Pločnik

Pločnik is an archaeological site located an hour’s drive from Niš and is part of the Vinča culture. What makes this site unique is that its ancient houses have been restored to their original state, as they were 7,500 years ago. In addition, it is one of the oldest metalworking sites in the world.

The production of metal is an extremely complex process, and it is unclear how the ancients first discovered it. There are so many necessary components and conditions that a coincidence seems unlikely. There must have been a body of knowledge on how to produce metals passed down from somewhere, along with a group of people conducting experiments, that enabled the first production of copper. The development of metal production likely occurred in one place at one time and then spread to the rest of the world.

Pločnik is located on the banks of the Toplica River, in an area that is highly fertile and well-suited for various types of agriculture. The settlement covered 120 hectares and existed between 5500 BC and 4500 BC. It excelled in trade, craftsmanship, art, and metallurgy. There was a strong aspiration for beauty, as evidenced by the clay figurines found there, as well as a tendency for amusement and play. The inhabitants knew how to mine metals, transport them, and produce copper in large blacksmith workshops that used chimneys. Axes from 7,500 years ago were discovered at the site, suggesting that metalworking began much earlier than previously thought. Traditionally, the start of metal use is dated to the Chalcolithic period, around 4500 BC, but the findings at Pločnik date back a thousand years earlier.

According to the figurines found, women’s dresses were distinguished by their beauty and refined artistic sense. They wore miniskirts, bracelets, and jewellery—indicating that beauty was likely an ideal.

Pločnik was part of the Vinča culture, which was the largest prehistoric culture in Europe, existing from the 6th millennium BC until the 3rd millennium BC, when it was destroyed by Indo-European invasions. However, the settlement itself was destroyed in the 5th millennium BC by a fire, which helped preserve parts of the ancient site. The location was discovered in the 1920s during the construction of a railway. Today, visitors can see five Neolithic houses restored to their original wooden, clay, and mud construction, as well as demonstrations of how copper was produced in ancient times.

Some of the findings from Pločnik can be viewed at the Toplica Museum in the nearby town of Prokuplje, which also arranges visits to the site. Additionally, another important Vinča culture site is located halfway between Vinča itself and Pločnik, near the Murača River. This site, called Drenovac, has a shelter covering the excavations and a small museum.