UDC 903"637/638"(497.11) DOI: 10.2298/STA0656073S 73

MILORAD STOJI] Institute of Archaeology,

REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRNJICA CULTURAL GROUP

Abstract. – A large number of newly registered and researched sites help to distinguish regional characteristics in the Brnjica cultural group development. On the basis of special features in the material culture, pottery in the first place, several regional entities were identified: (1) Kosovo with the Ra{ka Region and Pe{ter, (2) The Ju`na and Zapadna Morava confluence zone is characterized by interweaving of the Brnjica and Para}in cultural groups and, afterwards, by a mixture of Brnjica cultural group elements with the Iron Age I a – b cultural groups from the Velika Morava basin, (3) The –Ni{ region is characterized by symbiosis, after the initial phase, and later on by integration of the Brnjica cultural group with the ethno-cultural complex Iron Age I b in the Morava basin, and (4) the Ju`na Morava Region, upstream from Gorge, the P~inja and the Upper Vardar Regions, is characterized by specific Brnjica cultural group archaeological material. The sites with Brnjica type pottery finds in Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv as well as on a number of sites in Pelagonia, Lower Vardar basin, on the island of Thasos and Thessaly, show the extent of influence of the Brnjica cultural group within the period between the 13th and 12th centuries BC and portend the role of the Brnjica population in the events designated as the Aegean Migration.

Key words. – Brnjica cultural group, regional characteristics, pottery, iron, Aegean migration.

ntil recently, our knowledge of the Brnjica were carried out on a multilevel settlement of the cultural group (or cultural group Donja Brnjica Brnjica cultural group in the southeast part of the Hisar U– Gornja Stra`ava) was based on the research site in Leskovac. On that occasion, only the trial exca- results from fifteen or so sites, mainly necropolises.1 vation of an area of 4 x 2 m showed Brnjica cultural There were no data on settlements and habitations.2 group layers of 1.2 m in depth with four strata, repre- The total archaeological collection of the Brnjica com- senting four development phases of this cultural group munity amounted to less than three hundred objects, mostly ceramic vessels.3 This cultural group was cha- racterized as the final phase, »… of a long evolution to be 1 Gara{anin 1983, 774; Lazi} 1996. followed with certainty through the entire , 2 Gara{anin 1983, 775. while closely connected to the Balkan– comp- 3 Lazi} 1996. lex and elements the linguists mark as Dako–Moesian. 4 Gara{anin 1983, 778. Therefore, this group’s finds could be identified with 5 Bulatovi} 2000, Bulatovi} 2001; Bulatovi}, Tomovi}, the non-Illyrian component in the Dardanian ethno- Kapuran, 2005; Ercegovi}-Pavlovi}, Kosti}, 1988, 24; Gara{a- nin D. 1996; Georgiev, 1989; Georgiev 1991; Georgiev 1992, Hänsel, genesis.«4 Hochstetter 1986; Hochstetter 1984; Jevti} 1990; Jevti} 1997; Jova- After M. Gara{anin’s synthesis in the Praistorija novi} 1999; Krsti} 1992; Lazi} 1996; Lazi} 2005; Luci 1997; Luci jugoslovenskih zemalja, the works of a larger number 1998; Luci 1998a; Medovi} 2001; Mehmetaj 1990; Mehmetaj 1993; of authors significantly promoted the cognition on ter- Mitrevski 1993; Mitrevski 1997; Mitrevski 2003; Peji} 2001; ritory, genesis, development, settlements, habitations, Stefanovich-Bankoff 1998; Stoji} 2000; Stoji} 2000a; Stoji} 2001; material culture, forms of economy, chronology and Stoji} 2001a; Stoji} 2002; Stoji} 2003; Stoji} 2006; Stoji}, Joci} 5 2000; Stoji}, Joci}, Peri} 2000; Stoji}, Peri}, Joci} 1999; other characteristics of the Brnjica cultural group. Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2001; Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2006; Stoji}–Joci} The year 1999 was the turning point in Brnjica 2006; Stoji}, Pe{i}, Jovi} 2007; Tasi} 1996; Tasi} 1997; Tasi} community research when archaeological excavations 1998; Tasi} 2001, Tasi} 2003.

STARINAR LVI/2006. 74 MILORAD STOJI]

