Northern Balkans Research Articles

Technology and provenience of the oldest pottery in the northern Pannonian Basin indicates its affiliation to hunter-gatherers

Consensus holds that pottery technology came to Central Europe from the Northern Balkans with independent pottery traditions existing concurrently in Eastern Europe. An unusual grass-tempered pottery dating back to around 5800 cal BC found in lake sediments at Santovka, Slovakia, predated the earliest known Neolithic pottery in the region (~ 5500 cal BC), suggesting unexplored narratives of pottery introduction. Analyses of the pottery’s technology, origin, and grass temper shedding light on ceramic traditions' spread can unveil mobility patterns and community lifestyles. Our findings indicate a non-local provenance, low temperature firing, Festugc sp. grass temper and unique rectangular or cylindrical vessel shapes which align with Eastern European hunter-gatherer practices. Moreover, the pottery style and technology have no analogies in the contemporary Danubian pottery traditions and have more similarities to those of the Eastern traditions. The pottery's raw materials likely originated from distant areas, indicating extensive territorial access for its creators. Our findings imply late Mesolithic hunter-gatherers as the probable artisans and with implications for the site's significance in the late Mesolithic landscape.

Northwestern Mediterranean Heavy Precipitation Events in a Warmer Climate: Robust Versus Uncertain Changes With a Large Convection‐Permitting Model Ensemble

AbstractTaking advantage of a large ensemble of Convection Permitting‐Regional Climate Models on a pan‐Alpine domain and of an object‐oriented dedicated analysis, this study aims to investigate future changes in high‐impact fall Mediterranean Heavy Precipitation Events at high warming levels. We identify a robust multi‐model agreement for an increased frequency from central Italy to the northern Balkans combined with a substantial extension of the affected areas, for a dominant influence of the driving Global Climate Models for projecting changes in the frequency, and for an increase in intensity, area, volume and severity over the French Mediterranean. However, large quantitative uncertainties persist despite the use of convection‐permitting models, with no clear agreement in frequency changes over southeastern France and a large range of plausible changes in events' properties, including for the most intense events. Model diversity and international coordination are still needed to provide policy‐relevant climate information regarding precipitation extremes.

Detection of Glacial Refugia and Post-Glacial Colonization Routes of Morphologically Cryptic Marsh Frog Species (Anura: Ranidae: Pelophylax) Using Environmental Niche Modeling

Studying the distribution of morphologically cryptic animal species is always a very difficult task. Because most marsh frog species (the Pelophylax ridibundus complex) are cryptic, we used molecular markers to identify them. Three marsh frog species (P. ridibundus, P. kurtmuelleri and P. cf. bedriagae) inhabit the northern part of Western Palearctic. We created a database of localities and built models of their modern distribution. These models showed that the most suitable habitats are on the north of the Mediterranean region for P. cf. bedriagae, temperate Europe for P. ridibundus, and the Balkan coastal areas for P. kurtmuelleri. The projection of the modern ecological niches under the late-Quaternary climatic conditions showed that the range of P. kurtmuelleri remained largely unchanged during the period, whereas the ranges of P. cf. bedriagae and especially P. ridibundus changed greatly over time. During the Last Glacial Maximum, the presumed range of P. cf. bedriagae covered a relatively large area in the north of the Mediterranean region and the south of European Russia. Glacial refugia of P. ridibundus were apparently located in the northern Balkans, the northern coast of the Black and Azov seas, and possibly in Western Europe. The northward long-distance post-glacial dispersal of P. ridibundus occurred from refugia in the northeastern Balkans and the Black-Azov seas region. Since the Late Pleistocene, suitable habitats for P. cf. bedriagae in southern Russia began to decline, but local habitats for P. ridibundus become more suitable. Therefore, a mosaic of populations consisting of these both species and their hybrids has now been found here.

