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Zadubravlje-Dužine - the oldest early Neolithic (Starčevo culture) settlement in Croatia

The region of Slavonski Brod Sava River basin in Croatia is a part of central Slavonia situated along the Sava River. The region was one of the main arteries of cultural and ethnic trends during all prehistoric periods. Favourable natural conditions enabled the high population density of the region during the continuous period of 8000 years. There are 320 registered archaeological sites in the region and 52 out of them belong to Neolithic. Here we present the results of archaeological investigation and 14C dating of two archaeological sites from this region. The Zadubravlje - Dužine site is about 17 km east of Slavonski Brod along the Zagreb -Belgrade highway, and the Slavonski Brod-Galovo site is situated at the eastern part of the Slavonski Brod city limits. According to archaeological findings, the two sites belong to the same early Neolithic culture, i.e., the early phase of the Starčevo culture ? Linear A. The Zadubravlje - Dužine settlement was discovered in 1988 at the slightly elevated (90 m a.s.l.) north bank of the Sava River. The large-scale archaeological excavations between 1989 and 1991 at the area of 6200 m2 uncovered the architecture of the early Neolithic "craft" settlement with workshops for production of pottery vessels, stone objects and fabrics. The settlement was organized so that each section had a distinct purpose (food storage and preparation, manufacturing lithic tools and weapons, residential pit-dwellings, a pottery workshop) with accompanying structures necessary for the existence of a tribal community. The oldest well in Croatia, 5 m deep, was discovered in the centre of the settlement. The well is recognized as the oldest Neolithic well in Europe. Water could be drawn from it with the aid of a horizontally placed wooden beam, and the clay jar used for bailing was found close to the well bottom. The Slavonski Brod - Galovo site has been investigated since its discovery in 1995. At an area of 800 m2 a part of the ceremonial and burial area site of the early phase of the Starčevo culture. 14C dating of charcoal was performed in the Rudjer Bošković Institute Radiocarbon Laboratory. Five charcoal samples from Zadubravlje-Dužine (2 from housing earth-huts and 2 from working earth-huts, and 1 from the well), and two charcoal samples from Slavonski Brod - Galovo were dated. The samples were mechanically and chemically treated, and charcoal was combusted in the stream of pure oxygen. The obtained CO2 was then catalytically converted to CH4. Measurements of 14C activity in the gas proportional counter were repeated at least twice for each sample. The conventional 14C age was dendrochronologically calibrated using the Oxford University program OxCal. The 14C dates closely correspond to the archeologically expected age of about 8000 years. The 14C dates also prove that the Zadubravlje-Dužine settlement is the oldest found early Neolithic settlement in Croatia. Inhabitants were involved in agriculture and in pottery manufacture. The assumption of the simultaneous existence of the two settlements belonging to the same culture is also supported by the 14C dating. The present results will be compared with 14C dates from other early Neolithic settlements in Croatia and in neighbouring countries.

14C dating; Neolithic; Starčevo culture; Croatia; well

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