Trecutul (in)vizibil: primele așezări din Epoca Fierului în regiunea Novi Pazar, Serbia
(In)visible past: First Iron Age Settlements in Novi Pazar Region, Serbia

Summary/Abstract: In contrast to the solidly grounded knowledge on the mortuary practices of the First Iron Age populations in the region of Novi Pazar, south-western Serbia, our picture about their everyday life, settlement strategies, economy and connectivity is restricted to the partially excavated settlement sites, the portable material from which is mostly unexplored. All registered First Iron Age settlement sites can be defined as hillforts of modest size. The only exception is the shelter in the Smoluća cave. The settlements were built in positions with restricted accessibility, above river courses or in the vicinity of important trade routes or crossroads. The hillforts are additionally protected by drystone walls. They can be culturally connected to the Glasinac cultural milieu. Architectural remains point to above-ground objects inside fortified space. In the case of Gradina Ras in Pazarište, some objects, e.g. pits with remains of daub and carbonized grains, are indicative of existence of dwellings from later prehistory. Moreover, prehistoric settlement activities are confirmed in the fortified suburbia of Ras. Based on these facts, it can be assumed that at least some of the hillforts also had their suburban zones of occupation.

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