(Brnjica I a–b, Brnjica II a–b). Several thousands objects the thin and poor IV stratum is the obvious reflection were unearthed (mainly pottery fragments) of which of the situation in the wider region of the Morava basin around one thousand were published.6 The oldest stra- (Morava basin I c phase) and central Balkans – the tum was characterized by pottery forms already known consequence of the sudden population decrease. from earlier researched necropolises of this cultural The archaeological excavations in Leskovac gave group – urn type vessels with a plastic ring around the the key to identification of the Brnjica finds in other inner rim edge, S-profiled bowls on a more or less pro- museums in the Morava basin; through classification nounced bottom (with some objects the belly is orna- of material and intensive identification, trial and pro- mented with distinctly broad slanting cannelures), tective excavations, fifty-four Brnjica cultural group pear-shaped goblets with distinctly broad slanting sites have been designated, of which ten are in the Vra- cannelures on the belly, then goblets and cups with nje region: Ljanik, Svinji{te, Bilja~a, Kon~ulj, Lu~ane, triangular rim broadening and, sporadically, large cone Surdul, Priboj, Klinovac, Piljakovac and @ujince; bowls with faceted rim. The structure of the pottery twenty-five in the Leskovac region: Leskovac, Vu~je, differed greatly from those found at necropolises, it was Grdelica, Crcavac, Vrapce (Mihajilo Joji} homestead mainly fine and medium; there was also a great diffe- site), Vrapce (Ku}ev{tine site), Sijarinska banja, Ma}e- rence in the baking grade and processing of the outer donce, Bobi{te (Izvori{te site), Bobi{te (Sastanci site), surface (grinding/polishing). In the following stratum @ivkovo, Sem~e, Zbe`i{te, Toga~evac, Ja{unja, Jarse- (II), beside all ceramic forms found in stratum I, there novo, Lapotince, Vlasotince, , Podrimci, Mala was a smaller amount of cannelured ceramics; the Grabovnica, Zloku}ane, Lipovica and Pirot 9; eight in number of S–profiled bowls was smaller, but the num- Ni{ region: , Gornja Glama, Donje , ber of cone bowls with faceted rim and cups had in- Mal~a, Ni{ – Medijana, Ni{ – Bubanj, Paradik and creased. In stratum III, the S–profiled bowls are scarce, Hum10, and eleven sites within the Ju`na and Zapadna while the share of other ceramic forms, characteristic Morava confluence zone: Boljevac, Globoder, Zdravi- of the two oldest strata, is significantly diminished, nje, Jasenje, Kru{evac, Makre{ane, Mali [iljegovac, with a sudden enhancement of the share of cannelured Ma~kovac, Praskov~e, Stala} and ^itluk.11 ceramics of Iron Age I b type of the Morava basin7. The archaeological excavations in Leskovac were The last, IV stratum, is thin and except for the 1999 intensified from 2002.12 These excavations have been trial excavation, it is found only in certain parts of the carried out up to the present; research was carried out site. A predominance of cannelured ceramics is charac- on different parts of the site covering an area of over teristic for stratum IV, with sporadic finds of Brnjica 1,500 m². An enormous quantity of archaeiological ceramics typical for strata I and II at the Hisar site. material was unearthed: tens of thousands of objects The information acquired led to the conclusion that the Hisar site represents the entire development of the Brnjica cultural group in the Ju`na Morava basin 6 Stoji} 2000, 12–16; Stoji} 2001, 17–25; Kapuran, Stoji} and that the basis out of which the Brnjica cultural 2000. group developed were the cultural elements from the last 7 »Cannelured ceramics« from strata I and II differ essentially phase of the Vatin cultural group (Mojsinje–Dobra~a from the cannelured ceramics from strata III and IV; cannelures on the ceramics from strata I and II (Brnjica I phase) are shallow and horizon)– (for instance: goblets and cups with trian- roughly performed, while those from the strata III and IV are dis- gular rim broadening, cannelured bowls and S-profiled tinct and precisely performed and thus very similar to the ceramics goblets and one or double handled goblets very similar canneluring technique of the Iron Age I b type of the Morava basin. to the corresponding Vatin forms from the Mojsinje- Not applied on the Brnjica II period ceramics, grooving is the cha- –Dobra~a horizon)8; that already in the second phase racteristic technique for the Brnjica I period ceramics. On ceramics from the Iron Age I b phase in the Morava basin refer to: Stoji} 1986, (strata II–Brnjica I b phase) contacts were made with 42–48; Stoji} 2004, 149, 156–157. the cultural complex Iron Age I a from the lower 8 Stoji} 1998. Morava basin, manifested in the cannelured ceramics 9 Ercegovi}-Pavlovi}, Kosti} 1988, 24; Stoji} 2000, 12–20; characterizing to the greatest extent the cultural groups Stoji} 2001, 10–18; Stoji}, 2003, 120–121; Bulatovi} 2000, 23–42; of the complex; the predominance of the cannelured Bulatovi} 2001, 163–178; Bulatovi}, Tomovi}, Kapuran 2005, ceramics in the III stratum (Brnjica II cultural group 399–437. 10 Stoji}, Joci} 2006, 55, 80, 95, 134, 149, 157, 199, 229. phase) can be explained by the influx of the ethnic 11 ^a|enovi} 2001; Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2006, 64, 87, 91, 94, element from the North (Morava basin I b phase) and 102, 155, 160, 177, 186, 207, 225. its mingling with the autochthonous population, while 12 Stoji} 2002, 236–238. REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRNJICA CULTURAL GROUP 75

