The First Neolithic Open Air Shore and Shell Midden Site of Chert Explorers of the Hvar-Lisičicí Culture on the Island of Hvar, Croatia

Abstract

ABSTRACT On the Island Hvar (Croatia, Mediterranean), the first Neolithic open-air shore site of the Hvar-Lisičicí Culture—found to the northwest of Vrboska at the western edge of the Maslinica Bay—is reported, in addition to already known cave sites. The first survey of this partially eroded beach site has produced ceramic fragments, marine mollusks, domestic animal bones, numerous chert artifacts or debris, and mobile art. Evidence suggests that the site may belong to the first island chert explorers who collected large nodules from the Middle to Upper Cenomanian limestone crops which have been found only in this region of the island. Lithic artifacts discovered, including projectile points and an abundance of small reduction debris made from chert and rare obsidian (both of which were probably imported), support this claim. Other artifacts found such as ceramics are quite uniform in their ornamentation, having only parallel scratches, which rarely form crossing lines or rhombic decorations. Ceramic vessels range from medium-sized bowls to larger ones for food storage. The absence of nicely colored or spiral decorated ceramics, normally typical at cave sites, date this “farmer pottery” from the new site to the early period of the Hvar Culture. Domestic animal bones, primarily from sheep give insight into local subsistence strategies. The site also has characteristics of a shell midden which is typical for beach sites around the Mediterranean and Arabian world at this time. These cave sites, such as Vela Luka Cave (Korcula Island) and Grabac Cave, or Grapceva Spilja Cave (Hvar Island) were also used as places for burying the dead. These people may have been the first Late Neolithic Island explorers who searched for chert and left evidence of small settlements. The most important find for the Late Neolithic of the Mediterranean is the mobile art sheep figuration on a bone of unclear use. The few materials from the shore site yield important information about the social structure, subsistence, and trading habits of this lesser-known Hvar-Lisičicí Culture.