Archaeologists have made a significant discovery in Northeast Serbia, uncovering a 7,000-year-old settlement near the Tamiš River.
This find is particularly notable because large settlements from the Late Neolithic period are rare in the Serbian Banat region.
The site was explored by a team from the ROOTS Cluster of Excellence, in collaboration with the Museum of Vojvodina, the National Museum Zrenjanin, and the National Museum Pančevo.
Located near the village of Jarkovac in the Vojvodina province, the settlement spans approximately 11 to 13 hectares.
It was surrounded by multiple ditches, suggesting a well-organized community.
The discovery was made possible through the use of geophysical methods that provided a clear layout of the ancient settlement as it existed thousands of years ago.
Fynn Wilkes, a ROOTS doctoral student and co-leader of the team, explained the importance of this find, noting the settlement’s substantial size and sophisticated structure.
As part of their research, the team also collected surface artifacts that link the settlement to the Vinča culture, known to have thrived between 5400 and 4400 BCE.
Additionally, influences from the regional Banat culture were observed, adding a unique aspect to this site as such influences are seldom found in modern Serbia.
The team’s work didn’t stop in Serbia. They extended their investigations to Hungary, where they studied Late Neolithic circular structures known as “rondels” linked to the Lengyel culture, which existed around 5000 to 4400 BCE. Collaborating with the Janus Pannonius Museum in Pécs, they utilized similar geophysical technologies and systematic surveys to better understand the chronology and function of these sites.
This comprehensive approach led to new insights about other historical sites in Hungary. For instance, some structures previously thought to be from the Late Neolithic period were actually much younger, dating back to the Late Copper Age and Early Bronze Age belonging to the Vučedol culture (around 2900 to 2400 BCE).
Professor Martin Furholt, leader of the team, highlighted the broader implications of these discoveries. Southeast Europe is critical for understanding how early technologies and knowledge, such as metalworking, spread across the continent.
These findings contribute valuable data to ongoing research into how such advancements were linked to social inequalities.
These discoveries are part of an interdisciplinary project called “Inequality of Wealth and Knowledge” by the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS, which aims to shed light on the dynamics of historical societal structures.
The work continues as the team further analyzes their findings, aiming to provide deeper insights into the past civilizations of Europe.
Source: KSR.
