New Results of the Archaeological Excavations on the Site Gradište near Iđoš: Season 2014

NEW RESULTS OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS ON THE SITE GRADIŠTE NEAR IĐOŠ: SEASON 20141 Miroslav Marić Institute for Balkan Studies, Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade Neda Mirković–Marić Intermunicipal Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments Subotica Barry Molloy University College Dublin Patrick Mertl Dragan Jovanović City Museum Vršac Institut für Vor– und Frühgeschichte Johannes–Gutenberg Universität Mainz Lidija Milašinović National Museum Kikinda Jugoslav Pendić Belgrade e-mail: mmaric@f.bg.ac.rs Оriginal research article Received: 5. 9. 2016. UDC: 902.2(497.113)”2014” Accepted: 1. 12. 2016. 904”652”(497.113) Abstract: The archaeological site of Gradište near Iđoš, in the municipality of Kikinda, Serbia, is well known in the archaeological literature of the region. Excavated on several occasions since 1913, the site is best known for the existence of a late Neolithic settlement where material culture belonging to both Vinča and Tisza communities was found in the same archaeological contexts. Furthermore, the site is known for a 250 metre diameter fortiied settlement from the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age period. А new research cycle was initiated in 2014 in order to explain cultural processes during prehistory in this part of the Pannonian basin. The irst season of the new research campaign was focused on geophysical prospection of an area of approximately 2 hectares, geological coring and excavation of four stratigraphic trenches across the site. This work has conirmed the existence of up to 2.5 metres of archaeological remains on the tell site with several daub structures detected and the existence of numerous archaeological features within the Late Bronze - Iron Age settlement. Key words: Banat, Neolithic, Vinča culture, Tisza culture, Bronze/Iron Age transition 1 The article results from the funds awarded for archaeological research by the Ministry of culture and information and the funds awarded to the research project Society, culture and Communications in the Balkans in Proto and Early History (grant no. 177012) provided by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological development of the Republic of Serbia. Гласник Српског археолошког друштва Journal of Serbian Archaeological Society 32 (2016) 125–153. ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања Introduction The archaeological site of Gradište is located approximately 6 km (as the crow lies) northwest of the town of Kikinda (UTM 34T 452536.00 m E, 5077885.00 m N), on an elevated Pleistocene River Tisza terrace 7–12 meters above the conluence of two former streams (Fig. 1). It is a multi–layered site with remains of human occupation spanning from the Early Neolithic period (Starčevo/Körös culture) to the Late Neolithic period (Vinča and Tisza cultures). After a hiatus in occupation a 250 meter diameter sub–oval fortiied complex was constructed, belonging to the Late Bronze/Early Iron Age period (Belegiš II – Gava ceramic traditions). Sporadic Late Medieval period inds were also occasionally recovered during surface survey prospection. Fig. 1. General location of the site of Gradište Сл. 1. Позиција локалитета Градиште Gradište is located about 3 kilometres east of a Pleistocene meander of the river Tisza, however in early Holocene this area appears to have been connected to the Tisza lood plain via a series of smaller streams originating just east of the site and extending towards the Tisza riverbed further in the west (Fig. 2, olive green). 126 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Fig. 2. Geological period map of the Gradište area (copyright Borderlands project) Сл. 2. Геолошка мапа по периоду области Градишта (документација Borderlands пројекта) In archaeological literature, the site has been known by several names. The Neolithic portion of the site was situated on the western edge of the Pleistocene terrace, above the conluence of Grčka and Berčula streams, to the east and the northeast of the site respectively (Fig. 3). This section has been called Gradište, while the Bronze age part of the site, located immediately north of the Neolithic area, has been called Đurica`s or the Slavic city. Today, the low of the two streams located beneath the terrace has been artiicially culverted and straightened so that they are now an integral part of the great Kikinda drainage channel system extending a bit farther to the west of the site. However, on the 127 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања Fig. 3. Palaeo-channels and streams in the Gradište area Сл. 3. Палеоканали и водотокови у области Градишта aerial photographs there are easily visible traces of the larger palaeo–channel formed by the conluence of Grčka and Berčula that lowed farther westwards from the site, draining into a channel formed within the old Pleistocene Tisza meander. The Pleistocene terrace comprises mostly of river deposited sands and brown aleurite clay (Fig. 2). The Neolithic part of the site consists of a tell feature, roughly 60x70 meters in size, and a lat area to the north–east of it approximately 130x120 meters in size. The tell is about 2.5 meters high, surrounded by streams on three sides, and the approach to the settlement appears to have been easiest from the northeast. The irst archaeological research was undertaken here by Julius Nagy in 1913, but the results of these excavations