(vessels, pottery fragments with typological or style nica and river basins in the east-west direc- characteristics, ceramics and items in bronze, bone, tion, a large settlement of the Brnjica cultural group was iron and stone) and architectural plastics. situated, consisting of a fortification – acropolis on the The main characteristic of the Hisar site of over highest and most prominent part of the site and of speci- hundred hectars is its scarce population during the alized settlement parts on the slopes. The entire Brnji- Brnjica cultural group period; only the plateau of ca cultural group development was documented in the several hectars in size and several terraces on the Hisar vertical stratigraphy and in dozens of closed entities. hill slopes, also covering an area of several hectars, Architectural plastics (zig zag grooves, spirals, circles) show traces of scarce population. During the Brnjica strongly resemble the Mycenaean architectural plastics, cultural group period, the plateau was protected by a on one hand, and the architectural plastics in the Velika deep moat with a palisade on its inner side, a fortifica- Morava basin and in the Serbian Danube valley, on the tion similar to that from a significantly later period of other.17 prehistory (8th century BC) on the Gradac site in Lani- In Kosovo and Metohija, necropolises are predo- {te in the Velika Morava basin.13 The cultural layer of minant among the sites,18 but two settlements were the Brnjica cultural group reaches over 1.6 m in certain identified (Vala~ and Tene{dol)19. Though it is not parts of the plateau, and in vertical stratigraphy the advisable to make final conclusions on the material first three strata, evidenced in the 1999 trial excavation culture characteristics of a community on the basis of were confirmed. the finds – grave offerings (particularly of the »grave On the terrace, where the first excavations were pottery«), the finds from the Brnjica cultural group carried out in 1999, a center was settlements – among which there were no cannelured discovered with evidence of iron production as well as ceramics of the Iron Age I types of the Morava basin – of ferrous objects manufacture from the first two pha- point to the uniqueness of the Brnjica community in ses of the Brnjica cultural group.14 The find of a cast this large central Balkan basin. Brnjica cultural group for moulding bronze axes – kelts indicated that bronze pottery from Kosovo is identical to the pottery found objects were produced in the same place. Slag locations in strata I and II on the Hisar site in Leskovac. Does it were also found, several ferrous objects, multi-armed air mean that in Kosovo are represented only the oldest blowing ceramic pipes (for blowing air into the furna- phases of the Brnjica cultural group, or, on the other ces), dozens of furnaces (of which several at least were hand, that the community development in Kosovo had used for ore smelting; under a furnace calotte were a different direction lasting as long as the Brnjica found smaller pieces of amorphous iron), hundreds of cultural group in the Ju`na Morava basin? It is possible millstones (on some, traces of ore grinding were preser- that Kosovo had a specific role within the framework ved), large pieces of amorphous iron (the largest spe- of the Brnjica community; for instance – seasonal pas- cimen of several kilograms was found in a furnace), ture regions or livestock winter shelter for the wider charcoal pits.15 On this part of the site were found to- gether: a bronze axe – kelt and a cruciform ferrous axe. Here were also found: a bronze razor similar to the Vin~a 13 Stoji} 1986, 61–62. specimen and a needle for which there are analogies in 14 16 Stoji} 2002, 238; Stoji} 2006; Stoji}, Pe{i}, Jovi} 2007, specimens from Banat and Ma~va (Ha A). These 30–31. th th bronze artefacts, dated to the 12 –11 century BC, con- 15 Stoji} 2006; Stoji}, Pe{i}, Jovi}, 2007, 31. firm the conclusions based on ceramics, on the share of 16 Weber 1996, 219, cat. no. 487; Vasi} 2003, 80–81, cat. no. the cultures from the lower Posavina and the Serbian 530–531; Stoji}, Pe{i}, Jovi} 2007; Paper is at hand: Bronze Danube valley in events during that century in the Ju`na and Ferrous Artefacts of the Brnjica Cultural Group from the Hisar Site in Leskovac. Morava basin and in the south of the Balkan Peninsula. 17 Stoji} 1986, 31, fig. 3, 9–10; Stoji} 2004, 66, T. XLII/11, Judging by an exceptionally great number of bone 73, T. LII/7, 79, T. LVIII/16, 95, T. LXXVI/8, 99, T. LXXX/17–18, artefacts, semi-finished articles and bone remnants, 100, T. LXXXI/19, 119, T. XCVIII, 121, T. CII/3, 124, T. CVII/8–9, found on one of the terraces of the Hisar site, there must 126, T. CIX/2, 130, T. CXIV/9–19, 135, T. CXX/12; Hänsel 1991, have been the specialized workshop for production of 71–83. 18 bone objects. Srejovi} 1960, 83–135; Mehmetaj, 1993; Lazi} 1996; Luci 1997, 120–146; Luci 1998, 165–175; Tasi} 1997, 287–299; Tasi} Thus, on the Hisar site in Leskovac, in the Ju`na 2001, 7–14; Tasi} 2003, 39–61. Morava basin centre, at the unavoidable point of all the 19 Tasi} 1960, 45–47; T. III/2, T. IV/5, T. VI/6, T. VII/1–2; communications, and within the Jabla- Mehmetaj 1990, 89–92.