Late Palaeolithic to Early Mesolithic transition in the Carpathian Basin

Szekszárd-Palánk is one of the handful in situ excavated sites from the Late Glacial period of East-Central Europe which is also supported by radiometric dating. However, the considerable time that has passed since its discovery necessitates a revision, the topic of this paper. The technotypological analogues of the assemblage are Late Epigravettian – Early Mesolithic sites of the Northern Balkans to the south, and Epimagdalenian sites of the Moravian Basin to the north. These analogues, the southern location and northern raw materials of the site support two previous hypotheses: the regional survival of the Epigravettian traditions, and the pivotal role of the Danube in the communication between East-Central Europe and the Balkans in the Late Glacial – Early Postglacial. The site is thus identified as a Final Epigravettan, Late Palaeolithic – Early Mesolithic transitional industry.

Reconstructing the post-glacial spread of the sand fly Phlebotomus mascittii Grassi, 1908 (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Europe

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Phlebotominae) are the principal vectors of Leishmania spp. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae). In Central Europe, Phlebotomus mascittii is the predominant species, but largely understudied. To better understand factors driving its current distribution, we infer patterns of genetic diversity by testing for signals of population expansion based on two mitochondrial genes and model current and past climate and habitat suitability for seven post-glacial maximum periods, taking 19 climatic variables into account. Consequently, we elucidate their connections by environmental-geographical network analysis. Most analyzed populations share a main haplotype tracing back to a single glacial maximum refuge area on the Mediterranean coasts of South France, which is supported by network analysis. The rapid range expansion of Ph. mascittii likely started in the early mid-Holocene epoch until today and its spread possibly followed two routes. The first one was through northern France to Germany and then Belgium, and the second across the Ligurian coast through present-day Slovenia to Austria, toward the northern Balkans. Here we present a combined approach to reveal glacial refugia and post-glacial spread of Ph. mascittii and observed discrepancies between the modelled and the current known distribution might reveal yet overlooked populations and potential further spread.

Long Knives of the Scythian Culture: Tool or Weapon?

Abstract The article examines Scythian long knives that are similar in length to double-edged daggers. Critically analysing the hypothesis which interprets these items as weapons, it shows that the difference between a fighting knife and utilitarian knife consists not in their measurements, but in their constructive features. In particular, long knives have much slimmer proportions, unlike daggers. They have neither cross guards nor pommels. This study is concerned with both flat full-metal knives and knives with a short tang. Considering those knives with a partial tang, even the longest ones looks less durable when compared with samples truly designed for combat, as the construction was not intended for heavy strikes. As a result, only full-metal specimens with organic plates on the hilt are here interpreted as weapons. They are similar to those finds from the Northern Balkan region and their morphological features allow us to consider them to be much like daggers. One can suppose that some of the long knives could have been used in ritual proceedings, during feasts or sacrificial offerings. In some cases, it is also possible to consider long knives as a symbolic alternative to the weapon in the burial inventory. At the same time, it is clear that long knives were in use mostly as utilitarian tools. The difference in morphology between the Archaic and Classical knives shows the variation in the culture of these two periods of the Scythian culture. The spread of the long knives across the Steppe and Forest-Steppe areas also indicates the cultural connections between these regions.

New paleoecological perspectives on Late Pleistocene Neanderthals in northern Balkans: the rodent assemblages from Smolućka cave (Serbia)

During the Late Pleistocene, the Balkans came to be an important region with many isolated areas, enabling fauna, alongside Neanderthals, to thrive in the area. This work is focused on paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic changes that occurred in the northern Balkan Peninsula with a special focus on fossil record from Smolućka cave aging from MIS 5 to MIS 3. Based on available data, an attempt has been made to establish a synthetic chronological context for the faunal assemblages recovered from Smolućka cave. Tentative attribution of layer 5 to MIS 5 relies on the interstadial pattern of our reconstructions, with favorable climate conditions for a large diversity of species and with mean annual temperature (MAT) reaching up to 3 °C higher than present values and abundant rainfall in the area. Cold conditions for MIS 4 are not present in Smolućka, although layer 4 (late MIS 5 or early MIS 4) shows somewhat dryer and cooler climate when compared with other layers. Layers 3z and 3 (MIS 3) are characterized by temperate and humid conditions together with a complex system of mosaic habitats with high environmental heterogeny but generally favorable conditions for a large diversity of life. Although still not fully chronologically constrained, Smolućka cave presents an interesting opportunity for future research, in the time period when only Neanderthals occupied the Balkans and thrived in local conditions. The transition between the Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans has not yet been established but can be expected in future research.

