Neolithic manifestations of cults on the eastern Adriatic coast

Istraženi lokaliteti iz razdoblja neolitika na istočnoj obali Jadrana govore u prilog postojanju posebnog duhovnog života u kojem su se prakticirali različiti kultovi i rituali. Specifičan odnos prema pokojnicima karakterističan za ovo razdoblje očituje se kroz malobrojne cjelovite ukope djece i odraslih te sekundarne i parcijalne ukope lubanje i drugih kostiju. Također na ovom području pronalazimo kultne predmete u vidu plastičnih figuralnih izrađevina od kojih razlikujemo ljudske realistične i zvonaste likove, te zoomorfne figurine s pločicom i one s posudicom koje se dovode u vezu s kultnim posudama na četiri noge ili ritonima. U instrumente korištene pri ritualima ubrajaju se i pintadere koje pronalazimo u svim neolitičkim fazama na istočnoj obali Jadrana. Iz razdoblja kasnog neolitika potječu oslikani keramički ulomci s prikazima motiva sunca i mjeseca. Takvi prikazi na keramici, zajedno s ostalim predmetima kojima se pripisuje kultna namjena, barem donekle dočaravaju svjetonazor neolitičkih stočarsko – zemljoradničkih zajednica ovog područja. One su ovisile o blagonaklonosti prirode, a u suživotu s njom razvijale su poseban duhovni aspekt života svojstven upravo ovom području.The excavated sites from neolithic period on eastern Adriatic coast speak in support of the existence of a special spiritual aspect of life in which various cults and rituals were practiced. A specific relationship to the deceased, characteristic only for this period, is evident through the discoveries of a few complete burials of children and adults and secondary burials of the skull and other bones. Also in this area we find plastic figural constructions in shape of human realistic figures and human bell-shaped characters, and zoomorfic figurines with pots and plates which are similar to the cult pots on four legs or „rhytons“. Instruments which we connect with rituals are also „stamp – seals“ that we find in all stages of the neolithic on the eastern Adriatic. Ceramic fragments painted with motives of the sun and the moon are dated back to the late neolitihic period. Such depictions on ceramics, together with other objects, which are attributed to cult purposes, provide the worldview of neolithic ranching-agricultural community in this area at least at some point. This community was depended on nature's benevolence, and in harmony with it, developed the special spiritual aspect of life peculiar to just this area