STARINAR LVI/2006. 76 MILORAD STOJI] community; geographically, it was a well isolated region, 14th century BC) characterized by the Brnjica and Pa- encircled by mountains and protected from the strong ra}in cultural groups elements, then the features with winds blowing along the Morava valley. Settlements exclusive Brnjica ceramics and those in which Brnjica in Kon~ulj, Tene{dol and Vala~, suggest that Kosovo elements are permeated with the ones characteristic of distributed its defence system along its bordering lines the Iron Age I in the Morava basin, and, finally, nume- and along the communication routes leading into this rous features with exclusive archaeological material large valley. The necropolises in the central part of Ko- typical for the Iron Age I b in the Morava basin, among sovo, except for burials, could have played the role of which there are several grave entities.22 exceptional sacred places by which ownership over In the –Bujanovac basin and the gravitating territory was emphasized, implying the responsibility regions there are numerous lowland and hill fort settle- of countrymen to take care of these sacred places at ments.23 The hill fort settlements are located in such a any price (as well as of the territory as a whole) as they fashion that they are obviously part of a defence sys- represented also strongly fixed landmarks in seasonal tem within smaller geographic features – basins. movements. It was quite clear that they counted on the Among those settlements are ones with palisade forti- »help« of their dead countrymen to intercede with ce- fications (Kon~ulj), like the Hisar site in Leskovac, lestial powers and secure the existence and future of the while some (Svinji{te), are protected with a dry stone community. Under such circumstances it is important wall.24 The region is characterized by ceramic forms to have an identity, a definite burial ritual and the same such as the ones from the oldest Brnjica cultural group kinds of offerings, which was shown exactly in the phase in the Hisar site in Leskovac, then by the incised reproduction of the same or very similar grave offerings decoration ceramics, while the cannelured ceramics of over a longer period. For instance, the novelties, such the Iron Age I type in the Morava basin is found at a as the cannelured vessels, emerging under the influen- limited number of sites and exclusively in the Ju`na ce of the Velika Morava basin within the Iron Age I Morava valley.25 period, do not appear in the graves. The appearance of In Macedonia, particularly in the P~inja and Var- such artefacts in the necropolises meant an essential dar basins, a large number of sites are registered with change of the ethnic and cultural identity, which was Brnjica ceramics type. There are fifteen sites of the not the case with the Kosovo necropolises. Thus, doubt Brnjica ceramics in the P~inja basin.26 At the Klju~ka remains whether the Brnjica community in Kosovo site in Skopje were found more or less all the ceramic lasted as long as the one in the Ju`na Morava basin or forms and decoration techniques as the ones from the shorter, the latter being more plausible. Hisar site in Leskovac.27 To this site belong parts of a On the Pe{ter and Ra{ka regions necropolises and helmet made of wild boar’s teeth, pointing to the undis- settlements were registered at Delime|e, Dojevi}e, De- puted influence of the Mycenaean world.28 A collec- lime|e–Melaje, Novopazarska Banja and Postenje.20 tion of the Brnjica vessels, characteristic of the Brnjica Within the Ju`na Morava and Zapadna Morava con- I period, was found in the Varo{ site in Prilep.29 fluence zones there are eleven Brnjica ceramics sites. Three kinds of sites are characteristic: (1) sites with Brnjica ceramics exclusively, (2) sites characterized 20 Letica 1979, 73–77; Letica 1981, 10–14; Lazi} 1996; by mixed Brnjica ceramics and Para}in cultural group Jevti} 1997, Pl. XV/1. ceramics (Para}in I) and (3) sites in which the Brnjica 21 ^a|enovi} 2001; Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2001, 48–55. ceramics are mixed with the cannelured ceramics of 22 Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2001, 47–80; Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2006, the Iron Age I type in the Morava basin.21 On the ter- 228–229, cat. no. 25–26; Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2006, 228–229, cat. ritory where the three main communications intersect no. 25–26. 23 Bulatovi} 2000, 23–42; Bulatovi} 2001, 163–178; Bula- in the central Balkans, exactly this kind of site could tovi}, Tomovi}, Kapuran 2005, 399–437; Lazi} 2005, 134–172. have been expected: the Morava basin in the direction 24 Information acquired from A. Bulatovi}, who carried out north-south, with the Zapadna Morava valley in the di- trial excavations on the site in 2006. rection east-west, in the region where the communities 25 Lazi} 2005, T. VIII/5–9, T. IX/1–3. from the Iron Age I in the Velika Morava and Zapadna 26 Georgiev 1989; Georgiev 1991; Georgiev 1992; Mitrevski Morava basins are faced and interwoven with the 1993, 115–124. 27 Mitrevski 1993, fig. 1–2. Brnjica cultural group. The Konopljara site in ^itluk is 28 Mitrevski 1993, 119, fig. 11. indicative for the historical interpretation of the period 29 Praistoria vo Makedonija 1976, 55, cat. 496–498; Hänsel, with its closed features from the late Bronze Age (ca. Hochstetter 1986, 255–262. REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRNJICA CULTURAL GROUP 77

