The Find and the Preservation of the Find
The archeological site “Stari Vinogradi” (“Old Vineyards”) near Čurug has been known since the 20th century 60's. But we can safely say that Stari Vinogradi, as we know the site today, was discovered quite a bit later, on one occasion in the summer of 1997, on which there was not even a hint of what was to come. In the widening of the trench of the local brick factory, in the profiles of which the first archeological structures were discovered during the 20th century 60's, the need for the protection of this archeological site arose. The first field information told of a dozen or so damaged archeological units from the late Classical age.
The intervention of the archeological team was supposed to last for ten days or so. But during those first ten days, apart from the damaged structures being explored, it turned out that the intentions of the brick makers were entirely different. Their intentions were a much more voluminous widening of the trench, not only that year but during the following years as well. The immensity of the site was not yet visible, nor the density of the finding in it. In this first archeological campaign, instead of ten, fifty archeological units were explored.
This was continued with even greater scope during the following years, to the present day. “Stari Vinogradi”, as we know it today, is an archeological site that covers an area of at least 50 to 100 hectares. In this area over 600 archeological structures have been explored in the space of around 1.4 hectares. The greatest preservational archeological digging of a site in Serbia during the past 30 or so years and one of the largest in general. The site turned out to consist of several layers, with horizontal stratigraphy, and to have hidden within it archeological traces of cultures from the stone age, through other prehistoric eras, the entire ancient period and almost the entire medieval era until modern times marked by archeological units from the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th century.
The preservation of this discovery did not take the regular course. The institutions in charge were unprepared to truly protect this gem in the necklace of archeological sites in Vojvodina. Explorers were faced with a fateful dilemma right from the start. To enter into battle against time and the huge task that would require unscheduled and simply incredible physical and professional strain or not. We said “Yes”, which took courage, although we as explorers often felt as though we were on our own in the battle against human ignorance, indifference, lack of culture and at times even callousness. These vices of mankind left wounds on “Stari Vinogradi” as well, in the form of destroyed and irretrievably lost parts of the site.
As an explorer with whom, during these past nine years, about a hundred archeology students have worked (photos of archeological team) some of which are working and leading their own projects today, I was stimulated by their youth, energy and their desire for new knowledge and experiences. It was from there that I got my energy but also generated a determined and persistent position that this task must be completed positively and thus receive full meaning. We fought together to save every foot of this world cultural heritage from destruction and complete oblivion. I am very grateful to them for this cooperation, and I hope that I managed to retaliate in at least a small measure by transferring to them my knowledge and experience, but maybe even more so by showing them the proper relationship towards cultural heritage, which our society obviously lacks, and which falls in that segment of upbringing that is not learned only in the parental home.
The entire archeological team has worked on an entirely volunteer basis all these years. In order for the team to even be able to work on this site they needed to provide for the basic needs of their stay. In circumstances in which the government was deaf to pleas for the prevention of further exploitation of the land, help of an entirely different nature came from another direction. The archeological team had where to stay all these years courtesy of the primary school “Đura Jakšić” in Čurug, and cateringcompletely free of charge courtesy of the Čurug home for the mentally ill. The local community, by way of the municipalities of Žabalj and Čurug, managed to relieve our efforts on these projects from time to time by allocating small amounts of money.
Objectively speaking modest, but also the only help and the maximum that they were able to provide, this assistance was perceived by us as great, and remembered in our hearts as a true gesture of friendship. As simply and openly as it was given, for this help we now extend our gratitude. Together we managed to salvage “Stari Vinogradi”, our great find.
Upon reflection I am proud to say that the decision brought at the beginning of this great and extraordinary undertaking in Serbian archeology was the right one. Some objected to our “unprofessionalism” because of the volunteer work with students, and even my own. But in a collapsed society in which values are frequently seen in negative, this was only to be expected. Only thanks to our “unprofessionalism” is the future of “Stari Vinogradi” and the part of our past that this site hides now before us.