КОНСТРУКТИВНЕ РІШЕННЯ ПОКРІВЛІ У ВІЗАНТІЙСЬКИХ ХРАМАХ СЕРЕДНЬО- ТА ПІЗНЬОВІЗАНТІЙСЬКОГО ПЕРІОДІВ

In this article, based on archaeological and hagiographic sources, the features of constructive solutions (techniques of construction and use of building materials) in the temples of the capital and provincial architectural schools of the middle and late Byzantine period were studied. The author focuses on the two main types of roofs of Byzantine temples – tiles and metal plates, the technology of their construction, roof shapes, the use of certain types of building materials and the specifics of using certain types of roofs in different regions of the Byzantine Empire. Each case of application of a certain technique / building material / type of roof is illustrated by the example of archeological finds or preserved mentions in the hagiographic literature. The study found that the most common version of the roof was ceramic tile, due to the cheapness of the material. A popular type for Byzantine roofs was a tile of weakly conical semi-cylindrical, sometimes flattened, shape; trapezoidal tile provided in the design of a wedge-shaped gutter for water drainage on the outside of the tile. It was found that the process of «assembling» the roof took place by connecting the tiles from the top elements (semi-cylindrical shape with a tooth-shaped end), which were driven between the already connected two tiles. During a study of the manufacture of ceramic tiles, it was found that the process was probably similar to the production of plinths (bricks) in the same kilns; instead, the main difference was that at the time of formation, trapezoidal, flat thin frames were used (so that the tile was formed on one side wider and narrower on the other – to overlap each other), and in the drying process these frames with clay were not placed on sand, and on a wooden board. The author also considered other variations of the tile – depending on the building material and shape. Thus, it was found that the material of the tile could not be limited to ceramics: in areas of construction, where there were no resources for the manufacture of ceramic tiles, stone was made and used. The most expensive and strongest variant of a material for a tile – metal – was chosen also because it was easy in processing. Particular emphasis in the study was placed on the use of metal plates for the roof. So the most popular material for this was lead – it melted at low temperatures, easily rolled into sheets (usually rectangular, but there were exceptions). The technique of construction of a roof with lead plates was that when superimposing plates, one overlapped another, for this purpose in places of seams they were bent and rolled. Lead for Byzantine construction was found to have been mined in several regions, including the northern Balkans, Pontus, and Macedonia. It is also noted that the use of lead plates for the roof contributed to the emergence and development of various forms of the roof (for example, the capital’s architectural school preferred a wavy surface).

Folklore of Chadetsky Highlanders from Bukovyna

The article is the first part of a work conceived by the author, dedicated to the folk musical traditions of the ethnic group of Poles who migrated from the western Beskyds more than 200 years ago (namely, from the vicinity of the city of Chadca, located on the Kisuca River, northern Slovakia) to the Romanian part of the Carpathians, called Bukovyna. The name of this ethnic group in Poland is gorali czadecki = Chadian gurals. Their descendants still live in several settlements of the Carpathian Bukovyna: the villages of Plesha, Solonetul Nou and Poiana Mikuli, located in the basin of the Humora River in the Suceava region of Romania.
 The traditional culture of the Chadian highlanders, in particular their musical folklore, is still insufficiently studied by scientists. The material on which the ethnomusical part of the article is based was mainly collected by the author in the course of his own expeditionary research in these territories in the 2000s.
 A significant part of the article is a summary of the history of the origin and migrations of this group, as well as ethnographic information about it. After all, complex and varied historical events (mainly the so-called «Volosh colonization», which began in the XII century: the resettlement of the Romanian-speaking population to the Carpathian region from the Northern Balkans, historical Transylvania and Moldova), as well as natural landscape living conditions – cattle breeding in high-mountain pastures) identified some of the features of their traditional musical culture.
 The second section of the publication is a general overview of the main vocal genres of the Chadetsky gurals living in Bukovyna. A specific marker of the local singing repertoire is taidans (local name) – ritual (mostly wedding) or non-ritual (shepherd's) songs / choruses with verses 6 + 6 in a two-line stanza. Their texts are predominantly monostrophic, following in each performance in no particular order. The article examines the problematic aspects of the genre interpretation of these works: these are full-fledged songs or choruses, where words are more important.
 Memorial songs (of a religious nature) and lamentation over the departed still occupy an important place in traditional life. The memories of older respondents keep archaic games held at night near the dead.
 Christmas carols of various types, performed by different age groups of carol singers, are still an actively widespread genre: children, youth – the «young brotherhood» (with mummers), older men - the «old brotherhood». Also known is the children's ritual of sowing grain in houses on New Year's morning.
 Information about song genres is presented in the context of their functioning in everyday life and rituals

