Kakanj culture
Geographical rangeCentral Bosnia
PeriodNeolithic Europe
Datesc. 6230 BC – c. 4900 BC
Major sitesKakanj - Obre, Obre II, Papratnica, Plandište; Visoko - Arnautovići, Okolište; Zavidovići - Tuk
Preceded byCardium pottery, Starčevo culture
Followed byButmir culture

Kakanj culture was an early Neolithic culture that appeared in Central Bosnia and covered periods dated from 6230–5990 to 5300–4900 BC.

History

Central Bosnia and areas in Sarajevo, Visoko, and Zenica basins were some of the main areas of different prehistoric populations, especially along the shores of the Bosna river. Central Bosnia was already populated by other cultures, like the Starčevo and Cardium pottery. These formed the basis for the creation of a unique culture that is known as the Kakanj culture,[1] as the first findings were at a site called Obre, near the town of Kakanj.[2] Maria Gimbutas regarded the Kakanj culture as a local variant of the Starčevo, with elements of the Danilo group.[3]

Other known locations of this culture are sited at: Kakanj – Plandište, Papratnica; Visoko – Arnautovići, Okolište, and Tuk near Zavidovići. The Kakanj culture had strong influence on the development of the Butmir culture.[4][5]

Settlements and artefacts

Excavated settlements were not uniform. Site in Obre included rectangular houses with 1 or 2 rooms, foundations made of stone and clay loam walls. Stone tools are predominant, especially molded hatchets. Tools like spatulas and needles were made out of bones.[6]

Pottery is versatile, coarse, and monochrome.[7] The surface of the monochrome ceramics is well polished, as is in Butmir culture. The shapes include vessels with tall hollow conical stems, alongside bowls with thicker rims and 4-foot rhytons.[8] Plastic is poorly represented.

See also

References

  1. ^ Gimbutas, Marija; Alseikaitė (1974). The Gods and Goddesses of Old Europe: 7000 to 3500 BC Myths, Legends and Cult Images. University of California Press. ISBN 9780520019959.
  2. ^ Čović, Borivoj (1988). Arheološki leksikon BiH, Volume 2. Sarajevo: National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina. p. 16.
  3. ^ Tringham, Ruth (2014-11-13). Hunters, Fishers and Farmers of Eastern Europe, 6000-3000 B.C. Routledge. ISBN 9781317599463.
  4. ^ Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology. C. Bloms. 1967.
  5. ^ Boardman, John; Edwards, I. E. S.; Hammond, N. G. L.; Sollberger, E. (1970). The Cambridge Ancient History. Cambridge University Press. pp. 135. ISBN 9780521224963.
  6. ^ Whitehouse, Ruth D. (2016-02-24). Macmillan Dictionary of Archaeology. Macmillan International Higher Education. p. 248. ISBN 9781349075898.
  7. ^ Boardman, John; Edwards, I. E. S.; Hammond, N. G. L.; Sollberger, E. (1970). The Cambridge Ancient History. Cambridge University Press. pp. 113. ISBN 9780521224963.
  8. ^ Boardman, John; Edwards, I. E. S.; Hammond, N. G. L.; Sollberger, E. (1970). The Cambridge Ancient History. Cambridge University Press. pp. 113. ISBN 9780521224963.

External links

Neolithic Europe (including the Chalcolithic)
Categories