Page 33 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 9(1) (2021)
P. 33
ia universitatisKovačevo (domestic animals – 97,2% and wild somewhat less in Kovačevo, in Slatina-Sofia, the
animals – 2,8%); sheep/goat distribution is more or less equal with
ear ly neolithic in north macedonia and bulgar ia: geogr aphical and cultur al r elations 33 cattle, whereas in Krajnici, Rakitovo and Vakse-
Slatina-Sofia, horizon 1 (domestic animals – vo, the cattle was preffered. Ivkovska (2009, 61–
90,64% and wild animals – 9,36%); 63) believes that this is primarily due to the cli-
mate – the cattle favors humid climate, unlike
Krajnici (domestic animals – 87% and wild ani- sheep and goat that prefer drier and warmer cli-
mals – 13%); mates. Therefore, according to her, closer analo-
gies with regard to the livestock structure have
Rakitovo (domestic animals – 70,79% and wild the southern (warmer and drier) parts of the Bal-
animals – 29,21%) and kans – North Macedonia and Greece, while the
Bulgarian and Serbian Neolithic animal hus-
Vaksevo (domestic animals – 69,8% and wild bandry is more oriented towards animals which
animals – 28,4%). prefer more humid environment.
Concerning domestic animals distribu- Concluding remarks
tion, more differences were noted. So, apart Thanks to the archaeological research in the Bal-
from everywhere marginally present dogs, the kans, today we have a vivid image of the Neolith-
relations between sheep/goat, cattle and pig dif- ic processes on this territory. The accumulated
fer in all sites (Bökönyi 1976, Tab. XXXIII; knowledge on this remarkable period of human
Kovačev 1988, Tab. 8; Bökönyi 1992, Tab. 1; Ni- history has already been more than a century
nov 2001, Tab. 8; Benecke and Ninov 2002, 558; old. But, still there is a plenty of space for new
Čohadžhiev et al. 2007, 188): analysis and research, not only of newly discov-
ered sites, but also for those who are well known
Barutnica-Amzabegovo (phase I: sheep/goat – today. The processes of Balkans neolithization,
78,3%, cattle – 9,6% and pig – 8,26%; pha- the earliest settlements, their development and
se II: sheep/goat – 72,4%, cattle – 13,47% communications even today present a challenge
and pig – 9,87% and phase III: sheep/goat for many authors.
– 76,42%, cattle – 6,84% and pig – 8,83%);
Based on the knowledge so far, the signif-
Kovačevo (sheep/goat – 52,6%, cattle – 29,8% icance of the natural pathways for the first Ne-
and pig – 17,6%); olithic settlers in the Balkans, the river flows
of Vardar, Bregalnica, Struma, Mesta and oth-
Slatina-Sofia, horizon 1 (sheep/goat – 42,86%, ers is confirmed. It was along their streams that
cattle – 46,68% and pig – 9,98%); the earliest Neolithic pioneers were moving and
communicating with the remote regions of Pel-
Krajnici (sheep/goat – 38,8%, cattle – 55,5% and agonia, Skopje and Ovče Pole Plains, the Struma
pig – 5,7%); Valley, the Sophia, Pernik and Radomir Plains,
the Rhodope massif, etc.
Rakitovo (sheep/goat – 28,98%, cattle – 62,81%
and pig – 7,79%) and In accordance with absolute chronology, rel-
ative chronology and the comparative method,
Vaksevo (sheep/goat – 12,38%, cattle – 64,6% the time intervals and phases in which the Ne-
and pig – 21,23%). olithic communities fluorished in the Balkans.