It takes two to tango – Phylogeography, taxonomy and hybridization in grass snakes and dice snakes (Serpentes: Natricidae: Natrix natrix, N. tessellata)

Using two mitochondrial DNA fragments and 13 microsatellite loci, we examined the phylogeographic structure and taxonomy of two codistributed snake species (Natrix natrix,N. tessellata) in their eastern distribution area, with a focus on Turkey. We found evidence for frequent interspecific hybridization, previously thought to be extremely rare, and for backcrosses. This underscores that closely related sympatric species should be studied together because otherwise the signal of hybridization will be missed. Furthermore, the phylogeographic patterns of the two species show many parallels, suggestive of a shared biogeographic history. In general, the phylogeographies follow the paradigm of southern richness to northern purity, but the dice snake has some additional lineages in the south and east in regions where grass snakes do not occur. For both species, the Balkan Peninsula and the Caucasus region served as glacial refugia, with several mitochondrial lineages occurring in close proximity. Our results show that the mitochondrial divergences in both species match nuclear genomic differentiation. Yet, in the former glacial refugia of grass snakes there are fewer nuclear clusters than mitochondrial lineages, suggesting that Holocene range expansions transformed the glacial hotspots in melting pots where only the mitochondrial lineages persisted, bearing witness of former diversity. On the other hand, the deep mitochondrial divergences inN. tessellataacross its entire range indicate that more than one species could be involved, even though lacking microsatellite data outside of Turkey prevent firm conclusions. On the contrary, our microsatellite and mitochondrial data corroborate thatN. megalocephalais invalid and not differentiated from sympatric populations ofN. natrix. For Cypriot grass snakes, our analyses yielded conflicting results. A critical assessment of the available evidence suggests thatN. natrixis a genetically impoverished recent invader on Cyprus and taxonomically not distinct from a subspecies also occurring in western Anatolia and the southern Balkans. Based on combined mitochondrial and nuclear genomic evidence we propose that for grass snakes the following subspecies should be recognized in our study region: (1)Natrix natrix vulgarisLaurenti, 1768, southeastern Central Europe and northern Balkans; (2)Natrix natrix moreotica(Bedriaga, 1882), southern Balkans, western Anatolia, and Cyprus; and (3)Natrix natrix scutata(Pallas, 1771), eastern Anatolia, Caucasus region, Iran, northeastern distribution range (from eastern Poland and Finland to Kazakhstan and the Lake Baikal region). Thus,Natrix natrix cypriaca(Hecht, 1930) becomes a junior synonym ofN. n. moreoticaandNatrix natrix persa(Pallas, 1814) becomes a junior synonym ofN. n. scutata. Due to insufficient material, we could not resolve the status ofNatrix natrix syriaca(Hecht, 1930) from the Gulf of İskenderun, southeastern Turkey.