were not published and the whereabouts of the inds is unknown (Girić 1957, 219). Three and a half decades later, in 1947, Luka Nadlački, the irst director of the National Museum in Kikinda sought to resume the excavations. For this reason he contacted Miodrag Grbić, who next addressed the Archaeological Institute in Belgrade asking for permission to conduct a “scientiic sondage” on Gradište. Permission was granted and he received 40,000 dinars for this purpose (Grbić 1950, 213). Aside from inancial aid, Grbić attempted to enlist the help of Milutin Garašanin and Đorđe Mano Zisi who had visited the site in April 1947. In their report they comment on the potential great 128 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... importance of the site, being geographically nestled in an area of interaction between two culture complexes, recognising the possibility that inluences from each mixed at this site and could have impacted upon traditions within both of these complexes. Mano Zisi expressed in the report an opinion the circular fortiication was an Avaric “hring”. Grbić, in September 1947, then employed in the Department of Culture of the autonomous province of Vojvodina, sent a letter to the Museum of Art in Belgrade asking the director of the museum to allow leave of absence for Đorđe Mano Zisi, Milutin Garašanin, Mirjana Ljubinković and Jovan Kovačević to take part in the planned excavations at Gradište. Grbić was predominantly interested in the Bronze Age fortiication, but also saw the importance of researching the Neolithic settlement due to the fact it contained mixed material culture inds of both Vinča and Tisza traditions. The letter stated that the Department was organising a trench excavation of Gradište near Kikinda as a ield school for young archaeologists of Vojvodina and this was a joint effort involving several Serbian archaeologists. It was emphasised that this activity “can only be accomplished with the involvement of Belgrade archaeologists” (archives of the National Museum Belgrade). However, the response of Veljko Petrović, the then director of the Art Museum, was critical of the manner in which Grbić asked for the involvement of his colleagues. He states that Mano–Zisi, Garašanin and Kovačević are oficially absent and committed to work on other sites, whilst other archaeologists, due to the museum being understaffed must remain in the museum. The cooperation was never realised, most likely because of Grbić falling out of favour in the changing political climate following the end of the Second World War (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 57). However, Grbić continued his research even without the colleagues from the Museum of Art and in his campaigns he excavated more than 300 m² inside the circular enclosure searching for the Slavic city. He didn’t ind dwelling structures and his excavations focussed on pits inside the fortiication (Grbić 1950, Grbić 1951). Besides this excavation work, Grbić commissioned aerial photography on several occasions in order to better contextualize the research at the site within its landscape (Grbić 1950, 113–118, Grbić 1951, 133–138). The small scale excavations in the following year (1949) led by Nadlački, discovered a grave dated to the Neolithic period bellow the backill layer in the base of the trench placed across the Bronze Age rampart (Girić 1957). Unfortunately, no evidence of this ind can be located in the existing documentation, the sole source conirming its existence is found in a newspaper clip in the archives of the National Museum of Kikinda (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 60). 129 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања Five years later, Nadlački excavated on the tell part of the site, and discovered a wattle and daub house in trench 3 with the remains of pottery attributed to both Tisza and Vinča style in the same context (Girić, 1957, 221–222). The structure was only partially preserved, its detected dimensions being 4.2x3 metres. However, these excavations came to an abrupt halt and it was to be almost two decades before research on Gradište was resumed once again. During 1972, a small scale rescue archaeological excavation was undertaken at the site by the National Museum Kikinda and Provincial Institute for Protection of Cultural Monuments Petrovaradin, with 4 trenches (Fig. 4, lower left) placed over the Neolithic settlement (Medović 1984, Мирковић–Марић 2016, 62–63). A larger amount of movable inds was recovered, but no traces of structures were detected in the process. The excavation conirmed previous interpretations of the stratigraphy of the tell site, but no publication of the inds was ever made. The stratigraphy of the tell was divided into two horizons, the younger containing Late Neolithic Tisza and Vinča pottery and the older, deeper horizon, containing the material of the Early Neolithic Starčevo–Körös traditions (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 62–63). Fig. 4. Location of archaeological trenches in Gradište (Medović 1984) Сл. 4. Позиције археолошких сонди на Градишту (Medović 1984) 130 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Four more decades would pass until 2014 when a new interdisciplinary project was established. The objective of this project was to focus on researching the Gradište site through a new, broader paradigm (The Borderlands ARISE project, i.e. Archaeological Research of Iđoš site and its Environment). Although the site was previously researched over several