A pleasant climate, abundant areas for hunting and fishing, and the organisation of a large community that included a primordial religious connection with the great river and its banks enabled the creation of a lasting and even urban prehistoric settlement. The art of its inhabitants – consisting of stone sculptures, often with fish-like gods – surprised and astonished the world.
he extensive archaeological explorations on the Danube’s banks that occurred from
1964 to 1971, an area that is today flooded by the Djerdap Dam, revealed a new picture
of the life and culture of the prehistoric peoples from this region; there is ample
evidence that the people of the Iron Gate (Djerdap Gorge) lived a rich life. The
most reliable evidence was discovered in a prehistoric culture that had been unknown
until then and which was named after the site by the same name – the Culture of Lepenski
Vir. It turned out that this crucial archaeological find, now completely explored,
represents the highest cultural level attained during the Stone Age, i.e. the transition
from the hunting-gathering economy of the Paleolithic period to the agricultural-cattle
breeding culture of the Neolithic period.
The extensive archaeological explorations on the Danube’s banks that occurred from 1964 to 1971, an area that is today flooded by the Djerdap Dam, revealed a new picture of the life and culture of the prehistoric peoples from this region; there is ample evidence that the people of the Iron Gate (Djerdap Gorge) lived a rich life. The most reliable evidence was discovered in a prehistoric culture that had been unknown until then and which was named after the site by the same name – the Culture of Lepenski Vir. It turned out that this
crucial archaeological find, now completely explored, represents the highest cultural level attained during the Stone Age, i.e. the transition from the hunting-gathering economy of the Paleolithic period to the agricultural-cattle breeding culture of the Neolithic period.
The architecture of Lepenski Vir is characterised by trapezoid bases of structures. It is obvious that the residents of Lepenski Vir knew certain measurements according to which they regularly measured the bases of their buildings. All structures were identical and differed only in size. The roofs started immediately from the lateral sides and were made of round logs set in the shape of tent-like cabins. The entrances were always towards the Danube and were marked with stone plates from the inside. Right behind the entrances were rectangular hearths, dug into the floor and made of chopped red limestone, and which were walled with stone blocks.