“MATEJSKI BROD” ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE – Novi Bečej

“MATEJSKI BROD” ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE – Novi Bečej

Traces of permanent human settlements in the territory of the Novi Bečej municipality have been discovered at Borđoš, Garajevac, and Matejski Brod. As an important archaeological site, Matejski Brod was placed under state protection in 1950 by a decision of the Institute for the Protection and Scientific Study of Cultural Monuments of the Republic of Serbia.

The archaeological site of Matejski Brod is located about 6 kilometers northeast of Novi Bečej, on the boundary between two areas: Matej and Šimuđska Strana. It is an isolated plateau, situated at the very edge of a lower loess terrace, elliptical in shape, measuring 136 × 50 meters. On its western side, the plateau descends steeply into a marsh, a remnant of the former riverbed of the Mali Begej. Rescue excavations were carried out at this site between 1949 and 1952, during which seven Neolithic houses were discovered. All the houses are separated by narrow passages, suggesting the possibility of a primitive form of urban planning. Matejski Brod is a Neolithic settlement belonging to the Middle Neolithic Tisa cultural group, dated to the period between 3900 and 3550 BCE. The Tisa culture covered the northern part of present-day Serbia, with a concentration of sites between the rivers Mureș, Zlatica, and Tisa, extending as far as the Galacka River, which marked its southern boundary. In its later phases, this culture spread southward along the Tisa River, primarily on the Banat side. Settlements of the Tisa culture were built on slightly elevated terrain, which protected them from high water levels. Matejski Brod was predominantly a fishing settlement, as evidenced by shallow fish vessels and weights used for fishing nets. Finds of carbonized grains indicate the development of agriculture. Animal husbandry was also well developed, as shown by the large number of animal bone remains discovered. Plastic ornaments in the form of applied bands or ribs could cover vessel surfaces, dividing them into separate sections. The decoration of coarse pottery was executed using incised meandering motifs or zigzag lines. The pottery is light brown, yellowish, or brick-red in color, without slip, and often shows traces of red painting. Cult pottery of the Tisa culture includes altars and zoomorphic figurines made in the shape of animal heads (bulls, birds). Figurative (idol) sculpture is represented by rare examples. Characteristic tools were made from bone, stone, and fired clay, including flat stone axes, bone tools such as awls, spatulas, harpoons, and tools made of antler. The use of obsidian is also well attested, as indicated by numerous finds of flint blades made from this material.

Further research and study of the Tisa culture, as well as the Matejski Brod site itself, will provide more detailed information about the existence and duration of this culture in our region.

Text: Snežana Marinković Archaeologist, National Museum Zrenjanin

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