campaigns, the results of these excavations failed to provide answers on numerous problems linked with the Neolithic and Bronze/Iron Age period of this part of the Pannonian basin. It is necessary to emphasize that the time lapse between the previous research and this campaign made it necessary to perform revisionary excavations in order to supplement the existing, rather scant knowledge of the prehistory of the region. The project is envisioned as an ongoing program to be undertaken in several stages. This includes evaluation of the archaeological potential of the site, targeted excavations of deined features and broader research leading to systematic publication and public outreach. Our objective is furthermore to establish an archaeological park to improve engagement with this important heritage and to communicate our indings. The project is focused, among other aspects, on establishing the exact character of the settlements in the distinct periods of prehistory, to better understand the site formation and the prehistoric landscape conditions in order to better study and understand the life of the site and its inhabitants. Methodology The irst season of the Borderland ARISE project took place in 2014 and constituted an initial evaluation of the site and its archaeological potential to guide the development of a suitable methodology for future research and excavations. This research was planned and undertaken in several steps: irst a geophysical survey was undertaken and covered 1.7 ha (in both the Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements). This was followed by geological drilling and several test trenches were laid out to verify the results of geophysics and establish the stratigraphy of the site. The geophysical survey has been undertaken using a Sensys MX–5 ive probe magnetometer mounted on a push cart. The probes were set at 50 cm apart, giving a measurement area 2.5 meters wide per pass. The grid was composed of multiple 50x50 meter squares. The walking was performed in a linear fashion with altering directions at the end of each pass. In total, 0.52 ha was surveyed in 2014 on the Neolithic settlement and about 1.2 ha on the Bronze Age enclosure part. Simultaneous to the geophysical survey, 15 drillings were performed using manual geological drills, covering the entire area of the Neolithic settlement 131 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања and the Bronze Age fortiied structure. This allowed the team to gain insight into the composition and structure of subsurface layers present on the site and establish the thickness of anthropogenic accumulation. Finally, over the course of the excavation campaign in 2014, three stratigraphic trenches measuring 2x2 meters each, were excavated on the Neolithic settlement in order to conirm the stratigraphy. The trenches were distributed between the tell and the lat portion of the site in order to provide representative coverage of the Neolithic settlement. One trench was placed on the Bronze Age part of the site inside the fortiied enclosure. A single context excavation methodology was employed in each instance, combined with digital ield documentation to provide accurate recording of archaeological remains. Results Neolithic Settlement The results of the geophysical survey (Fig. 5) indicate that the tell part of the site was densely occupied in the Late Neolithic phase of the settlement by wattle and daub structures (Mирковић–Марић 2016: 64–66). The results from the surveyed portion of the tell, approximately an area of 0.2 ha, show clear signatures for at least 4 rows of burnt features interpreted as the remains of at least 10 structures (Plan 1, lower left). On the northeast side of the outermost row, an area where the remains of 4 structures are visible, traces of a possible ditch were also visible, in which case the buildings post–date its primary use. The surveyed structures on the tell appear to be more or less uniform in size, with measurements clustering around 7x5 meter. Only 2 of the 10 surveyed structures differ signiicantly from this average, and they are both in the southwest corner of the surveyed area. These structures appear to be closer to 9x6 meters in size, (about 55% larger area). The possible ditch/wall remains, found on the immediate northeast of the outermost row of tell structures are somewhat poorly visible in the northern area of the tell, possibly masked by the strong magnetic presence of the burnt structures on the tell, but the southeast portion is signiicantly better recorded, indicating a possible feature between 1.5 and 2 meters in width. The exact nature of the feature cannot be reconstructed from the geophysical survey, but an enclosure ditch with a possible wooden palisade is a viable explanation to be explored through planned excavations. 