Although there are still ambiguities regarding
According to the faunal remains one gen- periodization, it can be concluded that in the pe-
eral conclusion can be made: the dominant eco- riod from 6,200 to 5,800 cal BC a large number
nomical aspect of EN and MN sites is stock- of micro-regions were inhabited in North Mace-
breeding, the role of hunting is marginal, with
almost equal distribution in Barutnica-Amz-
abegovo, Kovačevo, Slatina-Sofia and Krajni-
ci, while in Rakitovo and Vaksevo the hunting
had more important role. As for the domestic
animals distribution, the higher percentage of
sheep and goat in Barutnica-Amzabegovo and
animals – 2,8%); sheep/goat distribution is more or less equal with
ear ly neolithic in north macedonia and bulgar ia: geogr aphical and cultur al r elations 33 cattle, whereas in Krajnici, Rakitovo and Vakse-
Slatina-Sofia, horizon 1 (domestic animals – vo, the cattle was preffered. Ivkovska (2009, 61–
90,64% and wild animals – 9,36%); 63) believes that this is primarily due to the cli-
mate – the cattle favors humid climate, unlike
Krajnici (domestic animals – 87% and wild ani- sheep and goat that prefer drier and warmer cli-
mals – 13%); mates. Therefore, according to her, closer analo-
gies with regard to the livestock structure have
Rakitovo (domestic animals – 70,79% and wild the southern (warmer and drier) parts of the Bal-
animals – 29,21%) and kans – North Macedonia and Greece, while the
Bulgarian and Serbian Neolithic animal hus-
Vaksevo (domestic animals – 69,8% and wild bandry is more oriented towards animals which
animals – 28,4%). prefer more humid environment.
Concerning domestic animals distribu- Concluding remarks
tion, more differences were noted. So, apart Thanks to the archaeological research in the Bal-
from everywhere marginally present dogs, the kans, today we have a vivid image of the Neolith-
relations between sheep/goat, cattle and pig dif- ic processes on this territory. The accumulated
fer in all sites (Bökönyi 1976, Tab. XXXIII; knowledge on this remarkable period of human
Kovačev 1988, Tab. 8; Bökönyi 1992, Tab. 1; Ni- history has already been more than a century
nov 2001, Tab. 8; Benecke and Ninov 2002, 558; old. But, still there is a plenty of space for new
Čohadžhiev et al. 2007, 188): analysis and research, not only of newly discov-
ered sites, but also for those who are well known
Barutnica-Amzabegovo (phase I: sheep/goat – today. The processes of Balkans neolithization,
78,3%, cattle – 9,6% and pig – 8,26%; pha- the earliest settlements, their development and
se II: sheep/goat – 72,4%, cattle – 13,47% communications even today present a challenge
and pig – 9,87% and phase III: sheep/goat for many authors.
– 76,42%, cattle – 6,84% and pig – 8,83%);
Based on the knowledge so far, the signif-
Kovačevo (sheep/goat – 52,6%, cattle – 29,8% icance of the natural pathways for the first Ne-
and pig – 17,6%); olithic settlers in the Balkans, the river flows
of Vardar, Bregalnica, Struma, Mesta and oth-
Slatina-Sofia, horizon 1 (sheep/goat – 42,86%, ers is confirmed. It was along their streams that
cattle – 46,68% and pig – 9,98%); the earliest Neolithic pioneers were moving and
communicating with the remote regions of Pel-
Krajnici (sheep/goat – 38,8%, cattle – 55,5% and agonia, Skopje and Ovče Pole Plains, the Struma
pig – 5,7%); Valley, the Sophia, Pernik and Radomir Plains,
the Rhodope massif, etc.
Rakitovo (sheep/goat – 28,98%, cattle – 62,81%
and pig – 7,79%) and In accordance with absolute chronology, rel-
ative chronology and the comparative method,
Vaksevo (sheep/goat – 12,38%, cattle – 64,6% the time intervals and phases in which the Ne-
and pig – 21,23%). olithic communities fluorished in the Balkans.
Although there are still ambiguities regarding
According to the faunal remains one gen- periodization, it can be concluded that in the pe-
eral conclusion can be made: the dominant eco- riod from 6,200 to 5,800 cal BC a large number
nomical aspect of EN and MN sites is stock- of micro-regions were inhabited in North Mace-
breeding, the role of hunting is marginal, with
almost equal distribution in Barutnica-Amz-
abegovo, Kovačevo, Slatina-Sofia and Krajni-
ci, while in Rakitovo and Vaksevo the hunting
had more important role. As for the domestic
animals distribution, the higher percentage of
sheep and goat in Barutnica-Amzabegovo and
