Chapter 8 “Historical, geographical, and typological framework of the Danube Script” from the book Neo-Eneolithic Literacy in Southeastern Europe PDF

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8 HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, AND TYPOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE DANUBE SCRIPT 8.A Putting in sync chronological and cultural development: DCP (Danube Civilization Phases) and complexes, cultures, and groups In the paragraph 6.B.a (“The main field on the inscribed artifacts”), I have settled the links b...

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8 HISTORICAL, GEOGRAPHICAL, AND TYPOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE DANUBE SCRIPT 8.A Putting in sync chronological and cultural development: DCP (Danube Civilization Phases) and complexes, cultures, and groups In the paragraph 6.B.a (“The main field on the inscribed artifacts”), I have settled the links between Epoch, Period and Culture (cultural complexes, cultures, and cultural groups) according to DatDas. In order to give more details and synchronize the different cultural complexes, cultures, and cultural groups of the Danube civilization with the life cycle of ars scribendi, I present below two conversion tables. They are based on DCP (Danube Civilization Phases) concept aimed to make a chronological and cultural synchronization. The first table aligns DCP with cultural development – individuated by Epoch and Period of the Danube civilization and distinct stages of the Danube script. The subsequent table synchronizes cultural complexes/cultures/cultural groups with DCP (Danube Civilization Phases), chronological assessment (absolute date CAL BCE), and cultural frame (period/epoch). The tables show correspondence between the absolute dating and the proposed relative typological system. For the C14 data, see: for the Neolithic and Copper Age periods in the Carpathian-Danube region, the IPCTE Radiocarbon project (http://arheologie.ulbsibiu.ro); for the Aegean area, the Near East and part of the Carpathian-Danube region, the CANeW project (http://www.canew.org); for the Near East and neighboring regions (20000 - 5000 calBC), the radiocarbon CONTEXT database (http://context-database.uni-koeln.de/); and for Germany and its nearby regions, the RADON database (http://www.jungsteinsite.unikiel.de/radon/radon.htm). I elaborated the tables through an asymmetric collaboration with Gheorghe Lazarovici (he put 80% of the brain). DCP (= Danube Civilization Phases)

Epoch/Periods

Life cycle of the Danube script

DCP 01-02-03-04 DCP 1

Aceramic (PPNA +PPNB) Monochrome (1a Monochrome; 1b Monochrome + White Painting + Dots (Gura Baciului IB) 1c Monochrome + White Painting + Linear White Motifs) Monochrome + White Painting Early Neolithic

Absence of a script Absence of a script

DCP 2 DCP 3-5 DCP 6-8

DCP 12-13

Developed Neolithic = Balkan – Anatolian “Chalcolithic” complex Middle Neolithic = Balkan – Anatolian “Chalcolithic” complex Late Neolithic

DCP 14-17 DCP 18-21 DCP 22-26 DCP 27-29

Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Late Copper Age Early Bronze Age

DCP 9-11

Absence of a script Formative stage of the Danube script Accumulative stage of the Danube script Accumulative stage of the Danube script Blooming stage of the Danube script Stamina stage of the Danube script Fall stage of the Danube script Eclipse stage of the Danube script Absence of the Danube script

Fig. 8.1 - Links between DCP, Epoch/Periods and stages of the Danube script.

464

Complex/culture/group

Aceramic Alföld I Alfold II Anzabegovo-Vršnik I Anzabegovo-Vršnik II Anzabegovo-Vršnik III Anzabegovo-Vršnik IV Baden Banat I Banat II Banat III Bandkeramik late Bandkeramik middle Blaz III Bodrogkeresztúr I Boian Bolintineanu Boian Giuleşti Boian-Poljanica Bubanj Hum Ib Bubanj Hum Ic Bulgarian Late Neolithic B Butmir classic Butmir I Cakran Celei Cernavoda I Cernavoda II Cernavoda III – Boleráz, Horodiştea – Erbiceni Chaeronea I Coţofeni I-II Coţofeni III Cucuteni A1-A2 Cucuteni A3 - Trypillia B Cucuteni A4 - Trypillia B Cucuteni A-B - B1 Cucuteni B2 - Trypillia C1 Danilo Dikili Tash I Dikili Tash IIA Dikili Tash IIB Dikili Tash IIC

