Ivana (Stojanović) Dimitrijević

Genome-wide analysis of 67 ancient Near Eastern cattle, Bos taurus, remains reveals regional variation that has since been obscured by admixture in modern populations. Comparisons of genomes of early domestic cattle to their aurochs progenitors identify diverse origins with separate introgressions of wild stock. A later region-wide Bronze Age shift indicates rapid and widespread introgression of zebu, Bos indicus, from the Indus Valley. This process was likely stimulated at the onset of the current geological age, ~4.2 thousand years ago, by a widespread multicentury drought. In contrast to genome-wide admixture, mitochondrial DNA stasis supports that this introgression was male-driven, suggesting that selection of arid-adapted zebu bulls enhanced herd survival. This human-mediated migration of zebu-derived genetics has continued through millennia, altering tropical herding on each continent.

In this paper we discuss the marine shell objects from old museum collections and recent archaeological excavations at the Neolithic sites in the Morava Valley (Pomoravlje): Slatina–Turska česma in Drenovac, Svojnovo and Pavlovac–Gumnište. The objects have been studied in terms of their raw material, morphology, type of preservation and fragmentation, and traces of manufacture and use. These new finds indicate that the apparent absence of exotic goods in the central Balkans south of the Danube might be the result of insufficient study or overseeing of the material. This paper provides a new insight into the
distribution of prestige items across the central Balkans, which may contribute to further discussions of complex issues of exchange of valuables across continental Europe.

Within the project aimed at rescuing the archaeological heritage along the newly constructed route of highway E75, development-led excavations were conducted at the site of Pavlovac-Gumnište near Vranje. Over the excavation season, the eastern edge of the Neolithic settlement was investigated. The large size of the excavated area (2400 m2) offered an opportunity to examine the complex horizontal and vertical stratigraphy. The investigations revealed that Pavlovac-Gumnište is a multi-layered Neolithic site composed of a Starčevo culture layer and at least two subsequent Vinča culture occupation horizons.

Pathological modifications are rarely observed in the remains of wild animals from archaeological sites. We present one such specific, pathological change − a case of spavin in a red deer specimen from the Early Neolithic site of Blagotin, in central Serbia. The left tarsal joint presented proliferative new bone formation, which was analyzed macroscopically, then subjected to X-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging. We assume that the initial degenerative changes in this red deer tarsal joint were probably caused by ageing, although the environment may have likely contributed to the progression of the disorder. Spavin usually results in stiffness of the joints and in lameness, perhaps contributing in the animal’s capture by Neolithic hunters. This case is important in that it demonstrates that spavin is not necessarily a consequence of riding or traction work.