This book presents a detailed assessment of the chronological, cultural, economic and social relations in the territory of the central Balkans (today's Serbia without Voivodina, western Bulgaria and the northern part of North Macedonia) in the period from the beginning of the 3rd to the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. It is the first comprehensive study of the region at this period, in English, for over 40 years, in spite of the considerable amount of research and excavation that has been conducted in the intervening years. The naturalgeographic features, topographic openness, social impacts and other factors that could influence the genesis, development and, ultimately, the demise of Bronze Age cultures in this territory are analysed. Several vegetation zones are represented in Serbia, from steppes, lowland forests, hilly and mountainous areas, subMediterranean forests, and lowgrowing vegetation, to Boreal forests and formations of moorlands. These have played an important role in soil formation, especially vertisol, and their development and change are closely related to archaeology and changing land use. The book brings a lot of new information regarding absolute dates, including a full list of available radiocarbon dates for Bronze Age Serbia, some results of analysis of tin and copper isotope analyses, as well as the results of unpublished excavations of Bronze Age sites in the central Balkans. New thoughts about cultural interconnections within the central Balkans and beyond are presented, which are based on the remains of material and spiritual culture, as well as absolute dates.
Following an introduction to the physical landscape of the study region, a summary is presented of the history of archaeological research and the chronology of the Bronze Age in the central Balkans. Subsequent chapters review evidence for settlement, burial and ritual, and material culture by region with a discussion on chronology, characterisation and wider cultural contacts within the European Bronze Age.
A more detailed analysis of the revised absolute chronology of the central Balkan Bronze Age is then presented, together with a consideration of its implications for understanding developments in the region in the wider European context.
FOREWORD
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Natural characteristic of the region
1.2. History of Bronze Age research in the Central Balkans
1.3. Chronology and periodisation of the Bronze Age in the central Balkans
2. THE EARLY BRONZE AGE
2.1. The Early Bronze Age pottery typology in the central Balkans
2.2. Peripannonian zone
2.2.1. Settlements and dwelling structures
2.2.2. Necropolises and burial customs
2.2.3. Portable finds
2.2.4. Chronological and cultural determinations of the Early Bronze Age
in the Peripannonian zone
2.3. Great Morava basin and Šumadija zone
2.4. Western Serbia and Lim basin2.5. The Timok basin and the Đerdap Gorge
2.6. The South Morava basin with the Middle Pčinja basin and the SkopjeKumanovo plain
2.7. Discussion
2.7.1. Sites topography, settlements and dwelling structures
2.7.2. Necropolises, burial customs and ritual life
2.7.3. Subsistence and economy
2.7.4. Domestic horse phenomenon in the central Balkans
2.7.5. Mining and metallurgy
2.7.6. Cultural and chronological position of the EBA in the central Balkans
3. THE MIDDLE BRONZE AGE
4. ABSOLUTE CHRONOLOGY OF THE EARLY AND MIDDLE BRONZE AGE IN THE CENTRAL BALKANS
4.1. Absolute dating of the EBA by geographical zones
4.2. Absolute dating of the MBA by geographical zones
4.3. Absolute dating of the Early and Middle Bronze Ages cultural groups
in the Central Balkans
5. CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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