Late Holocene Hydro-Climate Variability in the Eastern Mediterranean: A Spatial Multi-Proxy Approach

A total of thirteen (13) paleoclimatic coastal and hinterland archives of the broader eastern Mediterranean region were collected and examined statistically in search of underlying trends for the period 2800 to 200 BP. For each archive, a proxy record representative of hydro-climatic changes was selected, normalized using z-factors to facilitate intercomparison, and analyzed statistically. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed using a clustering analysis (HCA) and dimension reduction (PCA), which led to groupings of similar records temporally, and allowed the identification of spatially underlying modes of variability. Two main modes of variability were identified, further supporting complex trajectories of paleoclimatic evolution in the region. The first mode was identified for sites presenting a trend from a wetter to an overall drier phase, with respective changes at major phase shifts at 1400 BP and 1100 BP. All sites were from the southern and northern Balkan region, as well as southwestern Turkey. A contrasting dry to wet trend was identified for a site in the Peloponnese (Greece) and the Levant, with a major phase shift at around 750 BP. The inclusion of different proxies from very different environmental settings and the 200-year window has complicated the connection of established short-term climatic events to the study’s findings.

Predicting hotspots for invasive species introduction in Europe

Plant pest invasions cost billions of Euros each year in Europe. Prediction of likely places of pest introduction could greatly help focus efforts on prevention and control and thus reduce societal costs of pest invasions. Here, we test whether generic data-driven risk maps of pest introduction, valid for multiple species and produced by machine learning methods, could supplement the costly species-specific risk analyses currently conducted by governmental agencies. An elastic-net algorithm was trained on a dataset covering 243 invasive species to map risk of new introductions in Europe as a function of climate, soils, water, and anthropogenic factors. Results revealed that the BeNeLux states, Northern Italy, the Northern Balkans, and the United Kingdom, and areas around container ports such as Antwerp, London, Rijeka, and Saint Petersburg were at higher risk of introductions. Our analysis shows that machine learning can produce hotspot maps for pest introductions with a high predictive accuracy, but that systematically collected data on species’ presences and absences are required to further validate and improve these maps.

Of herds and societies-Seasonal aspects of Vinča culture herding and land use practices revealed using sequential stable isotope analysis of animal teeth.

Late Neolithic Vinča communities, spread over much of central and northern Balkans during the late sixth to mid-fifth millennium BC and characterised by unusually large and densely population centres, would have required highly organised food production systems. Zooarchaeological analysis indicates that domesticate livestock were herded, but little is known about the seasonal husbandry practices that helped ensure a steady supply of animal products to Vinča farming communities. Here, we present new stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopic measurements of incremental bioapatite samples from the teeth of domesticated livestock and wild herbivore teeth from two late Neolithic Vinča culture sites: Vinča-Belo brdo and Stubline (Serbia). Our results show a low variation overall within sheep and goats in terms of pasture type that may have been composed of seasonal halophyte plant communities, which have higher δ13C values due to the saline rich growing environments. Cattle feeding strategies were more variable and provided with supplementary forage, such as cut branches or leafy hay, during winter. The sharp distinction in the management of cattle and sheep/goat may be associated with the development of herding strategies that sought to balance livestock feeding behaviours with available forage or, more provocatively, the emergence of household-based control over cattle–an animal that held a central economic and symbolic role in Vinča societies.

Record summer rains in 2019 led to massive loss of surface and cave ice in SE Europe

Abstract. Glaciers worldwide are shrinking at an accelerated rate as the climate changes in response to anthropogenic influence. While increasing air temperature is the main factor behind glacier mass and volume loss, variable patterns of precipitation distribution also play a role, though these are not as well understood. Furthermore, while the response of surface glaciers (from large polar ice sheets to small alpine glaciers) to climatic changes is well documented and continuously monitored, little to nothing is known about how cave glaciers (perennial ice accumulations in rock-hosted caves) react to atmospheric warming. In this context, we present here the response of cave and surface glaciers in SE Europe to the extreme precipitation events occurring between May and July 2019 in SE Europe. Surface glaciers in the northern Balkan Peninsula lost between 17 % and 19 % of their total area, while cave glaciers in Croatia, Greece, Romania and Slovenia lost ice at levels higher than any recorded by instrumental observations during the past decades. The melting was likely the result of large amounts of warm water delivered directly to the surface of the glaciers, leading to rapid reduction in the area of surface glaciers and the thickness of cave glaciers. As climate models predict that such extreme precipitation events are set to increase in frequency and intensity, the presence of cave glaciers in SE Europe and the paleoclimatic information they host may be lost in the near future. Moreover, the same projected continuous warming and increase in precipitation extremes could pose an additional threat to the alpine glaciers in southern Europe, resulting in faster-than-predicted melting.

