Marine Shell Hoard from the Late Neolithic Site of :Epin-Ov;Ara (Slavonia, Croatia)
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Documenta Praehistorica XLIII (2016) Marine shell hoard from the Late Neolithic site of :epin-Ov;ara (Slavonia, Croatia) Boban Tripkovic´ 1, Vesna Dimitrijevic´ 2 and Dragana Rajkovic´ 3 1 Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, RS [email protected] 2 Laboratory for Bioarchaeology, Department of Archaeology, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, RS [email protected] 3 Museum of Slavonia in Osijek, HR [email protected] ABSTRACT – The focus of this paper is the ornament hoard from the Sopot culture site of ∞epin-Ov- ≠ara in eastern Slavonia (the Republic of Croatia). The hoard contained pendants and beads made of shells of marine clam Spondylus gaederopus and scaphopod Antalis vulgaris. The paper analyses the context and use wear of the objects in the hoard. The results form a basis for: the reconstruction of the role of some of the items and the ways in which they were worn; the premise that the dynam- ics and mechanisms of acquisition of ornaments made of the two Mediterranean mollusc species could have differed; and the identification of a cross-cultural pattern of deposition of ornament hoards. IZVLE∞EK – V ≠lanku se osredoto≠amo na zakladno najdbo z nakitom iz ≠asa sopotske kulture na najdi∏≠u ∞epin-Ov≠ara v vzhodni Slavoniji (Republika Hrva∏ka). Depo vsebuje obeske in jagode, iz- delane iz lupin morskih ∏koljk vrste Spondylus gaederopus in pol∫kov vrste Antalis vulgaris. V ≠lanku analiziramo kontekste in sledove uporabe teh izdelkov. Rezultati nam nudijo osnovo za: rekonstruk- cijo vloge nekaterih izdelkov in na≠inov no∏enja nakita; premiso o razli≠nih dinamikah in mehaniz- mih pridobivanja okrasov iz dveh sredozemskih vrst mehku∫cev; in za prepoznavanje medkulturnih vzorcev odlaganja zakladnih najdb z nakitom. KEY WORDS – Late Neolithic; Sopot culture; marine shell hoard; Spondylus; Antalis Introduction Objects made of marine animal shell discovered at The distribution map of spondylus items (as shown sites on the European mainland are important not in Müller 1997; Dimitrijevi≤, Tripkovi≤ 2006; Todo- only because of their basic and symbolic function; rova 1995; Willms 1985; Windler 2013) shows that they are also evidence of contacts and exchange with the territory of eastern Slavonia (the Republic of Cro- communities that lived by the sea. The importance atia), bordered by the rivers Sava, Drava, and Da- of these objects is reinforced through their exotic nube, lies in the centre of an area in which the orna- origin, their often highly meticulous manufacture, as ments have been sporadically documented since the well as their deposition in graves and hoards (Chap- beginning of the 20th century (Brun∏mid 1902; Di- man 2000; Müller 1997). However, the distribution mitrijevi≤ 1968). The number of sites investigated and ubiquity of such ornaments across the European in the region has significantly increased in the last continent have been considered primarily for objects decades, thanks primarily to rescue excavations that made of Spondylus shell. In contrast, there are no preceded the construction of major roads (see Balen, sufficient data on areas and periods in which orna- Hr∏ak and πo∏i≤-Klind∫i≤ 2014). Ornaments made ments made from shell of other marine animals from Spondylus and other marine species were found occur. in graves and settlements from different phases of DOI> 10.4312\dp.43.17 343 Boban Tripkovic´, Vesna Dimitrijevic´ and Dragana Rajkovic´ the Neolithic. However, a single ornament hoard The reconstruction of the function, i.e. the way in was discovered, at the Late Neolithic ∞epin-Ov≠ara which shell items were worn, was performed through site, and this is the focus of this paper. a macroscopic analysis of the incisions created by the strings on which individual pieces of ornament Method and terminology were originally placed. Traces of accidental damage on the objects resulting from their use were also ob- For the taxonomic identification of shells in the ∞e- served microscopically by x45 binocular magnifier. pin hoard, preserved shell morphology was used according to the criteria provided in Walter Fischer The ∞epin-Ov≠ara site et alii (1987) and Raymond Moore (1969) as well as the online source Seashells collections (Caro 1997– ∞epin is a village settlement located in a micro-re- 2011). The taxonomic nomenclature follows CLEMAM gion within the Drava-Danube lowlands of the east- – Check List of European Marine Mollusca (Le Re- ern Croatian plain, 12km from the town of Osijek. nard 1994). The Ov≠ara archaeological site is situated on the out- skirts of ∞epin, immediately adjacent to the road to Besides the scientific names of species, and also of Djakovo, on a prominent hillock extending in the higher-ranking taxa from which the shells used for northwest-southeast direction (Fig. 1). The immedi- the ornament manufacture derived (Spondylus gae- ate surroundings of ∞epin are in the