| Authors | Organisations | Keywords |
|---|---|---|
| Eduard Vasiljevic | Krapina Neanderthal Museum | Experimental archaeology, Stjepan Vuković, Paleolithic tools |
The Role of Experimentation in Archaeology
From ancient Greek philosophers to modern scientists, experiment is the foundation of understanding natural processes. Although the experiment as a method of scientific research is common in the natural sciences, its application in the social sciences and humanities is limited or insufficiently highlighted. The complexity of human behavior, ethical questions, and the need for research in the natural environment are some of the reasons for the limited application of experiments in these sciences. Until recently, experimental archaeology was not fully accepted by the academic community. It was observed separately from the usual archaeological practice and methodology. The application of experiments in archaeology experienced its full affirmation in the second half of the twentieth century.
Vuković's Early Contributions
Stjepan Vuković is the originator of experimental archaeology in Croatia. Growing up as an archaeologist, he was fascinated by the possibilities of experiment as an essential tool for verifying his conclusions. His first documented experiments began at the end of the 1920s, well before the discipline became accepted and an integral part of archaeology studies worldwide. After retiring, Stjepan Vuković intensively dealt with experimental archaeology. With the help of experiments, he tested various theories and hypotheses about the past. He carefully conducted experiments for forty years.
Recognition and Legacy
Back in 1974, Vuković's long-term work in the field of experimental archaeology was confirmed. An article titled "Experiments in Drilling Holes in Stones" was published in the prestigious magazine Calgary Archaeologist. The text describes the practical experience of Stjepan Vuković in the field of experimental archaeology. The methodology of the work and the knowledge gained during many years of processing stone materials are described in detail. For the purposes of the experiment, he used available material collected in nearby localities. According to his own records, he collected rock samples on the banks of the Drava River and the surrounding mountains of Ivanščica, Ravna Gora, and Kalnik. He collected samples of sand and gravel on the sandbar of the Drava River in the Varaždin district. The petrological analysis of a dozen objects from the Collection of Experimental Archaeology revealed different types of rocks: serpentinite, gneiss, chert, limestone of the "vinicite" type, while two polished artifacts were identified as serpentinized ultrabasic rocks.
The Vuković Collection
After the death of Stjepan Vuković, his wife Zlata donated the collection to the former Museum of Evolution. A collection of experimental archaeology was created and consists of 129 objects in total. These objects were processed by Stjepan Vuković in order to make replicas of weapons and tools from the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. The collection contains 69 examples of polished stone tools that can be used for different purposes. Based on the typological-functional analysis, the material can be divided into several categories: axes, hammers, axes and hammers with a hole for the handle, artifacts, pendants, and plugs. There are interesting examples of polished stone with engraved clear but simple facial features, such as those found in different periods of human history.
Stjepan Vuković designed a drill for drilling and processing polished stone material. It is a primitive tool made from materials available to people of the younger Stone Age. The drill consists of three parts: a massive base, a flywheel, and a wooden tube that is used for drilling the material. In this unique collection, there are notes and sketches created during the research. In addition, the collection contains letters exchanged between Stjepan Vuković and Vladimir Markotić, documenting their scientific discussions on this topic.
From the wooden objects, we can single out different types of hooks, needles, decorative objects, contours of animals, handles, and contours of Venus. One of the most interesting objects is a boomerang with prominent drawings of animals such as elephants, wild cats, or different types of birds, similar to those found in the tribal communities of Australia and Oceania.
Digitizing the Past
Considering the criteria and guidelines of the National Project "Croatian Cultural Heritage," the Museum of Krapina Neanderthals is successfully implementing the project of digitizing museum objects. Taking into account the mentioned parameters, we successfully carried out the digitization process with the "Collection of Experimental Archaeology." Several optical 3D measuring devices and 2D professional scanners and high-resolution SLR cameras were used to scan the objects. The items will soon be published on the central portal of the Digital Cultural Heritage. Users of this service can view objects from different angles, and thanks to the high resolution of the recorded material, there is the possibility for future scientific research work.