In strata 18–9 on Kastanas, in the lower Vardar starting from the . It seems, however, that the basin, there are numerous and diverse ceramics rather present ratio of the registered number of the Brnjica similar to the Brnjica ceramics from the Ju`na Morava cultural group sites in the Ju`na Morava basin and basin sites; in strata 19–18 (ca. 1600–1400 BC)30; in other regions of the same community is unrealistic. If strata 17–15 (ca. 1400–1190 BC)31, in strata 14–11 in only the Ju`na Morava basin, a smaller part of the (1190–1000 BC)32, strata 10–8 (ca. 1000–900 BC)33. territory of the community, more than fifty Brnjica sites Some ceramic forms such as cone vessels with faceted are registered, then it can be presumed with utter cer- rim appear on Kastanas much later, as is the case with tainty that an exceptionally high number of settlements the cannelured ceramics. and necropolises can be expected over its entire terri- On the Kamena ~uka site in Blagoevgrad, the tory, which makes it a significantly higher number than Brnjica ceramics and one of the Mycenaean type were any of the contemporaneous cultures on the Balkan found together.34 Kamenska ~uka hill fort, by the lay- Peninsula. out and the way of building (stone fort) is much more Consequently, it could be stated at present that likely to have belonged to the Mycenaean civilization there are several regions on the Brnjica cultural group than to the Brnjica cultural group. Given its position on territory with certain specific characteristics as to the the best communication route leading from northern number of inhabitants, population density, appearance, to the North and the fact that it is situated at the size, topography and settlement disposition, material border of the Brnjica territory, it can be assumed with culture in individual development phases or during the certainty that the contacts of the Mycenaean world and entire development, particularly with regard to decora- the Brnjica community were made through this very tion and representation of respective ceramics forms, hill fort, which, was confirmed also by archaeological duration and several other characteristics; for instance, material.35 on the territory south of the Grdelica Gorge (in that part The Plovdiv hoard is the most eastern ceramics site of the Ju`na Morava basin, in P~inja and Vardar basins) similar to the Brnjica cultural group ceramics, while ceramics were more frequently decorated by incision, the necropolises in the Ra{ka region and the Postenje while cannelured ceramics appeared in scarce number. hill fort are the most western Brnjica ceramics sites The Leskovac and Ni{ regions, with the exception of (Detev, 1964; Jevti}, 1997, Pl. XV/1). The influence of the Brnjica cultural group is visible on the contempo- raneous ceramics in a larger number of sites in the 30 Hochstetter 1984, T. 1/1–14, T. 2/10, T. 3/1, 8, 110–12, T. north of Greece (up to Thessaly) including some of the 5/3–4, 7, T. 6/9, T. 7, T. 8, T. 9, T. 10/1 – the most typical ceramic northern Aegean islands (Thasos, for instance).36 form of the Brnjica cultural group; 31 Hochstetter 1984, T. 12/2, 3, 12, T. 15, T. 16, T. 21/2–7, T. 23/7–8, T. 24/4, 6–10, T. 25, T. 26, T. 27 (specifically figure 10 – * * * rim of the most typical urn of the Brnjica cultural group) T. 31/11, T. 33/3, 9–10, T. 34, T. 36, T. 37/5–13 In order to reach a conclusion on the number of sites, 32 Hochstetter 1984, T. 39/10, T. 45/10, T. 50 (specifically two territory, regional and other characteristics of the vessels of a type belonging to the most distributed urn kind in the Brnjica cultural group, it should be kept in mind that Brnjica cultural group) T. 56/8–9, T. 65/2, T. 70/5, T. 71/2 (the first appearance of the cannelured ceramics of the Iron Age I type in the the degree of investigation at individual geographical Morava basin) T. 76/1 (and of cone vessels with faceted rim) T. features belonging to the community differs very wi- 78/2–3, 6 (the handle reminding of the Brnjica handles with a tra- dely. When the Ju`na Morava basin is concerned, there pezium-like plastic decoration on its upper part) T. 99/3, 6–7 (can- are certain advantages singling it out from the neigh- nelured ceramics as the one in the Hisar site) T. 101/4, 8 (cannelured boring regions, such as: (primarily) its position on the ceramics as the one in the Hisar site) T. 102, T. 109/8, T. 110/8–9, T. 112/3 (cannelured ceramics as the one in the Hisar site). main and only communication in the central part of the 33 Hochstetter 1984, T. 116/3–5, 10, 12, T. 117/2–5, 10 (can- Balkan Peninsula in the direction north-south, the re- nelured goblets with plastic broadening on the shoulder, typical of markable fertility of the land reclaimed each year by Hisar site) T. 122/2 (strainer), T. 124, T. 125, T. 129 (cannelured gob- regular annual floods, somewhat more favourable cli- lets), T. 136/4–5, 138/7 square vessel as the Hisar specimen, T. 144, mate than some of the neighbouring regions (due to the T. 145, T. 147/3 (cover). 34 influence of the moderated Mediterranean climate Stefanovich, Bankoff 1998, 274, fig. 26/A–D. 35 Stefanovich, Bankoff 1998. across the Pre{evo watershed), ore, stone and energy 36 Grammenos 1980, I/4, II, VI/12, VII/10, IX/5, X/2, XI/3, resources; these are the main reasons of continuous XII/2–3; Grammenos 1982, fig. 2/AD/, AV, AG; Koukouli-Chrysan- population of this region during all prehistoric stages, thaki 1982, fig. 5/1–2.

