In 1931, Serbian archaeologist Miloje Vasić discovered a pit containing human skeletal remains whilst researching the Vinča-Belo Brdo archaeological site in the suburbs of Belgrade, Serbia.
In his diary, Vasić remarked the discovery as “an ossuary with a dromos”, in which 9 human skeletons were found.

Interpretations have not excluded that it was a collective burial, but, based on a recent analysis of the original photo documentation, the position of the deceased has been called into question as to whether the burial was a Neolithic crime scene.

Vinča-Belo Brdo site

The multi-layered site of Vinča-Belo Brdo (after which a Neolithic culture in Southeastern Europe is named) is situated some 14 km from central Belgrade. It was inhabited from the Early Neolithic in the 6th millennium BC (Starčevo culture) throughout the Middle and Late Neolithic (Vinča culture), Copper Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, until the Medieval period.

The first archaeological excavations took place in 1908 until 1934 (with interruptions due to the Balkan Wars and World War II). After that, excavations continued from 1978 to 1986, with further studies under the direction of N. N. Tasić from 1998 to present-day.

The site has revealed only a few finds from the Starčevo period, therefore, the tomb with the dromos is of particular interest as it was constructed by the Starčevo culture. wikipedia audio article a possible neolithic crime scene in serbia


Image Credit : Jovanović et al. 2021, fig. 4, reconstruction by S. Živanović
Image Credit : Васић 1931
Header Image Credit : Maja Miljević-Đajić

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