132 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Fig. 5. Geophysical survey results performed in 2014 on Gradište Сл. 5. Резултати геофизичких снимања 2014. године на Градишту On the outer perimeter of the ditch, several burnt structures were recorded in the northeast area immediately adjacent to the tell. The two structures measured around 8.5x5 meters in each case, whilst a third structure farther to the northwest is somewhat larger, measuring at about 13x7 meters. Structures of this size are not uncommon in Hungary (Horvat, 1982, 207, Horvat & Trogmayer, 1985, 37, Kalicz & Raczky, 1987, 18) where even larger structures can be found in the settlements of Tisza communities (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 91–92). The nature of this structure cannot be established with certainty, but from the geophysical survey data there is nothing particular that would make it unique, though its sheer size is of interest. Further north of the large structure found in the transitional area between the tell and the lat part of the site, there are at least two rectangular features of about 6x6 meters in size, with a possible kiln between them. These two structures seem to deviate from the general NE–SW orientation of the majority of structures on the site. The state of preservation of these structures, judging from the geomagnetic surveys appears good, and their clearly identiiable disposition suggests that the circular feature between them, a possible kiln may have been the raison d’être for such orientation. To the northeast of these structures, a small section of geophysical survey reveals the remains of at least 5, but possibly 6 burnt struc- 133 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања tures with identical NE–SW orientation of their long sides (the orientation differs by 3–4˚ eastwards from true NE–SW). These structures also tend to group around the 8x6 meters in size, and are between 1.5 and 3 meters apart, indicating a cluster of structures in this area of the lat part of the settlement. Although limited in size, this geophysical survey hints at the nature of the inner organisation of the Late Neolithic settlement at Gradište. It can be reconstructed as a bipartite settlement, with a tightly occupied tell section and an adjacent lat area of settlement (in itself with several stratigraphic phases). This latter zone was possibly a later phase, to be deined through further excavation. The very small portion of the survey performed on the lat settlement prevents us from reconstructing its full extent and layout, but the existence of either several tightly packed clusters of wattle and daub structures relecting kinship or economically co–dependent groups or a form of urbanised or densely occupied settlement with narrow alleyways between structures illing the available space to the fullest extent can be hypothesised. A similar situation has been documented in Hungary with Tisza culture sites located in the middle and southern Tisza course, such as Szeghalom–Kovácshalom (Gyucha et al., 2015, 134, Fig. 5) Szentpeterszeg Kovadomb (Raczky & Anders, 2014, 40, Fig. 3). To these we can add ones in the Northern parts of Tisza territory in the region on Csőszhalom culture, particularly the site of Polgár– Csőszhalom (Raczky & Anders, 2010, Fig. 2, Мирковић– Марић 2016, 86–91). The geological coring samples also provided an insight into the site stratigraphy, and helped establish the thickness of archaeological layers: these are in excess of 2.5 meters on the tell part, while in the lat part of the site, anthropogenic layers range between 1 and 1.5 meters (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 66–67). Further drillings in the immediate vicinity of the site will help reconstruct the landscape of the 6th and the 5th millennium BC and improve our knowledge on the living conditions of the Neolithic period around Gradište. The inal step in the evaluation of the archaeological potential of the site were the 3 stratigraphic trenches positioned to test the results of the geophysical survey. Trench 1, 2x2 meters in size was placed between two probable burnt structures on the tell in order to minimize potential intrusion into unexcavated structures (Plan 1). The excavations in this trench yielded interesting information conirming that the area of the Neolithic settlement was reused during the Bronze–Iron Age transitional period. A part of a possible refuse pit (feature 3) was discovered in the southeast corner of the trench at a relative depth of about 60 centimetres below the surface. Although only partially excavated (Fig. 6) it was 134 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... possible to establish that the pit was pear shaped, with a narrow opening at the top and a widening towards the bottom. The very steep sides of the pit indicate that it was not supposed to be accessed from within, but rather just from the top, which could indicate that the function was storage. An assortment of pot fragments, animal bones and daub fragments was mixed in with charcoal and ash. The bottom of this pit rested on the original pre–settlement topsoil consisting of very dark brown, compact soil with few inclusions, and its detected depth was about 1.4 meters. Fig. 6. East vertical section of Trench 1 (copyright Borderlands project) Сл. 6. Источни профил сонди 1 (документација Borderlands пројекта) 135 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања Besides this pit, at least two features (F6 and F11) were formed by the remains of daub structures, one unburnt (F6), the other burnt (F11). However, due to the limited size of the trench, both structures were only partially detected and excavated and so further analysis was not conducted. Nonetheless, it is possible to say that both of the daub features can be dated to the period of the Late Neolithic based on the pottery recovered. Although the quantity of pottery sherds from this trench is relatively small, those recovered indicate the presence of both the Vinča and Tisza ceramic traditions (Pl. I, Pl. II/1–5).2 The latter is characterised by pottery ired in oxidizing atmosphere, with smoothed surfaces and incised geometric motifs as a predominant ornament. Vinča serving and