STARINAR LVI/2006. 78 MILORAD STOJI] the oldest phase, are characterized by an increasing from the last four centuries of the second millennium share of cannelured ceramics of the Iron Age I type in BC.40 In the Morava basin, south of Grdelica, and at the Morava basin in the ceramics fund during other de- the Macedonian sites, the urns with plastic ring around velopment phases of the Brnjica cultural group.37 The the inner rim edge are much more scarce and cannelured initial phase (ca. 14th century BC) in the Kru{evac re- ceramics are sporadic, which is an essential difference gion is characterized by a mixture of the Para}in and compared to the Leskovac and Ni{ regions. A certain Brnjica ceramic forms, while the following phase is number of ceramic vessels with painted decoration from distinguished by a higher representation in number of Saraj brod as well as a certain number form Thasos and cannelured ceramics typical of the Iron Age I a in the Thessaly demonstrate Brnjica cultural group influence Morava basin as compared to the Brnjica one; during with regard to the vessel forms. the rest of the Iron Age I there are scarcely any cera- mics typical of the Brnjica cultural group. The ceramics from the Kosovo sites fit by style CLOSING INTERPRETATIONS and type into the ceramics of the first two phases of the Brnjica cultural group in the Leskovac region, with the The basis for the genesis’ process of the Brnjica exception of the cannelured ceramics. However, it is un- cultural group (and other cultural groups from the late clear whether the cannelured ceramics are absent from Bronze Age and Iron Age I from what had been Vatin Kosovo due to lack of influence from the communities cultural group territory) was the most recent stratum of of the Serbian Danube valley, the Velika Morava basin the Vatin cultural complex – the Mojsinje–Dobra~a and the Brnjica community from the Leskovac region, horizon.41 The Brnjica cultural group borrowed a series or whether the Brnjica cultural group development in of ceramic forms from the cultural manifestation, mar- Kosovo was shorter-lived than that of the Ju`na Mora- ked as the Mojsinje–Dobra~a horizon, (pear-shaped urns va basin, making it impossible for the cannelured style with rounded protrusions on the shoulder, goblets with of decoration to spread into that region. double or one handle with a triangular broadening at Due to insufficient research, no definite conclusions the rim, S-profiled bowls with triangular broadening at can be reached with regard to the Brnjica community the rim and others). The transformation period of the characteristics in the Pe{ter and Ra{ka regions (Deli- cultural horizon Mojsinje–Dobra~a into cultural groups: me|e, Dojevi}e, Delime|e–Melaje, Novopazarska ba- Brnjica, Belegi{, Iron Age I in the Morava basin and nja, Postenje sites) but it seems these regions do not @uto brdo was short and its is common knowledge that differ much from Kosovo with regard to the archaeo- the very process was significantly influenced by Myce- logical material, though it should be emphasized that naean civilization up to the end of the 13th century BC.42 the ceramics from the Humpa site in Dojevi}e village Development of the mentioned cultural groups is have some specific characteristics compared to the characterized by significant mutual permeation. In con- ceramics from the Kosovo sites, and particularly those trast to the Para}in cultural group from the late Bronze referring to the phase I in the Leskovac region.38 There are only a few sites east of the Ju`na Morava with ceramics finds typical of the Brnjica cultural group: 37 On ceramics characteristics from the Iron Age I a phase in Pirot (Ma|ilka site), Lukanja, Blagoevgrad (Kamen- the Morava basin: Stoji} 1986, 33–42; Stoji} 2004, 144, 148. 39 ska ~uka) and Plovdiv. While the Pirot site is situated 38 Letica 1979; Letica 1981; Lazi} 1996; Jevti} 1997, Pl. on the periphery of the Brnjica cultural group region, XV/1. the Blagoevgrad site and particularly the Plovdiv site 39 Jevti} 1990; Peji} 2001; Stefanovich, Bankoff 1998; Detev most probably testify more to a degree of influence from 1964. 40 Hänsel 1976, 59–62, 76–87, T. 4–6, T. 9–11. the Brnjica cultural group than they do to the actual 41 Stoji} 1998. presence of this culture in the Struma and Maritsa val- 42 This was shown by the architectural plastics on the Feudvar leys. The Pirot ceramics, however, are more related in site in Mo{orin, as well as by the architectural plastics on a larger style to the south region of the Brnjica cultural group number of sites in the Velika Morava basin (Sarina me|a in Jagodina, (south of Grdelica) than to the Leskovac region, as the Vrbica in Dragocvet, Panjeva~ki rit in Jagodina, anthropomorphic Pirot ceramics are characterized by incised decoration. plastics in Mycenaean anthropomorphic plastics style in the Panje- va~ki rit in Jagodina and anthropomorphic plastics within the frame- The ceramics, especially the decoration on a certain work of the @uto brdo–Grla Mare cultural group. Hänsel 1988, 2–64; number of goblets, point to the influences of the Govo- Hänsel 1991, 71–83; Mitrevski 1993, 119; Stoji} 2004, 292–295; ra and ^erkovna cultural groups and several others Hänsel 1988, 2–64; Hänsel 1991, 71–83; Mitrevski 1993, 119. REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRNJICA CULTURAL GROUP 79

