Serbia: The Birthplace of Civilisation (TRIH ep 280)
5,500 BCE · Resource
Hosts Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the Vinča (Vincia) culture of the central Balkans, prompted by excavations beginning with Serbian archaeologist Miloje Vasic. They describe finds from the Vinča site (Belobrdo) — advanced ceramics, thousands of figurines, and symbolic motifs — and later discoveries across Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria showing large, riverine Neolithic settlements dated c. 5700–4200 BC. They highlight evidence for early copper working (a Plocnik axe dated c. 5500...
On these timelines: The Rest Is History (podcast), Resources: Combined
Around 5500 BCE
- Sumerian civilisation (4500 BCE)
- Spread of agriculture to Europe (5000 BCE)
- Carnac stones erected (4500 BCE)
- Earliest evidence of lead smelting (6500 BCE)
- Earliest evidence of copper smelting (5000 BCE)
- Green Sahara and Saharan rock art (6000 BCE)
- Cucuteni–Trypillia culture (4800 BCE)
- Middle Jomon settlement at Sannai-Maruyama (5000 BCE)