New Radiocarbon Dates from the Balkans (Dubene-Sarovka): Approach to the Early Bronze Absolute Chronology in Upper Thrace

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This paper addresses the absolute chronology of the earlier Yunatsite and Ezero cultures in Upper Thrace (South Bulgaria), from Early Bronze I and the beginning of Early Bronze II. The two newly obtained radiocarbon dates from Early Bronze Dubene-Sarovka (the Upper Stryama Valley) are published and discussed in a detailed stratigraphic and comparative Early Bronze I-Early Bronze II context. Date Bln-5233 (3490-3120 cal BC) is the first 14 C date from the Upper Maritsa valley from Early Bronze I with well-defined stratigraphic context and values earlier than 3100 BC. This date adds new arguments to the discussion of the 14 C dates from Yunatsite 15 and Plovdiv-Nebet Tepe, and addresses the question of the comparative chronology of Yunatsite I and Ezero I cultures from the late fourth millennium BC.The sample of the date Bln-5231 (2870-2620 cal BC) comes from a level on the border between Early Bronze I and Early Bronze II. On one hand, its values preceded the values of the earlier-obtained 14 C dates from IIB layer and confirmed the stratigraphic sequence at Dubene-Sarovka tell. On the other hand, the calibrated values seem to be later than the vast comparative chronology of the end of the Dubene IIA-the beginning of Dubene IIB (ca. 3000 BC). Similar problems occur with dates from Yunatsite and Ezero. The published new dates from Dubene-Sarovka are part of the project on complex elaborating of the Early Bronze absolute chronology in the Balkans, and especially on contextual analysis of the 14 C dates.

Tracing the Absolute Time-Frame of the Early Bronze Age in the Aegean

“…The earlier appearance of the Aegean EBA in the north of Greece and more specifically in the area of northeast Macedonia and the nearby island of Thasos, as revealed with these results, may be related to the fact that EBA I cultures appear to be established earlier further north inside southern Bulgaria (Upper Thrace). 14 C dates giving ages close to the middle of the 4th millennium BC have been reported (Nikolova and Görsdorf 2002). Furthermore, similarities of Sitagroi cultural material with Bulgarian and other Balkan cultures have been also discussed by Renfrew (1971).…”

Radiocarbon Dating the 3rd Millennium Bc in the Central Balkans: A Re-Examination of the Early Bronze Age Sequence

“…Data for the horizons 8-5 at Junacite, where pottery with identical decoration as at Velika Humska Čuka is recorded (Nikolova 1999: 203, 227, Table 9.2, Table 10.2) indicate an even younger dating (2402-2210 cal BC with 68.2% probability). At present EBA 2 remains the most poorly defined horizon of the 3rd millennium cal BC in the area under analysis, however it is now clear that it is contemporaneous with the EBA 2 Bulgarian Dubene group (Nikolova 1999;Nikolova and Görsdorf 2002).…”