Age (ca. 14th century BC) and the community marked the largest and strongest fortification – on the as the Iron Age I a in the Morava basin, characterized in Leskovac, in the very core of the Brnjica territory. exclusively by lowland settlements, the Brnjica cultural There is no proof that the Mycenaean world produced group is equally charcterized by hill fort and lowland iron, but it used it.47 It cannot be ruled out that the Myce- settlements. The Para}in cultural group and the cultu- naean world procured this metal from the same places ral manifestation marked as Iron Age I a in the Morava it obtained bronze (that is, bronze ores) – a significant basin, on one hand, and the Brnjica cultural group on share from their Balkan hinterland. Goods exchange as the other, are not distinctly divided by territory; for in- well as other contacts with the Mycenaean civilization stance, Para}in necropolises are registered up to Alek- undoubtedly influenced the Brnjica community develop- sinac, while the Brnjica cultural group finds are mainly ment favourably and, at the same time, enhanced the registered in the Ju`na and Zapadna Morava confluen- appetites of its leading circles for possession of more ce zones, where necropolises belonging to the Para}in and more precious goods to confirm their social status. cultural group have been discovered. The influence of Relatively numerous sites in which ceramics of this cultural group is also detectable at individual sites Brnjica type were found in the Vardar basin as well as of the Velika Morava basin.43 in the north of Greece up to Thessaly, point to popu- lation movements from the central Balkans towards * * * the Mycenaean territory at the time when the Brnjica community flourished, reached its peak and, like others, Somewhere around the 14th century BC, in the Ju`na developed ferrous metallurgy, but neglected the pro- Morava basin, a large number of Brnjica cultural group tection of the northern regions of its territory. Under settlements appeared, among which were numerous such conditions, the cultural group from the Iron Age I b large and artificially fortified hill fort settlements. Re- phase in the Morava basin found ways to leave the search to-date suggests various possible reasons for the Velika Morava valley and reach the Ju`na Morava basin appearance of such a large number of hill fort settle- up to the Grdelica Gorge, undoubtedly causing move- ments in such a short time. The principal reason was, ments further to the south in response. The powerful undoubtedly, the protection of the densely populated advance of cultural groups from the north (from the territory, communication control (of the Morava basin Serbian Danube valley and the Velika Morava basin) is and other river zones), preservation of natural resources proved not only by the cannelured ceramics of the Iron and sacred places (large necropolises), organization of Age I type, but also by bronze artefacts (decoration need- economic and social life as well as the consequences les, axes-kelts, razors, bracelets) from the Hisar site in of internal social development (social differentiation), Leskovac. From that moment on, the archaeological relations with neighbouring communities and, particu- material of the Ju`na Morava basin north of Grdelica larly, it seems, with the Mycenaean world. It is a well- Gorge is characterized by a mixture of the material known fact that the Mycenaean world, several centu- culture of the Iron Age I community in the Morava ries prior to its downfall, had a monopoly over the basin with traditional forms of the Brnjica population bronze trade in the Mediterranean and, consequently, in proportionally 10: 1 during the Brnjica I b phase, up the demand for bronze increased enormously, thus aro- to 5:1 during the Brnjica II a phase, and 1:4 in the last using the interest of the Mycenaean world in commu- phase of this cultural group.48 The quantity of the nities which possessed bronze (that is, the alloy ores) archaeological material, however, shows a significant or in the communities across whose territory these decrease in the population of the Ju`na Morava basin contacts were made.44 north of Grdelica Gorge as compared to the 14th centu- All the cultural groups (Belegi{, Para}in, Brnjica) ry BC. At the same time some regions of the Middle on the one-time territory of the Vatin complex had iron objects at their disposal.45 Namely, there are undoubted proofs that the Belegi{ and Para}in cultural groups used 43 Tasi} 1963; Todorovi}, Simovi} 1959; ^a|enovi} 2001; iron objects, while it is known for the Brnjica com- Stoji}, ^a|enovi} 2006; Stoji} 1994, 219, Pl. 1–3. munity that it produced iron in its earliest development 44 Bouzek 1985, 30–35, 39–69, 81–82, 92–244. th 45 Stoji} 2002. phase (in the 14 century BC) and made objects from 46 46 Stoji} 2006. this metal. Iron – »the royal metal« or Homer’s »metal 47 Pleiner 2000, 10, 23. dearer than gold«, as with the Hittites, was produced 48 Scientific processing of the ceramics was carried out by M. within the Brnjica community under the auspices of Svilar.