Differences in Troglomorphism and Sexual Dimorphism in Two Sympatric Subtroglophile Crickets of Genus Troglophilus (Insecta: Orthoptera)

We investigated morphological variation and sexual dimorphism in two species of syntopic cave crickets (Troglophilus neglectus and T. cavicola) from Northern Balkans. T. cavicola is able to penetrate deeper in caves and stays there for longer periods than T. neglectus. Yet, it has not exhibited clearly stronger constructive (body size, elongation of appendages, increased spinulation) or reductive (eye reduction) traits than T. neglectus. Moreover, contrary to expectation, there is no clear association between more prolonged staying in a stable cave environment and overall lower morphological variability in T. cavicola. Only some of its morphological traits actually showed less while other showed more variation than in T. neglectus. While T. cavicola males are larger than females, there is no such difference in T. neglectus. This may help males of T. cavicola being more competitive towards overall larger T. neglectus. With the exception of the body size, overall sexual dimorphism was better expressed in larger T. neglectus. The morphospaces occupied by males and females overlap more strongly in T. cavicola than in T. neglectus, indicating that ecological niches of both sexes are better separated in the latter species.

Links Between the Middle Tisza Region and the Northern Balkans in the Light of Old and New Data

In this paper enamel inlayed Celtic brooches from the Middle Tisza Region will be presented and contextualised. Thanks to the intensive metal detecting surveys conducted in recent years, a number of new finds found their way to the museum collections. Until now there are 12 of this type broches are known. 10 are recently discovered and the other two were found at Törökszenmtiklós – Surjány site those are well-recognized among archaeologists. The amount of new data makes necessary to publish and reconsider the fresh finds and thoughts. In this paper these brooches are presented and analysed. In the light of different finds just as coins, Laminci-type belt buckle we can assume a stronger and more intensive connection between the Middle Tisza Region and the Northern Balkan during the II-I. c. BC.

The emergence and evolution of Neolithic cattle farming in southeastern Europe: New zooarchaeological and stable isotope data from Džuljunica-Smărdeš, in northeastern Bulgaria (ca. 6200–5500 cal. BCE)

Cattle were of great importance for the Neolithic farmers of southeastern Europe, in particular as farming expanded towards the well-watered regions of Džuljunica (ca. 6200–5500 cal. BCE), one of the earliest known Neolithic settlements in northeastern Bulgaria. The clear stratigraphy and the substantial Bos assemblage from Džuljunica Provided us with a great opportunity to investigate the beginning and evolution of cattle husbandry in the northern Balkans through stable isotope and zooarchaeological analyses. The relative abundance of Bos at Džuljunica leaves no doubt about the importance of beef and cattle herding. Mortality profiles suggest a transition in the early phases of the Neolithic from beef-oriented to mixed beef and milk production husbandry, enabled through intensified post-lactation culling. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of tooth enamel on a limited number of samples provides no evidence for an extended calving season for increasing milk availability or for vertical mobility. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values of bone collagen suggest that cattle were kept near the site, where C3 and C4 plants were available in summer, and that they were occasionally foddered with forest resources in the winter. Cattle experience a diachronic reduction in size on a regional scale, possibly due to farmers' choices aimed at more manageable herds consisting of smaller individuals. Restricting intermixing with local aurochs and the arrival of a new type of cattle may also have contributed to this change. Local factors or inter-regional influences may have influenced the ways cattle husbandry evolved at Džuljunica in particular and in northeastern Bulgaria more generally. More data from the region are necessary to flesh out the role of the interplay among environmental factors, local developments, and inter-regional contacts that facilitate the transfer of skills and traditions relating to the changing modes of cattle husbandry.