Chronological Absol. date and cultural CAL BCE synchronization DCP 0 DCP 8 DCP 9 DCP 2 DCP 3 DCP 4-6 DCP 7-9 DCP 22-24 DCP 6-7 DCP 8-11 DCP 10-13 DCP 10-12 DCP 10-11 DCP 13 (?) DCP 21 DCP 11-12 DCP 15-16 DCP 15-16 DCP 17 DCP 19 DCP 12-13 DCP 10 DCP 8-9 DCP 7-8 DCP 29--DCP 25-28 DCP 22 DCP 22

6400-6300 5300-5200 5200-5100 6100-5900 6000 5800-5600 5400-5100 3300-3100 5500-5300 5300-5000 5100-4800 5000-4800 5150-5000

DCP 2 DCP 25-26 DCP 27-28 DCP 16-17 DCP 19-20 DCP 21 DCP 21-23 DCP 24-25 DCP 5 DCP 12-13 DCP 13-14 DCP 14-15 DCP 16

Cultural viewpoint – Period Epoch

4100-4000 5000-4900 4900-4800 4700-4500 4500-4400 4300-4200 4950-4800 5100-5000 5300-5100 5350 2900-2600 3600-3200 3600-3500 3600-3500

Early Neolithic Developed Neolithic Middle Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early/ Developed Neolithic Developed/Middle Neolithic Late Copper Age Developed Neolithic Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Middle Copper Age Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Middle Copper Age Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Developed/Middle Neolithic Developed Neolithic Early Bronze Age Middle Copper Age Late Copper Age Late Copper Age

Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Bronze Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age

6100-5900 3600-3400 3400-3200 4600-4400 4300-4100 4100-4000 4100-3700 3700 3500 5600-5500 4900-4875 4875-4700 4700-4600 4600-4500

Early Neolithic Late Copper Age Late Copper Age Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Middle Copper Age Middle/Late Copper Age Late Copper Age Early Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Early Copper Age

Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age

465

Dikili Tash IIIA Dikili Tash IIIB Dimini – Arapi Dimini – Otzaki I-III Dimini (Classical) Dimini I (= Argissa) Dimini Tsangli- Larissa Dudeşti I (= Malu Rosu) Dudeşti I – Vinča Dudeşti II (Cernica) Dudeşti II – Vinča Dudeşti III – Vădastra I Dunavec I Dunavec II Early Cycladic Early Helladic Elateia Foeni group I Foeni group II Folteşti-Cernavoda II Gălăbnik group Gradešnica – Brenica Gradešnica – Slatino I-III Gumelniţa A Hamangia I Hamangia II - III Hamangia IV Hotnitza – Usoe I Karanovo I Karanovo II Karanovo III Karanovo IV – Kalojanovec Karanovo V – Mariţa Karanovo VI - Gumelniţa B Kodžadermen Karanovo VII Koprivets culture Kostolać LBK altere-Ackov LBK alteste LBK I LBK II Lengyel I Lengyel II Lengyel III Linear pottery with musical note heads

DCP 17 DCP 18 DCP 7 DCP 10-12 DCP 13-14 DCP 8 DCP 6 DCP 8 DCP 8 DCP 9 DCP 9 DCP 10 DCP 10-12 DCP 12-15 DCP 28--DCP 27-29 DCP 1-2 DCP 13-14 DCP 15-16 DCP 25-26 DCP 2-4 DCP 13-14 DCP 14-15 DCP 17-19/20 DCP 12-15 DCP 13-14 DCP 14-15 DCP 13 DCP 2-4 DCP 5-7 DCP 8-10 DCP 10-13 DCP 14-16 DCP 16-20