food consumption vessels are notably different and are characterised by a reducing iring atmosphere, burnished and polished surfaces with channelling as the main ornamentation technique (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 200–201). The trench was ended when we reached a layer of prehistoric topsoil, dark brown in colour and very compact. This contained inds typical of the Early Neolithic Starčevo–Körös, speciically pottery tempered with chaff, ired in an oxidizing atmosphere, impresso– decoration, and some fragments were covered with a red slip (Pl. II/6). No structures of the Early Neolithic were detected within the trench. The bottom of the anthropogenic layers in trench 1 was reached at 2.2 meters below the surface (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 67). Trench 2, was placed at the edge of the area in the lat part of the Neolithic settlement that had been geophysically surveyed (Plan 1, upper right corner). This was close to 100 meters northeast of trench 1 and it conirmed the existence of anthropogenic layers of ca. 1.5 meters depth, though no identiiable features were detected in the excavation. Finds indicated that occupation occurred in this part of the site during the Late Neolithic period only and no traces of the Early Neolithic Starčevo/Körös inds were detected. Finally, trench 3 was placed over a large geomagnetic anomaly about 15 meters to the south of trench 2 in order to conirm its nature. Approximately 20–25 centimetres below the surface the remains of a burned daub structure, together with its content were discovered and recorded (Fig. 7). Pottery sherds recovered are dated to the Late Neolithic period, thus conirming that the upper levels of the lat settlement can be dated to the same period as those of the tell itself (Мирковић–Марић 2016, 67). The pottery consisted of cooking pots with horizontal rows of rounded impressions below the rim, cooking pans and knee– shaped handles with two sided protuberances. Comparanda for these features is 2 Drawings and photos by Irina Kajtez, Stephen Fox and Jelena Arsenijević. 136 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Fig. 7. Remains of in situ burnt structure on the Neolithic settlement (copyright Borderlands project) Сл. 7. In situ остаци изгорелог објекта од лепа у неолитском насељу (документација Bordlerlands пројекта) found on pottery material from the late Neolithic period Kremenjak site near Čoka (Banner 1960). The Bronze–Iron Age Fortiied Settlement 1.2 ha of the Bronze Age enclosure was surveyed geophysically and a series of suboval anomalies indicating structural features within the rampart were detected (Plan 2). Similar to the Neolithic part of the site, a series of smaller geological probes were placed through the surveyed area on a north–south axis, spaced about 30 meters apart. These conirmed the existence of anthropogenic layers up to 1.5 meters (in features) thick at certain locations. The detected anomalies occur grouped and spaced apart, but there does not appear to be any detectable pattern. This said, the limited size of the survey hinders a detailed spatial analysis. Another interesting feature, detected by geophysical survey is the construction of the earthen rampart, which appears to be made using a casemate technique, with a palisade on the highest point of the rampart (Plan 2, top right corner). The primary goal of the excavations undertaken in the central part of the Late Bronze Age–Early Iron Age earthen rampart was to check the results of the 137 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања geophysical survey conducted earlier during the campaign. Trench 4, 2x2 meters in size (later expanded by additional 2x2 meters in the east) was laid over a clearly identiiable circular anomaly, possibly a pit (Fig. 8). It must be stated that due to limited resources, the trench was placed to encompass the boundaries of the anomaly solely without expanding into the surrounding area. Fig. 8. Geophysical survey data overlapping the outlines of feature 12 in trench 4 (copyright Borderlands project) Сл. 8. Геофизичка мерења преклопљена преко контура целине 12 у сонди 4 (документација Bordlerlands пројекта) Between 35 and 40 cm below the surface, on the boundary of the topsoil layer and the archaeological layers, the outline of a suboval pit with a diameter of about 160 cm at the widest part became clearly visible. The excavations established that the shape of the pit cut was rather unusual but not unseen previously in settlements of the middle/late Bronze Age horizon like Feudvar (Hänsel, Medović. 1991, 112, Abb. 21) or Židovar.3 The southeast half of the pit, somewhat shallower than the central and the western part could have performed as a kind of an access platform (Fig. 9). In close proximity, to the north of the pit, several potential postholes about 10 cm in diameter were detected, possibly representing 3 Unpublished results. 