area of an allu- deropus, Spondylus, Antalis vulgaris, Scaphopoda), vial plain comprised of different landforms – the common names are also used here. These are the Drava river terrace and the Vuka river valley. This names most often used by archaeologists to denote is swampy land interspersed with loess ridges (local- these kinds of objects, regardless of whether a tax- ly known as ‘praporne grede’), in the form of elon- onomic identification has been carried out or not: gated areas of high ground that remain dry even in ‘spondylus’, for objects made of shell of Spondylus seasons of maximum water table. This land is now gaederopus and/or other species, and ‘dentalium’, used for intensive agricultural production, and the for objects made of scaphopoda shells. The scientif- region is characterised by long-lasting continuous ic names are given in italics, as is customary, and habitation (Rogli≤ 2006.134). hence differentiated from the common names. From 1997 to 2006, systematic archaeological inves- The morphological characteristics of the shells were tigations of a 300m2 area were carried out by Jasna observed with the naked eye, whereas the structure πimi≤. A late medieval building (from the 13th to the of the shell visible in cross-section was examined 14th century), an early medieval cemetery of the Bje- under a binocular magnifier with x45 magnification. lo Brdo culture, and a Neolithic settlement of the So- The criteria (stated in Dimitrijevi≤, Tripkovi≤ 2006) pot culture were discovered (πimi≤ 2006a.10; 2007b. were applied in order to exclude the possible use of 41; Rajkovi≤ 2014). The presence of a medieval fossil shells in the manufacture of the ornaments. building furnished with an apse affected the plan- The dimensions of the objects were taken with a cal- ning of the fieldwork, as the walls of the building liper to 1mm precision. The weight was measured determined the shapes of the excavation trenches. on digital scales to 0.1g precision. Thus each room of the building had a separate excavation trench. The remains of the Neolithic settlement include an array of diverse habitation elements, such as semi-subterranean structu- res, traces of above-ground architec- ture, postholes, pits and wells. Due to the disturbed stratigraphy and numerous burial pits, the relation- ships between individual stratigra- phic units could not be clearly de- fined, and the excavation layers in different trenches could not be inter- connected; this makes the entire in- terpretation of the sites’ stratigraphy Fig. 1. The site of ∞epin-Ov≠ara (photo Museum of Slavonia). very difficult. 344 Marine shell hoard from the Late Neolithic site of :epin-Ov;ara (Slavonia, Croatia) Based on observations made so far, the Neolithic settlement comprises several building horizons (πimi≤ 2006a; 2006b; Rajkovi≤ 2014). In the earliest horizon of Neolithic oc- cupation, variously shaped pits made for different purposes were unco- vered, as well as part of a large, ir- regularly shaped dug-out structure with traces of thick posts, which has been interpreted as a pit-house (πi- mi≤ 2006a; 2006b). These features were dug into the virgin soil. The earliest settlement phase was over- lain with a layer consisting of the re- mains of rectangular above-ground buildings oriented northwest-south- Fig.2. ∞epin-Ov≠ara, sector 4: building SJ–75 (photo Museum of east (Fig. 2). A total of 18 floors were Slavonia). detected, generally constructed from baked soil placed on top of a wooden construction the middle and later phases of the Sopot culture, i.e. sitting on a layer of hard-packed clay. In some phases II and III according to Dimitrijevi≤ (Dimitri- trenches, more floor levels were noticed, probably jevi≤ 1968.41, 48–49). pertaining to different building phases (πimi≤ 2006b. 41). Due to the small size of the areas excavated Four radiometric dates were obtained for the Neoli- within the walls of the Late Medieval building, no thic occupation of the site (Tab. 1). The date Z–3750 single above-ground Late Neolithic structure could on charcoal places the earliest investigated cultural be investigated in its entirety, which constrains a layer of the site in the period from 5054 to 4730 cal wider interpretation of the excavated features. BC (at 95.4% probability). This horizon would cor- A large quantity of diverse Laboratory Sample Radiocarbon Calibrated date code age (BP) materials was recovered from Z–3750 charcoal< 6010 ± 60 68.2% probability the site. In addition to the cultural layer (Sj 62) 4986 (68.2%) 4836 cal BC usual products of pottery ma- between houses 95.4% probability nufacture, one should men- Sj 47 and Sj 60 5054 (93.7%) 4765 cal BC tion a high number of animal 4758 (1.7%) 4730 cal BC bones, clay balls, spindle Z–3751 charcoal< 5940 ± 70 68.2% probability whirls made of potsherds, layer Sj 69 4902 (14.2%) 4863 cal BC (ashy layer with 4856 (54%) 4725 cal BC chipped stone, obsidian, and some charcoal) 95.4% probability an anthropomorphic clay fig- 5006 (94.6%) 4679 cal BC urine (πimi≤ 2007b.13).