4500-4400 4400-4300 5400-5350 5250-4900 4800-4700 5350-5300 5500-5400 5300 5200 5100-5000 5000-4900 5000 5000-4800 4800- 4600 3200–2300 3326-2050 6300-5900 4875-4700 4700-4500 3600-3400 6000-5600 4800-4700 4800-4600 4500-4150 4900-4600 4800-4700 4700-4600 4900-4800 6000-5600 5600-5400 5400-5000 5100-4800 4800-4500 4500-4100

Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Developed Neolithic Middle/Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Middle Neolithic Middle Neolithic Early/Middle Bronze age Early Bronze age Early Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Late Copper Age Early Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Early/Middle Copper Age Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Late Neolithic Early Neolithic Early/Developed Neolithic Developed/Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Early/Middle Copper Age

Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic

DCP 21 DCP 2-3 DCP 25-27 DCP 8 DCP 7 DCP 7-8 DCP 9-10 DCP 14-15 DCP 16-17 DCP 18 DCP 10-11

4100-4000 6000-5750 3600-3300 5350-5200 5400-5350 5400-5200 5400-5200 4700-4600 4600-4400 4400-4300 5000-4950

Middle Copper Age Early Neolithic Late Copper Age Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Middle Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Middle Neolithic

Copper Age Neolithic Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic

466

Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Bronze age Bronze age Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age

Maliq I - Kamnik DCP 13 (?) Maliq IIA DCP 14 (?) Maliq IIB DCP 14 (?) Maliq III DCP 27 (?) Monochrome 1A-1C DCP 1 Paradimi I DCP 7-8 Paradimi II DCP 9-10 Paradimi III DCP 11-12 Paradimi IV DCP 12-13 Petreşti A DCP 16 Petreşti AB, B DCP 17-18 Pişcolt II DCP 9-10 Pişcolt III DCP 10-12 Precucuteni I - Trypillia A DCP 13-14 Precucuteni II - Trypillia A DCP 14-15 Precucuteni III - Trypillia A DCP 16-17 Presesklo DCP 2 Protosesklo DCP 1 Salcuţa-Krivodol-Bubanj Hum I DCP 16 Salcuţa-Krivodol-Bubanj Hum II DCP 17-18 Salcuţa-Krivodol-Bubanj Hum IIIIDCP 19 Szatmàr I - SC4A DCP 6 Szatmàr II DCP 7-8 Sesklo I DCP 3 Sesklo II DCP 4 Sesklo III DCP 5 Sitagroi I DCP 8-9 Sitagroi II DCP 10-11 Sitagroi IIIA DCP 11-12 Sitagroi IIIB DCP 13 Sitagroi IIIC DCP 13-14 Sitagroi IV DCP 15-16 Sitagroi V DCP 17-18 Slatino IV DCP 16 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) DCP 1-8 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IA-IB DCP 1 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IC DCP 2 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIA DCP 3 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIB DCP 4 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIIA DCP 5 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIIB DCP 6 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IVA DCP 7 Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IVB DCP 8 Stoicani Aldeni DCP 19-20 Suplac (=Zau II- III) DCP 10-12 Szákalhát I DCP 10-11

6400-6000 5400-5200 5200-5000 5000-4875 4900-4800 4600-4500 4500-4300 5200-5000 5050-4950 4900-4800 4700-4600 4600-4400 6000-5900 6300-6000 4600-4500 4500-4300 4300-4200 5500-5400 5400-5200 5900-5800 5800-5700 5600-5500 5200-5000 5000-4950 4950-4875 4875-4800 4800-4700 4700-4500 4500-4300 4600-4500 6100-5300 6100-6000 6000-5900 5900-5800 5800-5700 5600-5500 5500-5400 5450-5350 5350-5300 4300-4150 5200-4850 5200-5000 467

Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Early Bronze age Early Neolithic Developed Neolithic Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Developed/Middle Neolithic Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Early Copper Age Early/Middle Copper Age Early Copper Age Early / Developed Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Middle Copper Age Late Neolithic Middle Neolithic

Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Bronze age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic

Szákalhát II Tisza-Herpály-Csöszhalom Tiszapolgár A Tiszapolgár B Toarte pastilate (Bodrogkeresztúr II-III) Turdaş Vădastra I, II Varna I Varna II-III Vinča A (A1, A2, A2/A3, A3) Vinča B (B1, B1/B2, B2) Vinča B2/C - Turdaş I Vinča C (C1, C21, C3) Vinča D (D1, D2) Vučedol I Vučedol II Vučedol III WBPC WS Bulgaria Zarko Zau I Zau II Zau III Zau IV

DCP 10-11 DCP 10-13 DCP 22-23 DCP 25-26 DCP 25-26

5100-5000 5000-4600 4000-3600 3600-3400 3600-3400

Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Copper Age Late Copper Age Late Copper Age

Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age

DCP 10-12 DCP 10-12 DCP 18-19 DCP 20-21 DCP 6-8 DCP 9-10 DCP 11-12 DCP 12-15 DCP 16-17 DCP 22-23 DCP 24-25 DCP 26 DCP 2-5 DCP 2-4 DCP 4 DCP 7 DCP 8-9 DCP 10-11 DCP 13-14

5000-4800 5100-4800 4550-4400 4400-4200 5500-5200 5200-5000 5000-4900 4900-4600 4600-4400 4000-3600 4000-3600 3400-3300 6000-5500 6000-5700 5800-5700 5300-5200 5200-5100 5100-4900 4800-4700

Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Middle Copper Age Late Copper Age Developed Neolithic Middle Neolithic Late Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age Late Copper Age Late Copper Age Late Copper Age Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Early Neolithic Developed Neolithic Developed Neolithic Late Neolithic Early Copper Age

Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Copper Age Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Neolithic Copper Age

Fig. 8.2 –Link between cultural complex/culture/cultural group, synchronization from the chronological viewpoint (absolute date CAL BCE), cultural viewpoint (epoch/period).

8.B Life cycle of the script Based on the chronological distribution of the corpus of the signs, one can classify the life cycle of the Danube script as follows: The Formative stage (ca. Early Neolithic), the Accumulative stage (ca. Developed and Middle Neolithic), the Blooming stage (ca. Late Neolithic) when the script reached the peak, the Stamina stage (ca. Early Copper Age). This was succeeded by the stages of significant decline: The Fall stage (ca. Middle Copper Age), and the Eclipse stage (ca. Late Copper Age). Writing technology was absent in the cultures before the 8.2 ka event: Aceramic (PPNA +PPNB) and Monochrome (Monochrome 1a; Monochrome 1b + White Painting + Dots (Gura Baciului IB); Monochrome 1c + White Painting + Linear White Motifs). Disregarding data from the periods of the Neolithic and Copper Age where cultural complex, culture or cultural group is non-distinctly specified, the Formative stage records 11.3% of the total occurrences. This finding challenges previous academic arguments, which have contended that pottery signs were unknown in early ceramics (Makkay 1969: 12). The Accumulative stage of the script registers 15.9%. The Blooming stage reaches the climax of the system of writing, with 47.8%. The Stamina stage records 19.8%. The Fall stage records 2.8%, and the Eclipse stage 2.5% (viz. graphic).

468

Chronological distribution of the signs of the Danube script Period Absolute value

%

Neolithic not specified

337

6.22%

Formative stage

572

10.55%

Accumulative stage

808

14.90%

2,421

44.66%

14

0.26%

1,003

18.50%

Fall stage

141

2.60%

Eclipse stage

125

2.31%

Blooming stage Copper Age not specified Stamina stage

Total

5,421

Chronological distribution of the signs of the Danube script (excluding data when the distinct period is not specified). 0.00%