138 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... the remains of an above ground construction used to cover the pit. Larger pieces of wall daub, considered as pit inill at irst, can potentially be further evidence for this assumption. The limited size of the trench however prevented us from testing this hypothesis further. Fig. 9. Scale drawing of feature 12 in trench 4 (copyright Borderlands project) Сл. 9. Основа целине 12 у сонди 4 (документација Bordlerlands пројекта) 139 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања The most direct parallels for almost all of the ceramic vessels discovered in pit 4 can be found on other sites of the Kalakača – Gornea horizon like a large pithos – amphora, decorated with an afixed ribbon containing inger imprints (Pl. III/1) with relatively thin walls for a vessel of that size. Although this has moderately conical neck which is somewhat atypical along with a slightly everted rim, indicating strong links with sites in neighbouring Romania (Gumă 1993, 199. Pl. L/4). Based on Medović’s typology (Medović 1988, 390) of Kalakača ceramic vessels, this specimen can be classiied as a Type 1 pithos. To the same (Kalakača–Gornea) horizon we can attribute the other pithos with slightly everted rim (Pl. IV/2), decorated with facets emphasized by rows of impressions made by a pointed instrument on the vessel shoulder. The whole vessel is divided into ields with rows of short, incised “dashes” organised into parallel lines. Such ornamentation, unknown in the Kalakača ceramic inventory, is more common on Romanian sites (Gumă 1993, 199. Pl. LI/3, 4, 8). It can be said without a doubt, that the rest of the typologically sensitive material (Pl. IV) can be attributed to the developed phase of the Kalakača–Gornea horizon, equating broadly with Central European Ha A2–B. It is possible that pit 4 represents a grain silo, a common interpretation of similar features on sites of the Kalakača horizon. The discovery of a large quantity of charred seeds at the base of the pit certainly indicates that cereal storage and processing was taking place in this vicinity. The shape of the pit however differs from the usual forms present at the site of Kalakača and neighbouring sites (Jevtić 2011, 31–32) or the Asfaltna baza site near Zemun, and only one pit (pit 50) from Kalakača (Medović 1988, 141) from a total of about 400 known pit structures of this period, resembles the character of this structure. Conclusion The renewed archaeological research at the site of Gradište near Iđoš targets three key phases that represent the periods of major social change in the region: 1) Early Neolithic (6000–5300 cal BC) 2) Middle–Late Neolithic (5300–4500 cal BC) 3) Bronze Age–Iron Age transition (1300–800 cal BC) Located between major cultural complexes of Central Europe and the Balkans, the liminal role of Iđoš underwrites the importance of the site for research topics related to social boundaries, population dynamics and identity. By cross–referencing social characteristics of three transformative periods with data 140 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... obtained from one site, the project aims to explore the interaction between the landscape, environment and people, with particular focus on deining practices and the receptivity of inluences from the major cultural complexes of the region. In 2014 the irst stage of the new Borderlands ARISE project aimed to evaluate the archaeological potential of the site and consolidate the methodological framework for the research and excavation. The 2014 campaign shed light on the layout and spatial organisation of the site, and gives some initial clues about the stratigraphic sequence. The core area of the Neolithic settlement was the south tell with 2.5 m deep cultural layer and with the remains of Starčevo/Körös, early Vinča and Vinča and Tisza material culture. The Early Neolithic settlement was detected only on that part of the site. The Late Neolithic settlement consists of a tell surrounded by a probable wall/fence accompanied by a ditch and a lat horizontal settlement to the northeast of it. The settlement structures are tightly placed rectangular houses with more or less the same northeast–southwest orientation and they are organised in small clusters. The horizontal part of the settlement is much larger, with pronounced horizontal stratigraphy. The lat area has 1.5 m of cultural layers and it does not appear to contain remains of the Early Neolithic Starčevo/Körös period. The Late Neolithic settlement of Gradište did not elude the dramatic, iery end, common in the Late Neolithic settlements throughout the Balkans and Central Europe during the middle of 5th millennium BC (Tasić et al, 2015). Both the tell and the lat portion of the site were burned in ire never to be rebuilt again. Although faint evidence for the Early Copper Age occupation of the area exists on nearby sites of Podlokanj (Grčki–Stanimirov, 1998, Grčki–Stanimirov and Stanimirov–Grčki, 1997) and Crna Bara (Garašanin and Garašanin, 1957), on current evidence the site of Gradište remained unoccupied until the closing centuries of the Bronze Age. At that time, a large settlement with an earthen rampart was constructed to the east of the Neolithic settlement. This enclosure, although researched by Grbić (1950, 1951) has not so far yielded evidence of domestic structures within the rampart. Instead, so far two pits were excavated, one containing a pithos with charred grain and other pottery, whilst over a dozen were detected using geophysical surveying. It is our hope that future research on the site will shed more light on the issues presented in this report. In the coming years, further research in Gradište will include excavation of several larger areas in locations with speciic archaeological potential as identiied by our ongoing geophysical work and surface prospection in the ield. This will enable us to better investigate the organisation of settlements in each distinct period and to critically evaluate the relationship of 141 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања communities there