In Lapide Veritas? Lithic Technology of the Neolithic of the Western Balkans

This doctoral research aims at investigating lithic technology of the Neolithic (~ 6200 to 4500 cal BC) in the western Balkans (modern countries Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia). The main objectives are to explore lithic technology through the entire Neolithic sequence, identify potential regional and/or chronological technological traditions through studying variability in lithic technology, and to assess continuity or discontinuity between Early and Late Neolithic lithic technology. Data was collected from eight Early and thirteen Late Neolithic unpublished museum lithic collections from Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The overall dataset accounts for 7885 chipped stone artefacts. The assemblages were analysed using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A comprehensive comparative analysis was performed on both newly obtained and published data. This enabled to study variation in lithic technology on intra- and inter-site levels. The results indicate that the dynamic changes during the spread and development of farming across the western Balkans are best reflected in raw material management. While technology and typology were relatively coherent across the studied area, the use of raw materials revealed existence of regional variabilities during both Early and Late Neolithic. In the Early Neolithic, the difference occur between eastern and western groups of the Starčevo settlements. The eastern group was a network-oriented society with elaborated traditional standards and vertical cultural transmission, well documented in its involvement in the Balkan flint distribution network, and a limited potential of horizontal transfer, reflected in a small-scale obsidian exchange. Contrastingly, the western group of Starčevo settlements, suggests a relatively closed and corporate-oriented society with the traditional and collective values, the best reflected in the use of distinctive type of chert – reddish brown silicified limestone – from northern Bosnia and Herzegovina, and lack of imported resources, e.g. Balkan flint and obsidian. This implies strong vertical transmission rules and extensive contacts and networking within the western Starčevo communities. The comparative analyses based on raw materials and typology revealed major regional differences, primarily between the Vinča and Sopot communities, as well as within the Vinča culture. The Vinča communities used locally available raw materials, with the strong emphasis on white soft stone, while Sopot communities exploited locally available radiolarites to a great extent. Regarding the Vinča communities, the differences appear between the southern and northern groups of settlements. The southern group was a corporate oriented society, with the well-established system of procurement and exchange of locally available white soft stone and low presence of obsidian. This corresponds to the strong vertical cultural transmission. The northern Vinča communities were a network-oriented societies, which were relying on a wider range of local resources and were actively engaged in the system of obsidian exchange. This indicates a horizontal transfer of technological traits amongst the northern Vinča communities