International Symposium
The Carpathian Basin and Its Role in the Neolithisation of the Balkan Peninsula
Sibiu, 18-20 mai 2007
The neolithisation of the Carpathian Basin – the view from below.
(The Mesolithic and Macedonian Perspective).
Miloš Bilbija, prof. ddr. Mitja Guštin, Alenka Tomaž, Boris Kavur
When observing the process of neolithisation of the Carpathian basin, several basic perspectives in the broader region of the Balkan Peninsula have to be reconsidered in the period between the ninth and the fifth millennium BC.
The first one is the relation between the early and late Mesolithic in the region. Basic differences between the early and the late Mesolithic have to be determineded in terms of strategies for the procurement of raw materials, stone tool production technologies and typologies, bone tool technologies and typologies and most of all in terms of residential mobility.
The second perspective is the relation between the Mesolithic and the Neolithic cultures. The results will enable us to understand why early Mesolithic was replaced by the early Neolithic cultures in the southern and central part of the Balkan Peninsula. The relations between the late Mesolithic and the Early, Middle and Late Neolithic economies and strategies will enable us to understand the processes of neolithisation in a broader region between the Carpathian Basin and the Alps.
The third perspective that has to be considered is the characteristics of the early Neolithic. There are two basic questions – the existence of Neolithic cultures before the Anzabegovo-Vršnik/Starčevo/Koros/Cris complex and the internal (regional and cultural) division of the later complex. And in our opinion, Govrlevo is one of the key - sites.
Govrlevo , Cerje, Cerje-Govrlevo and also Govrljevo are the toponyms which are found in archaeological literature denominating the multi-layer Neolithic settlement, which is located about 15 km southwest from Skopje on a wide fertile terrace on a much higher absolute above sea level (500 m) than the rest of the Neolithic sites in Skopje region. The site was identified during field surveys in 1981. The first campaign of excavation was carried out between 1982 and 1985. The results were very promising, since few houses and other elements of the settlement, as well as aboundance of pottery, were discovered at the time. According to the excavator, the settlement has developed trought six basic phases, the first - Govrlevo I belongs to the Early Neolithic. The phases Govrlevo II - IV represent Middle Neolithic and the phases Govrlevo V and VI are the residues of the Late Neolithic life.
In 2001 and later in 2004, after a major interruption, a new campaign of excavations was started in another part of the site. This last campaign, still in progress, has already revealed some excellent results, which illustrate the life in the settlement and which can help us answer many questions concerning Neolithic period in Skopje region and also in an adjacent areas. However the excavations and consequent evaluations of the data are still in progress and many answers are still to be answered. |