High genetic and morphological diversification of the Euphorbia verrucosa alliance (Euphorbiaceae) in the Balkan and Iberian peninsulas

AbstractWe explored the diversification of the southern European Euphorbia verrucosa alliance applying molecular (amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting [AFLP], sequencing of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer), karyological (relative genome size estimations, chromosome counts) and morphometric methods. The AFLP data inferred four main phylogenetic lineages corresponding to western‐southern Balkan E. montenegrina, central Balkan E. serpentini, northern Balkan‐central European‐north Italian E. verrucosa and Iberian‐southern French E. flavicoma. Genetic diversification is strongest within the Iberian and the Balkan peninsulas, suggesting Pleistocene persistence of the species in different micro‐refugia. In contrast, weak genetic structure in E. verrucosa suggests Holocene (after last glacial maximum) expansion to central and western Europe, likely from a northern Balkan refugium. Karyological data provide evidence for tetraploidisation events in E. flavicoma and E. montenegrina, but not in E. verrucosa and E. serpentini. By integrating phylogenetic data with multivariate morphometric analyses, we propose a new taxonomic treatment for this group, mainly by recognising the Balkan endemics E. montenegrina and E. serpentini as independent species and by redefining the distributions of E. flavicoma and E. verrucosa. Our study underlines the importance of the Balkan and Iberian peninsulas as major Pleistocene refugia.

The Region of Caucasus and Central European-Carpathian Territory in the Final Eneolithic and the Bronze Age (a Contribution to the Transfer of Technologies and Knowledge)

This article shows that the cultures in the Middle Danube/Carpathian territory were not just peripheral cultures of the developed Aegean-West Asian cultures, but also the western periphery of the Eurasian steppe region. From this aspect, the cultural-historical development in this area was influenced and associated with the cultural-historical development in the Caucasian and Northern Pontic regions as well. This is confirmed by several artifacts of the Caucasian character in the territory of Central Europe. First of all, we can mention single-edged copper axes, whose oldest exemplars in Europe come from the North Caucasus (the Maykop and Novosvobodnaya cultures). With the arrival of the Yamnaya culture, technology of their production emerged in the Northern Balkans and Central Europe along the Danube, through the Northern Pontic region. Their oldest exemplars in this territory are the Baniabic type axes. There are also weapons or tools; and jewellery which is represented by earrings of the so-called of Transylvania type associated mainly with the Únětice, Košťany and Otomani cultures in the Carpathian-middle Danube region. Their prototypes can be found in the North Pontic region — Yamnaya culture. The remaining cultural contacts between Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Bronze Age are confirmed by the dagger of the Srubnaya type from Sklabiňa in Central Slovakia. The existence of contacts between the Caucasian region and the territory of Central Europe as late as the final Bronze Age is proved by the finds of Cimmerian character. As a pars pro toto example, a dagger of the Kabardino-Pyatigorsk type from Malý Cetín in southwest Slovakia can be mentioned.

Nove informacije o biljnoj privredi Kelta u severnoj Srbiji

The archaeobotanical research of the macrobiotic remains from archaeological sites provides a valuable insight into the plant economy of the continental Celtic (Gaulish or Galatian) tribe of Scordisci, which lived around the rivers of Sava, Drava and Danube during the last three centuries before Christ. The field crop production of Scordisci was based upon cereals, grain legumes and oil crops. The importance of spelt wheat (Triticum spelta L.) in the everyday diets of Scordisci has been underestimated so far. Recent researches proved the presence of Byzantine oat (Avena byzantina K. Koch) at the Celtic tilths in the northern Balkans. Cereals were stored in mud-plastered granary baskets. The spectrum of grain legumes is as diverse as that of cereals. The latest analyses expand the list of oil plants with a new species-dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica (M.Bieb.) Fisch. & C.A.Mey.). There is also the first evidence of a beer production facility in one of the Scordisci oppida, Čarnok.