The Early Iron Age Horizon at the Site of Kafilerija, near Ćuprija

Abstract

This paper analyses the archaeological assemblage from the site of Kafilerija, near Ćuprija, recovered during rescue excavations carried out in 2013. Its aim is to define the cultural and chronological characteristics of the earlier occupation horizon on the basis of stratigraphic relations, archaeological features, and the stylistic and typological analysis of the mobile finds. The excavations identified two occupation phases: a more recent phase, belonging to the Roman period, which is not discussed in this study, and an older phase, documented primarily by prehistoric pottery fragments, pits, and floors. The characteristics of the pottery indicate that the settlement was established in the Early Iron Age, most probably during the 10 th or the 9 th century BC, while the available evidence suggests that this horizon lasted no later than the end of the 8 th century BC. Research results contribute to a more precise understanding of Early Iron Age settlement patterns in the Middle Pomoravlje region.