20.00% 40.00%

60.00% 80.00% 100.00%

Early Neolithic Middle Neolithic %

Late Neolithic

Early Copper Age Middle Copper Age Late Copper Age

Even if occurring thorough the entire Neolithic and Copper Age time-frame, the Danube script was eminently a Neolithic affair. According to DatDas evidence, it originally appeared in the central Balkan area and had an indigenous development starting around 5900-5800 BCE at Starčevo-Criş (Körös)1 IB, IC horizon some two thousand years earlier than any other known writing. It happened within the frame of the classical white painted pottery-making communities characterized by a demographic boom, and spread over a broader region of the Balkans (Starčevo-Criş (Körös) horizon IB, IC, IIA and early Karanovo I). The script signs are mainly concentrated in the Starčevo-Criş (Körös) cultural complex where their earliest appearance is also signaled. The experiment with literacy quickly extended along the Danube valley northward to the Hungarian Great Plain, southward to Thessaly, westward to the Adriatic coast, and eastward to Ukraine. Remarkable examples from Cluj - Gura Baciului, Trestiana, Bucova, Ostrovu Golu, Cenad, and Gornea (Romania) show how linear decorative incisions on early Starčevo-Criş (Körös) ceramics could have evolved in a short time into a linear writing (even if linear ornaments are only one of the start-up springboards of the Danube script). Developing as a successful social reproduction strategy for the Central and western Balkan-Danube communities, the Danube script progressed in sync with a gradual increase in social complexity and interaction among regional settlement systems such as the intermediate and late stages2 of the Starčevo-Criş 1

The term Körös is put between brackets having no firmly established chronology, up to now. Having Starčevo–Criş (Körös) IIIA, Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIIB, Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIIB-IVA, and Starčevo–Criş (Körös) IVA-IVB as developing stages. 2

469

(Körös) cultural complex in Serbia, Romania and Southern Hungary, the Banat I in Romania and Southern Hungary, later Karanovo I, Karanovo II and Gălăbnik group in Bulgaria, and Sesklo III in Greece. During the Early Neolithic, the signs of the Danube script were concentrated in the Starčevo-Criş (Körös) cultural complex. It gathers 67.1% of the total occurrences, excluding data where the distinct culture is not specified (mainly in the Republic of Serbia, but also in Romania, Hungary, F.Y.R.O.M., Bulgaria, and Albania). The Starčevo-Criş (Körös) cultural complex was not only the incubator of the script, but further provided a significant contribution, exhibiting 7.1% of the total amount of signs of the system of writing. Another prominent Early Neolithic culture, Karanovo I (Bulgaria), accounts for 8.4% of the total frequencies of the period. Anzabegovo-Vršnik III, in F.Y.R.O.M., reaches 1.8%. Limited is the involvement of Banat I (1.4%) in Romania, Sesklo III (1.0%) in Greece and Danilo (1.0%) in Croatia. The input to the formative stage of the Danube script from the Gălăbnik group (0.7%), of Bulgaria, is narrow. Some significant Early Neolithic cultures seem to be absent in the primeval experiment of literacy in Southeastern Europe. Such absentees include the Anzabegovo-Vršnik I and II in F.Y.R.O.M., the Presesklo, Protosesklo, Sesklo I and II, and Dimini - Tzangli in Greece, Monochrome (Koprivets) and Karanovo II in Bulgaria. Evidence connects the earliest stages of the Danube script to two communicative channels: religious liturgies and expressions of identity/affiliation. Religious utilization of the script is substantiated by miniaturize offering altars.3 They come from Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IB at Donja Branjevina in the Republic of Serbia, from Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IB/IC at Ocna Sibiului-Triguri in Transylvania (Romania), and from Karanovo I at Elešnica (Southwestern Bulgaria) and Kazanlak (Central Bulgaria). Utilization to express identity/affiliation is evidenced by Karanovo I seals from Azmashka Mogila in the Thracian Plain (Bulgaria) and Starčevo-Criş (Körös) IIA seals from the Hódmezövásárhely-Zsoldos farm (Hungary). Karanovo I anthropomorphic figurines from Kovačevo (Southwestern Bulgaria) can be considered multifunctional.4 The twofold earliest occurrence of the script poses the possibility of a different double function since its earliest phase ― one in rituals, in order to support and convey communication with the divine sphere, and the other in daily life. Mignon altars were likely to have been used in such religious liturgies in the expression of religious concepts and margina...