Anzabegovo-Vrshnik

Pottery from the settlement of Pilavo near Kochan

Culture Anzabegovo-Vrshnik is an archaeological culture of the Early-Middle Neolithic era. It existed on the territory of the modern Republic of Macedonia around 5300 - 4200 years. BC e. ^[1] . It was part of the Balkan-Anatolian complex. It is named after two archaeological sites, Anzabegovo near Shtip and Vrshnik near Vinitsa .

The development of culture is divided into 4 stages (Anzabegovo-Vrshnik I-IV), and the first, in turn, into three substages (Anzabegovo-Vrshnik Iabc). The first phase coincides with the Early Neolithic, and the remaining three with the Middle Neolithic.

Monuments of this culture are located in the valleys, for example, p. Bregnitsa , as well as in the vicinity of Skopje . Similar artifacts were also found in Bulgaria, in the valley of the river. Struma , and in Greece near the river. Vardar , which speaks of expansion into neighboring regions.

The dwellings of the culture of Anzabegovo-Vrshnik I were built only of clay, while in the subsequent phases of the dwelling they were huts , which had a small foundation, with a floor covered with tiles.

The dead were always buried near dwellings, in a crouched position, but without orientation towards any part of the world.

Over the 4 periods of the existence of culture, 3 types of ceramics appeared in it. The first was vessels with thin walls of light colors (due to firing) with the addition of grains of mica . The second type: rough, without ornament. Third: more rare, it was also coarse vessels, with thick walls, but made of clay mixed with crushed pebbles. In phases I and III, red ceramics prevailed, while in phase IV ceramics were gray and black. Ceramics of phase II is characterized by gray and brown colors, as well as ribbed ornaments. Phase I vessels are often decorated with white paint in the form of stripes, triangles and floral ornaments.