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Danube basin were completely deserted (during Ha B1, Life in the Morava region and in the Serbian Danube ca. 10th century BC), while the population in the Velika valley was revived before the end of the 10th and Morava basin decreased in number as was the case in during the 9th century BC, and the population is cha- the Ju`na Morava basin, with a sudden decrease in racterized by massive use of iron.50 At present, it is not material culture quality. After the process had reached possible to answer precisely the question whether this the lowest degree, somewhere at the turn of the 10th to »life revival« was the consequence of the new popula- the 9th century, a sudden revival of life occurred. The tion influx or rather the result of the beneficial influence process most probably started from the south and con- on the remaining population in the Morava basin and tinued northward, reflected in the erection of a great in the Serbian Danube valley, which brought about the number of settlements, characterized by necropolises revival of life and raised the cultural level in a short with numerous offerings made of iron (torques, brace- time due to innovations in economy and better social lets, bangles, fibulae).49 Generally speaking, a key role organization. Regardless of the dilemma whether this in the revival in the central Balkans and the Serbian happened due to population influx or influence, the Danube valley was played by the descendants of those main protagonists of that crucial event at the beginning who had moved several centuries before from the Mo- of the last millennium BC came from the north of rava basin to the north of Greece, at the very least they Greece, most probably from Greek Macedonia. There influenced subsequent events in these regions. is no doubt that elements of the Brnjica ethnic and cul- From the above, the conclusion can be reached that tural traditions from the 13th century BC are incorpo- the impressively numerous Brnjica community from rated into their national being. This important event, the 13th century BC, populating an enormous territory with far reaching consequences, is confined to the from the Pe{ter and Ra{ka regions in the west up to Ju`na Morava basin, on one hand, by an exceptional Struma in the east and from the Ju`na and Zapadna technological discovery – the discovery of ferrous metal- Morava confluence zone in the north down to the Taor lurgy in the 14th century BC and confirmed in the Gorge in the south, took part in the events designated Brnjica settlement on the Hisar site in Leskovac, and as the Aegean Migration, which, inter alia, caused the by the life revival in that and other regions of the Mo- destruction of the Mycenaean civilization and the great rava basin and the Serbian Danube valley at the end of upheavals in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 13th and the 10th and in the 9th centuries BC, on the other hand. the beginning of the 12th centuries BC. This community The question arises whether one of the two booms knew the ferrous metallurgy, it developed craftsman- in ferrous metallurgy, the initial one in the 14th and 13th ship based on iron, and had contacts with the Mycenaean centuries BC or the one at the beginning of the last mil- civilization. One must wonder whether this very popu- lennium BC, could perhaps be connected to the Dorian lation initiated events which fatally reflected them- migration and their iron weapons. It is generally accep- selves on Mycenaean civilization, shifting communities ted that the Dorians came from the north and northwest from the north of Greece towards the south or did this in the 11th century BC, conquered Peloponnesus and population only use the opportunity to expand into the destroyed the remains of the Mycenaean civilization. territory of the communities which had earlier moved The »north« and the »northwest« could be identified towards Attica and Peloponnesus. At the beginning of with the very territory in Greece for which evidence the 11th century BC the population from the Velika exists of a connection with the Brnjica tradition. Gene- Morava basin and the Serbian Danube valley (Iron rally speaking, the same people known under the name Age I b phase in the Morava basin) reached the central of the Dorians, who reached the Peloponnesus and had part of the Ju`na Morava basin and mingled with the at their disposal ferrous arms and superior military autochthonous Brnjica population, leaving behind organization, had influenced crucially the life revival deserted territory, particularly the Danube basin. The in the north at the end of the 10th or at the beginning of end of the 11th and the beginning of the 10th centuries the 9th century BC in certain regions of the central BC in this part of the Morava basin witnessed a sudden decrease of population. Some large regions of the Brnji- ca cultural group, on the other hand, such as the Koso- 49 vo, Pe{ter and Ra{ka regions were probably already Nikitovi}, Stoji}, Vasi} 2002, 42–44, 52, 54; Stoji}, th Vasi} 2005. deserted by the end of the 13 or the beginning of the 50 Stoji} 2002; Stoji}, Vasi} 2005, 177–182; Nikitovi}, th 12 centuries BC and would remain unpopulated or Stoji}, Vasi} 2002, 42–44, 52, 54. strikingly poorly inhabited right up to the 8th century BC. 51 Papazoglu 1969, 101–102. REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BRNJICA CULTURAL GROUP 81

Balkans. Do the ethnonyms, Dorians and Dardanians, Aegean, reflect the recollection of a powerful people which sound quite similar, designate one and the same whose roots most probably lay in the Morava basin?51 people? Do the toponyms in Troada, the town at the The most recent results of archaeological research foot of Ida on the Hellespont (between Ilion and Abid), confirm the opinion given by M. Gara{anin on »Dako- the former name of the island of Samotraki, and the –Moesian elements« in the ethnicity of the Brnjica name of the straits between the Sea of Marmora and the cultural group, but exclude any Illyrian component.

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Rezime: MILORAD STOJI], Arheolo{ki institut, Beograd

REGIONALNE KARAKTERISTIKE BRWI^KE KULTURNE GRUPE

Veliki broj novoregistrovanih i istra`ivanih lokalite- i integracija, brwi~ke kulturne grupe sa etnokulturnim ta omogu}ava da se se uo~e regionalne karakteristike u kompleksom gvozdeno doba Ib u Pomoravqu i (4) oblast razvoju brwi~ke kulturne grupe. Na osnovu specifi~nosti Ju`ne Morave uzvodno od Grdeli~ke klisure, P~iwe i gor- materijalne kulture, prvenstveno keramike, identifiko- weg Povardarja, okarakterisana specifi~nim inventarom vano je nekoliko regionalnih celina: (1) Kosovo sa ra{kom brwi~ke kulturne grupe. Lokaliteti na kojima je nala`ena obla{}u i Pe{teri, (2) zona stava Ju`ne Morave i Zapadne keramika brwi~kog tipa u Blagoevgradu, Plovdivu, kao iz- Morave okarakterisana pro`imawem brwi~ke i para}in- vestan broj nalazi{ta u Pelagoniji, dowem Povardarju, na ske kulturne grupe i, zatim, me{avinom elemenata brwi- Tasosu i Tesaliji ukazuju dokle je stigao uticaj brwi~ke ~ke kulturne grupe sa kulturnom grupom iz gvozdenog doba kulturne grupe u periodu XIII–XII veka pre n.e. i nagove{- I a–b iz basena Velike Morave, (3) leskova~ko-ni{ka re- tavaju ulogu brwi~ke populacije u doga|ajima ozna~enim gija koju odlikuje, nakon po~etne faze, simbioza, a kasnije kao Egejska seoba.