A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 36. - 1994 (Nyíregyháza, 1995)

Mihael Budja: Neolithisation in Slovenia

Neolithisation in Slovenia Mihael BUDJA JL/esides the traditional view of Neolithisation in Slovenia, which is still bounded by both Childe's concept of culture with migrations, and the old axiom EX ORIENTE LUX, this paper wants to bring attention to the interpretative possibilities provided by the Concept of an Agricultural Frontier. A recent - and in our opinion - most interesting reflection on this subject is found in Zvelebil's Availability Model, which acts as a simple descriptive framework for classifying Mesolithic and Neolithic data sets (ZVELEBIL 1986.167-188). Its most significant contribution is that it stresses the complexity of classifying material evidence as either Mesolithic or Neolithic. In terms of the first phase, or the Availability phase, the model suggests an initial exchange of material or information flow between farming and nonfarming groups. It seems ceramics might have been the first article to have been introduced by incoming farmers. In the introduction we would also like to mention two theoretical propositions. The first one concerns Dolukhanov's Complex Model which includes both prehistoric society and its natural environment by means of the interconnected ecological and social systems (DOLUKHANOV 1979.13-33). The result, in the context of archaeological interpretation, is a culture with recognized „natural economic zones" and „cultural zones". „Natural economic zones" are viewed as ecologically limited areas with a uniform distribution of artefacts, which are connected with different economic activities. In our case we are concerned of course, with pottery associated with the beginnings of farming economy. „Cultural zones" concern Clarke's (1975) „Replacement" Model in which the speed of the Neolithisation process is conditioned by the regional potential of high arable areas. In spite of the fact that there are not very many studies in Slovenia dealing with the processes of Neolithisation, we will attempt to present some interesting points connected with stratigraphic superpositions of Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement deposits, and their regional settlement patterns. Traditional view In Slovene studies on the Neolithic, the prevailing thesis still concerns an Early, Middle and Late Neolithic period succession, and it should be noted that only Late Neolithic can be proved for the continental part, by the Alpine-Lengyel Culture (DIMITRIJEVIC 1979.347-349). However, interpretation of the Neolithic in the southern, Littoral part of Slovenia is different. Regional characteristics are determined by its position in the western part of the Dinara Range. This characteristics include typical karst and karstified areas with limited water sources and limited soils fertile enough to be arable, such as terra rossas, terra fuscas, and regosols. Cultural-historical interpretation of the beginning of agriculture in this region has traditionally been determined by the concept of the Early Neolithic and Impresso-Cardium Cultures (KOROSEC 1960.5-34., LEBEN 1967.43-110., LEBEN 1975. 145-160., BATOVlC 1979.473-633., MÜLLER 1991. 311-358). Key importance has been attributed to several hypotheses, stating that the Slovene Littoral belonged to the Early Neolithic Impresso-Cardium cultural complex, or concerning the genesis of the Impresso-Cardium Culture in the East Adriatic (Crvene Stijene) from where it spread over Caput Adriae. There has also been a hypothesis that linked the spread of the first pottery products with the beginnings of agriculture. Typical Impresso Ceramic assemblages deposited in cave sediments in Trieste Karst (Vlaska jama, Pecina na Doleh, Pecina pod Muzarji, Zelvina jama, Pecina pod Steno) have served in this context to prove migrations of the first farmers (from Dalmatia) and their colonisation of the region. A new interpretative angle has opened with the definition of the Neolithic Vlaska Group (BARFIELD 1972.187.,201-204). This has allowed the hypothesis that Neolithisation in the region of Caput Adriae did not set in before the Middle Neolithic. Müller called this theory „the first agricultural production" („erste agrarische Produktionsweise", and related it to the Vlaska Group, which is one of the representatives of the Middle Neolithic regional groups of the Danilo Culture (MÜLLER 1991-329..345). This defined the interpretative framework for the Neolithisation of the Caput Adriae region as the spread of the Middle Neolithic Dalmatian Danilo Culture. Recent interpretations It has already been mentioned in the introduction that studies on the Neolithisation are rare in Slovenia. Therefore the framework contained in recent inter-