Reinvestigation of 6,800-year-old site in Serbia reveals larger settlement and egalitarian social structure

Southeastern Europe and the Balkans are a key region for understanding the European Neolithic. Many ways of life and economic systems that continue to shape our lives today first emerged there in Europe and later spread across the continent. An archaeological culture named after the Vinča site in present-day Serbia marks a late phase of the Neolithic period in the region. More than 6,500 years ago, people there lived in large settlements for extended periods for the first time. They maintained extensive trade networks. Pottery and stonework demonstrate extensive knowledge of materials and a wide range of decorative styles.