Starčevo
group in Serbia.
The biggest blossom of Neolithic culture in the Republic of Macedonia took place
during the Middle or developed Neolithic.It is characterized with fine red pottery
and dark brown ornaments on a red background. This phase lasts between 5,800
and 5,300 BC (Anzabegovo-Vršnik II-III). What is also characteristic is the
appearance of a brown or dark brown spiral on cups with a small ring – similar to
a leg. Another distinguishable feature is the brown painted vertical and alternated
thick and thin lines, often with vertical spirals between them.

The end of the middle/developed Neolithic period in Macedonia was marked by

the appearance of the so-called “Vinča” Late Neolithic pottery.14 The stratigraphic
data available determine the last layer of Anzabegovo-Vršnik IV as Late Neolithic.
Its major features are black polished and cannelured pottery, biconical profilation
and handles. (N.art.i.t.r.o.M str.20)

Art

The most astonishing phenomenon in the Neolithic period in Macedonia are the
altars of the Great Mother type. It speaks of the ancient cult of the Great Mother,
beginning from the Old Neolithic, throughout the entire Middle Neolithic and the
connection between the Anzabegovo-Vršnik and Velušina-Porodin cultural group.
Today we know that the cylinders and the Great Mother were not made in usum
mortuorum, i.e. did not have a funerary function.They didn’t have a funerary
function.This is best proven by the Great Mother from Govrlevo, presented with full
breasts and an advanced stage of gravidity. They were most probably related to
the cult of fertility.
 Cult sculpture

One of the particularly interesting categories in Neolithic art is anthropomorphic

and zoomorphic cult sculpture. The most common representations in the first
category are those of a woman. In the middle Neolithic stage, female figurines are
steatopygic (or pear-like idols, as they are often called), sculpted from two identical
halves, which are merged afterwards. The head is usually missing. The groins are
emphasized with a single incised triangle. The zoomorphic sculpture is diverse and
intriguing. Neolithic man was focused on providing food, and thus owed his well-
being to agriculture and cattle-breeding. With this in mind, Neolithic man respected
certain animals and created cults dedicated to them throughout the Paleolithic and
Neolithic eras. The biggest cult created was that of the bull. The third category of
cult objects are altars, often present at all archaeological sites. The basic form of
an altar is a table with a recipient and a pedestal. It can be a small plate with the
bottom set upon a table with four legs of different height. It can also be a shallow
recipient incorporated in the table, with a slightly profiled wreath. A special type of
altar represents a foundation of a house with a rectangular shape, a deeper
recipient and a plastically define fireplace. These are present throughout the
Neolithic. (N.art.i.t.r.o.M str.47)

Neolithic art in the Republic of Macedonia represents the highest cultural, social
and economic phenomenon during the Late Stone Age in the Central Balkans.
(N.art.i.t.r.o.M str.48)

Settlement Organization
Stone tools

Large area of the Anzabegovo-Vrsnik group is abundant in volcanic rocks and

minerals which provided the prehistoric habitants acces to various resources
needed in the manufacture of stone tools.

A thorough analysis of the raw material used in the production of stone tools was
performed on material from two archaeological sites:Anzabegovo, the eponymous
site of this culture, and Rug Bair. A common feature is the presence
of serpentinite, volcanic rocks of andesite and basalt, and sandstones from which
the large majority of the ground and abrasive stone tools at both sites were
produced. The investigation confirmed that most of the artefacts from these sites
were made of a raw material of local provenance that the inhabitants were able to
collect near the sites.
The presence of chalcedony of a yellow-brown or honey colour with sporadic
whitish spots is very well known and often reffered to as “Balkan flint”.”It was found
on every chipped stone assemblage.The term was introduced in the 1980s and it
suggest that almost all Neolithic sites in the Balkans were supplied from one
source location.

Stone tools found at sites consist of blades,scrapers,perforators and arrow

points.Another important category are polished stone tools that include
hammers,axes.adzes and chisels.
NAUMOV, Gace et al. Neolithic Communities in the Republic of Macedonia. Dante,
Skopje, 2009.

Research campaings on the Vršnik site were undertaken by Gockova in 1954 as

well as Garašain in 1958 and 1961.

According to the archaeological finds, the Neolithic in Macedonia lasted from

around the end of the second half of the 7th millennium to the middle of the 5th
millennium. That would place the presence of Neolithic communities in Macedonia
from 6200 BC with the start of the Neolithization process throughout the Balkan
region up to 4500 BC.
When compared to the Velušina-Porodin group in Pelagonian region of
Southwestern Macedonia, we can see that the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group covers
a much wider territory.

At first, during the Early Neolithic, there were clusters of settlement which didn’t
share similar caracteristics and cultural identities. This is shown by the very
different pottery pieces and painting patterns that were found on the territory
belonging to the Anzabegovo-Vršnik group and that were dated to the beginning
of the Neolithic in the region. As a matter of fact, it's rather during the Middle
Neolithic that they became a sort of union, that they formed a cultural unity, similar
in many ways to the Middle Neolithic in Bulgaria, Serbia and Albania.

Although Mesolithic settlements preceding the establishment of Neolithic cultures

in Macedonia haven't been discovered, it is very plausible that they in fact existed
and that they could have had some sort of influence, either genetical, economical
or behavioural, on the process of Neolithization and the establishment of Neolithic
settlements in Macedonia. However, it is widely accepted that the Neolithic arrived
in Macedonia as already developed or established. That means that there were no
clear transition phases or protophases of the Neolithic like it was seen in other
regions. For this reason, most archaeologists such as Gimbutas argued that even
if autochtonous Mesolithic communities existed, they would have had a minor
influence, or even none.

Prapovijesna Jugoslavenih Zemalja

The Anzabegovo-Vršnik group was previously known in the archaeological
litterature as the Vršnik group, . But later, after excavations in Anzabegovo which
improved our knowledge on its stratigraphy and global character, the name of this
cultural group was changed to Anzabegovo-Vršnik group.
Localities included in ths group are:

Barutnica in Anzabegovo, which is known in the litterature by both names,

Barutnica and Anzabegovo. (although Anzabegovo is far more used)

Rug-Bair in the actual Gorubinci, near the town of Sveti Nikole and the site in
knwon as Rug-Bair.

Slatina in today’s Zelenikovo in the gorges of Taor, South-East of Skopje.

However, it is referred to in the litterature as Zelenikovo.
And finally, Vršnik in today's Tarinci on the East side of the Ovče Pole.
The distribution of sites belonging to this group is located in the Ovče Pole (ili Polje
na hrvatskom) and the immediate neighbouring regions, such as in Zelenikovo
which is found in the Skopje basin. Further discoveries of sites could still extend
the culture’s area of distribution.