A man buried in Romania in the Neolithic era

The Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture, often simply referred to as the Starčevo culture, represents one of the earliest Neolithic farming cultures in Southeastern Europe, flourishing between approximately 6200 and 4500 BCE. This culture marks a significant transition from hunter-gatherer societies to settled farming communities, heralding substantial changes in terms of socio-economic structures, technologies, and cultural practices.

Geographic Distribution

The Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture covered a broad expanse of the Balkan Peninsula and the Carpathian Basin, spreading through present-day Serbia, Hungary, Romania, Bosnia, Croatia, and Bulgaria. Named after key archaeological sites along major rivers such as the Tisa, Mures, Körös, and Criș, the culture is notably widespread, reflecting its adaptability to diverse environments ranging from lowland plains to river valleys.

Settlement and Architecture

Settlements of the Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture typically consisted of small villages, often situated near rivers or fertile floodplains, which offered rich alluvial soils ideal for early agriculture. These villages were usually comprised of semi-subterranean dwellings or simple above-ground structures built from a combination of wattle and daub, along with thatched roofs. Evidence suggests that these communities were relatively egalitarian, with little to moderate evidence of social stratification.

The houses were likely used for both residential purposes and storage of surplus crops and goods, indicating a sedentary lifestyle focused on agriculture and animal husbandry. The population size of these settlements varied, generally housing a few dozen to several hundred individuals.

Economy and Subsistence

The economy of the Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture was fundamentally based on agriculture and animal husbandry. People cultivated a variety of crops, including wheat, barley, lentils, peas, and flax. This agricultural practice was complemented by the domestication of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. Such domestication provided dairy products, meat, and hides, crucial for the community's subsistence and trade.

Hunting and foraging persisted, supplementing the diet with wild game and plant resources. Fishing was particularly important in settlements near rivers, providing a stable protein source.

Material Culture and Technology

The Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture is celebrated for its distinctive pottery, which is among the earliest examples found in Europe. Pottery was typically handmade and featured simple forms, including bowls, cups, and storage jars. Decoration was modest, with incised or painted geometric patterns, likely imbued with symbolic or ritual significance.

Lithic technology was still prominent, with tools like sickle blades, axes, and arrowheads fashioned from locally available stone materials. Groundstone tools, such as querns and grinders, were essential for processing grain.

Social and Cultural Practices

The social structure of the Starčevo-Körös-Criș communities appears to have been relatively simple, with little evidence of hierarchical social organization or monumental architecture. However, the presence of communal activities and shared spaces suggests cohesive community structures focused on mutual cooperation and resource sharing.

Ritual and spiritual practices are suggested by the presence of figurines, often representing human or animal forms, which may have held roles in religious or fertility rites. Burials from this culture provide insight into their beliefs about death and the afterlife, with individual interments typically found within village boundaries, suggesting a connection between the living and ancestral spirits.

Influence and Decline

The Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture played a pivotal role in disseminating Neolithic practices and agricultural technology across Europe. Its interaction with adjacent cultures facilitated the exchange of ideas and technologies, accelerating the Neolithic revolution in the region.

The decline of the Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture coincides with the emergence of more complex and regionally distinct Neolithic cultures in late 5th millennium BCE, such as the Vinča culture, which arose possibly through cultural innovation or the influx of new populations with advanced technological capabilities. The legacy of the Starčevo-Körös-Criș culture remains in its profound influence on the settlement patterns, agriculture, and socio-cultural practices that forged the path for subsequent European societies.