with others that inhabited the culturally distinct regions surrounding the site. A detailed processing of archaeological material (pottery, stone artefacts, animal bones and other inds), including various physical and chemical analyses are being undertaken and will be reported in future publications. Following systematic publication, the inal step we propose for this project will be to propose that an archaeological park is established to be complemented by the organisation of exhibition(s) in the National Museum Kikinda. This would deal with Gradište site and the prehistory of Banat with accompanying catalogues and popular publications, archaeological workshops and public events (including experimental archaeology) in the National Museum Kikinda. REFERENCES Bánffy, E. 2007. Cultural contacts between Neolithic Eastern and Western Hungary (the indings of the 1957 Csőszhalom excavations). In The Lengyel, Polgár and related cultures in the Middle/Late Neolithic in Central Europe, eds. Janusz K. Kozłowski and Pal Raczky, 71–82. 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Грчки-Станимиров, С. and Станимиров-Грчки, С. 1997. Енеолитско и средњевековно налазиште код Подлокања. Гласник Српског археолошког друштва 13: 89–94. Gumă, M. 1993. Civilizaţia primei epoci a Fierului în Sud-Vestul Romaniei. Bibliotheca Thracologica. Bucureşti: Institutul Romăn de Tracologie. 142 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Gyucha, A., Yerkes, R. W., Parkinson W. A., Sarris, A., Papadopoulos, N. , Duffy, P. R. and Salisbury, R. B. 2015. Settlement Nucleation in the Neolithic: A Preliminary Report of the Körös Regional Archaeological Project’s Investigations at Szeghalom-Kovácshalom and Vésztő-Mágor. In Neolithic and Copper Age between the Carpathians and the Aegean Sea. Chronologies and Technologies from the 6th to the 4th Millennium BCE. International Workshop Budapest 2012, eds. Svend Hansen, Alexandra Anders, Pal Raczky and Agathe Reingruber, 129-142. Bonn: Dr. Rudolph Habelt Verlag. Hänsel, B. and Medović, P. 1991. Vorbericht über die jugoslawischen-deutschen Ausgrabungen in der Siedlung von Feudvar bei Mošorin (Gem. Titel Vojvodina) von 19861990. Bericht der Romisch-Germanischen Kommission. Mainz: Romisch Germanischen Kommission 72. Horvath, F. 1982. A gorzsai halom késő neolit rétegei. (The Late Neolithic Stratum of the Gorzsa Tell). Archaeologia Èrtesitő 109: 201–222. Horváth, F. 1985. A késő neolitikum kutatása Csongrád megyében. Múzeumi kutatások Csongrád megyében (1985): 89–102. Jevtić, M. 2011. Čuvari žita u praistoriji, studija o žitnim jamama sa Kalakače kod Beške. Katalog izložbe. Beograd: Filozofski fakultet, Vršac: Gradski muzej Vršac. Koprivica, D. and Strajin, V. 1994. Tumač za list Kikinda (L34-77). Osnovna geološka karta Savezne Republike Jugoslavije. Savezno ministarstvo za privredu. Beograd: Geokarta. Medović, A., Hofmann, R., Stanković-Pešterac, T., Dreibrodt, S., Medović, I. and Pešterac, R. 2014. The Late Neolithic settlement mound Borđoš near Novi Bečej, Serbian Banat, in a multiregional context – Preliminary results of geophysical, geoarchaeological and archaeological research. Rad muzeja Vojvodine 56 (2014): 1–33. Medović, P. 1984. Odbrambeni sistemi u praistoriji i antici na tlu Jugoslavije: referati XII kongresa arheologa Jugoslavije (Verteidigungssysteme in der Vorgeschichte und Antike im Gebiet von Jugoslawien). Novi Sad: Arheološko društvo Vojvodine, Savez arheoloških društava Jugoslavije. Medović, P. 1988. Kalakača, naselje ranog gvozdenog doba, Novi Sad: Vojvođanski Muzej. Mирковић-Марић, Н. 2016. Материјална култура, организација насеља и интеракције у позном неолиту на подручју војвођанског Баната. Докторска дисертација. Београд: Филозофски факултет, Универзитет у Београду. Петровић, Б. 2010. Асфалтна база у Земуну, насеље раног гвозденог доба. Београд: Музеј града Београда. Raczky, P. 1987. Öcsöd-Kováshalom. In The Late Neolithic of the Tisza region, ed. Pal Raczky, 61–84. Budapeszt-Solnok: Directorate of the Szolnok County Museums. 143 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања Raczky, P. and Anders, A. 2010. Activity loci and data for spatial division at a late Neolithic site-complex. In Leben auf dem Tell als soziale Praxis. Beiträge des Internationalen Symposiums in Berlin vom 26.-27. Februar 2007, , ed. Svend Hansen, 143–164. Eurasien-Abteilung des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Berlin. Bonn: Dr. Rudoplh Habelt GmbH. Raczky, P. and Meier-Arendt, W.. 1998. Der spätneolithische Siedlungshügel von Polgár-Csőszhalom. Frankfurt: Kom. Hajdú-Bihar. Wissenschaftsstadt. Sümegi, Pal and Kertész, René. 2001. Palaeogeographic characteristics of the Carpathian Basin – an ecological trap during the Early Neolithic? In From the Mesolithic to the Neolithic. Proceedings of the International Archaeological Conference, Szolnok, September 22nd-27th, 1996, eds. René Kertész and János Makkay, 405–415. Budapest: Archaeolingua. Трифуновић, Станко. 2012. Археолошка топографија општине Нови Кнежевац. Археолошка топографија Баната, том I. Нови Сад: Музеј Војводине. 