Evaluations of the domestication process in Serbia: Plezoological remnants at neolithic settlement of Blovode

Abstract

During research on neolithic cultural sites in North-eastern Serbia fragmented bones were revealed. Archaeological studies were initiated in order to broaden the data concerning the long, historical tradition of animal breeding, especially those concerning the phenotype and genotype of prehistoric ancestors of domestic animals in the centre of Northeast Serbia. Four phases of neolithic culture were distinguished in the settlement of Belovode according to the stratigraphy, stylistic and typological character. They were chronologically defined to belong to the period of about 5 500-4 800 years B.C. The study of the osseological material, excavated on the site, gave rise to multidisciplinary research concerning the type of animals undergoing the process of domestication. Bovine bone fragments dominated. The position, age and state of the fragments indicated Belovode as a possible centre of ruminant domestication in this region.

Ovaj rad je deo multidisiplinarnog projekta čiji je cilj proučavanje neolitskog perioda u centralnoistočnom delu Srbije. Cilj arheozološke studije je da se na osnovu proučavanja osteološkog materijala upotpune podaci za retrospektivnu analizu fenotipskih i genotipskih odlika životinja domesticiranih na našim terenima tokom neolita. U radu je opisan postupak prikupljanja, obeležavanja i obrade arheozološkog materijala koji potiče iz neolitskog lokaliteta Belovode, čija je starost procenjena na vreme od 5500-4800 godina stare ere. Kako se radi o dugoročnom projektu arheološki materijal se prikuplja i obrađuje po redosledu slojeva od najmlađeg do najstarijeg, zbog uklapanja u sve faze Vinča kulture i izrade preglednih grafikona.