144 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Мирослав Марић Балканолошки Институт, САНУ, Београд Неда Мирковић–Марић Међуопштински завод за заштиту споменика културе, Суботица Бари Молој Универзитетски колеџ Даблин Драган Јовановић Градски музеј Вршац Патрик Мертл Институт за праисторију и рану историју Јоханес Гутенберг, Универзитет у Мајнцу Лидија Милашиновић Народни музеј Кикинда Југослав Пендић Београд НОВИ РЕЗУЛТАТИ АРХЕОЛОШКИХ ИСКОПАВАЊА ЛОКАЛИТЕТА ГРАДИШТЕ КОД ИЂОША: СЕЗОНА 2014. ГОДИНЕ Кључне речи: Банат, неолит, винчанска и потиска култура, брозано доба / гвоздено доба Археолошки локалитет Градиште код Иђоша у општини Кикинда добро je познато у археолошкој литератури. Локалитет је ископаван у више наврата од 1913. године и познат је по постојању каснонеолитског насеља са траговима материјалне културе који припадају винчанским и потиским заједницама, откривених у истим контекстима. Поред тога, локалитет је познат по великом утврђеном насељу касног бронзаног, раног гвозденог доба пречника 250 метара. Четири деценије након последњих ископавања на локалитету покренута су нова истраживања 2014. године на основу којих се покушавају објаснити културни процеси у праисторији овог дела Панонске низије, као и односи између потиских и винчанских заједница у подручју северног и средњег Баната. Поред тога, археолошка истраживања обухватиће и транзициони период између бронзаног и гвозденог доба. Мултидисциплинарни приступ и примена нових метода и технологија у спрези са археолошким ископавањима бацају ново светло на овај значајан праисторијски локалитет. Прва сезона нове истраживачке кампање фокусирана је 145 ГСАД/JSAS 32 (2016) Ископавања и рекогносцирања на геофизичку проспекцију око 2 хектара локалитета и ископавања у више стратиграфских сонди постављених на целој површини локалитета. Геофизичка снимања неолитског насеља (План 1) обухватила су простор тела и равног дела насеља североисточно одатле и потврдила постојање већег броја правоугаоних горелих објеката од лепа, груписаних у редове, оријентације североисток–југозапад дужим странама, са мањим одступањима. Стратиграфске сонде 1–3 (План 1), постављене на неолитском насељу, показале су да на телу постоји преко 2 m археолошких слојева (сонда 1) у којима су заступљени налази потиске, винчанске и старчевачке провенијенције, али и трагови окупације из времена касног бронзаног доба, док у равном делу насеља (сонде 2 и 3) археолошки слој достиже и до 1,5 m дебљине. Парцијално ископана јама (целина 3) у југоисточном углу сонде 1 (сл. 6) лоцирана на самом телу пружила је доказе о коришћењу овог дела локалитета и у касном бронзаном добу. У остатку сонде детектована су бар два објекта од лепа, један горели (целина 6) и један негорели (целина 11). Услед ограничених димензија стратиграфских сонди (све сонде биле су димензија 2 x 2 m, али је сонда 4 накнадно проширена за још 2 x 2 m да би се у потпуности обухватио укоп јаме) није било могуће детектовати постојање археолошке целине из периода старчевачке културе у сонди 1, али је у слоју праисторијског хумуса детектовано више фрагмената керамике који се могу датовати у овај период (Т. I–II ). Сонде 2 и 3, постављене на равном делу неолитског насеља, око 100 m североисточно од тела, показују постојање каснонеолитског слоја, али не и остатке насеља које би се могло приписати старчевачким заједницама. Делимично истражени објекат од печеног лепа у сонди 3 (cл. 7), на основу покретног археолошког материјала, могао би се определити као потиски. Геофизичка истраживања бронзанодобног дела локалитета на око 1,2 хектара била су усмерена на покривање простора унутар обима земљаног утврђења (План 2). Приликом снимања потврђено је више кружних аномалија у оквиру утврђења, али других остатака структура, нарочито оних од лепа није било. Услед ограничених финансија, постављена је само једна сонда изнад неправилно кружне геомагнетне аномалије (cл. 8) не би ли се јасно дефинисала њена функција. У питању је јама, пречника око 1,6 метара, која је откривена на око 35–40 cm испод површине тла. Аналогије за ову јаму могуће је пронаћи на локалитетима Феудвар (Hänsel, Medović. 1991, 112, Abb. 21) и Жидовар. На спољашњем ободу јаме откривено је неколико потенцијалних јама стубова пречника око 10 цм који би могли чинити основу покривне конструкције од дрвета. Покретни археолошки налази из јаме указују на Калакача-Горнеа хоризонт (Т. III–IV). 146 M. Marić, N. Mirković-Marić et al. New results of the Archaeological... Истраживања 2014. године, иако ограничена у обиму, дала су значајне нове податке, како на неолитском, тако и на бронзано/гвозденодобном насељу. Прва геофизичка снимања тела и равног дела насеља потврдила су постојање знатног броја структура од лепа које су стратиграфским ископавањима датоване у период касног неолита. Постојање старчевачког слоја, иако и до сада познато на основу старијих ископавања и површинских налаза сада је јасније ограничено на подручје тела. Геофизичка снимања насеља у земљаном утврђењу показала су да је врло вероватно да у оквиру бронзано/гвозденодобног насеља неће бити остатака правоугаоних структура од лепа, већ само укопа јама. Могуће је да су надземни објекти у оквиру бедема били или од дрвета или нису ни постојали уопште. Истраживања планирана за следећу годину пружиће, надамо се, више информација. 147 Plan 1. Geophysical survey data of the Neolithic settlement План 1. Геофизички снимак неолитског насеља 148 Plan 2. Geophysical survey data of the Bronze Age settlement План 2. Геофизички снимак насеља прелазног периода 149 Pl. I Vessel Fragments, trench 1 (1- spit 7, 2–5 - spit 8, 6–8 - spit 10) T. I Фрагменти посуда, сонда 1 (1- о.с. 7, 2–5 - о.с. 8, 6–8 - о.с. 10) 150 Pl. II Vessel Fragments, trench 1 (1–2 - spit 7, 3–4 - spit 11, 5 - spit 14, 6 - spit 15) T. II Фрагменти посуда, сонда 1. (1–2 - o.s. 7, 3–4 - o.s. 11, 5 - o.s. 14, 6 - o.s. 15) 151 Pl. III Vessel Fragments, trench 4 T. III Фрагменти питоса, сонда 4 152 Pl. IV Vessel Fragments, trench 4 T. IV Фрагменти посуда, сонда 4 153