The 12000 Year-old Settlement of Lepenski Vir.

The 12000 Year-old Settlement of Lepenski Vir in Serbia.

July 2021.

I can’t imagine many people would look at some archaeological ruins and claim: “Now THIS is how you celebrate your birthday”. Now let me be clear, Sladja didn’t actually utter those words. But I know that’s how she was feeling.

You see, my wife just isn’t your average gal. While I’m invariably blogging, photo editing, watching football or listening to music, she’ll be studying French, Greek and Farsi. Or perhaps chalking off another chapter from a book about Ancient Rome.

Sladja has long been fascinated by archaeology and the history of ancient civilisations. As a result, it was a complete no-brainer that while in Donji Milanovac we pay a visit to the remains of Lepenski Vir. This incredible 12000 year old archaeological site is, claim historians, the oldest planned settlement in Europe!

We hadn’t specifically planned this for Sladja’s birthday, but sometimes the stars align and a thing is just meant to be. So after a suitably festive breakfast (coffee, cake and cherry juice) we called a taxi and set off on the 15-minute drive. And what a pleasant journey it was, as the centre enjoys an idyllic location on the banks of Lake Đerdap near the village of Boljetin.

The 12000 Year-old Settlement of Lepenski Vir.

The driver dropped us a few metres from the woodland path that leads to the entrance of the museum. Amusingly, there was just a handmade wooden sign pointing visitors towards the multi-million euro building.

Before heading down the path we found our attention captured by a pair of incredibly charming traditional 19th century Serbian farmhouses.

Fully restored in recent years using local wood, stone, mud and straw, the homes are now privately owned according to several online articles. Though we saw no signs of anyone at home that morning.

There was nobody on the path either, which made for a pleasant stroll to the entrance where a pair of dogs lay napping across from the main doors.

After paying our dues to the unpleasant woman at the ticket counter (around 450 Dinars / $4), we headed inside where 12000 years of history awaited along with a grand total of 0 other visitors.

Admittedly, it was quite the thrill to stand there gazing across the vast space. An exhibition of prehistoric treasures housed in a space-age-like building that wouldn’t look out of place in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Europe’s Oldest Planned Settlement.

We were keen to get stuck into the various artefacts on display. However, first we needed to visit the cinema where a short documentary laid out the basics of the site’s history and its eventual excavation. As you can see, we really had to fight to get good seats.

People first started inhabiting the area as long as 12000 years ago. Over the centuries communities thrived as daily life transitioned from a hunter-gatherer type setup to Europe’s first agrarian societies. Without wanting to get too heavy on the historic nitty gritty we’re talking the early mesolithic period (middle Stone Age) through to the neolithic (New Stone Age) era.

A local farmer, Manojlo Milošević, accidentally discovered the site in 1960. But we have a Serbian archaeologist by the name of Dragoslav Srejović to thank for the unearthing of Lepenski Vir’s impressive treasures. Because it was he and his dedicated team that excavated the land between 1965 and 1971.

Together they found the remains of no less than seven successive settlements made up of almost one hundred and forty buildings. Most were residential, while Srejović reckoned a handful were the ruins of temples.

Due to a serious risk of flooding, the team had to relocate their findings to a safe spot on higher ground one hundred metres downstream. And that’s precisely where today’s museum stands.

The 12000 Year-old Settlement of Lepenski Vir.

The remains of these structures take up most of the exhibition space, which is essentially a giant pit. The stone markings outline the forms of what the team believed were trapezoidal homes. Typically these small stone, mud and straw houses comprised of a single room. Inside there would be a stone table, a fireplace and in some cases a shrine to departed family members.

It certainly takes some imagination to visualise what these structures would have looked like back in their day. Luckily, experts have constructed a number of life-size replicas that fill in the dots. Mm, cosy.

The prehistoric men and women who lived in these settlements have been labelled Lepenians. Historians say they were way ahead of their time in being able to produce their own tools and make houses outside of caves.

Moreover, the in-home shrines they created showcase a surprising spirituality. Hitting the jackpot, Srejović and his team discovered 180 sets of human remains buried under the buildings, a practice they believe was common among families.

Some of the remains lay in a foetal position; their heads faced towards the Danube pointing downstream. One theory for this practice is that the Lepenians most likely treated the nearby river, their man food source, as a holy place worthy of the utmost respect and worship.

The Lepenians.

Apparently a great deal of these human remains were reburied in the original site in order to maintain the land’s historic integrity. They did keep a handful though which have appeared for exhibition at Belgrade’s National Museum. In any case it was cool to observe these reconstructed burials and then look up through the window to see the nearby waters of the lake and Danube.

The Lepenians left no written documents, hence much of their daily lives and practices are still shrouded in mystery. And where there is uncertainty you’ll often find a nutcase or two propelling ridiculous conspiracy theories.

Take the Swiss author Erich von Däniken for example. A proponent of the ancient astronauts theory, he took an interest in the site following ufologists’ claims that the Lepenians were actually “ancient aliens”. 

As fascinating as all this history (and non-history) is, I can see why some visitors to Lepenski Vir might come away feeling a touch disappointed. First the archaeological site in questions is displaced. Secondly, the human remains on show are reconstructed. Happily, the exhibition’s magnificent display of original Lepenian sculpture art steps in to save the day.

The 12000 Year-old Settlement of Lepenski Vir.

This stunning piece goes by the name of foremother. Found intact inside one of the houses, archaeologists and historians agree that it was almost certainly crafted as a tribute to some manner of Lepenian river deity. Made from red sandstone in around 7000 BC, it is a predominantly humanoid creation with fish-like features.

Next we came across Progenitor, a totem-like head bust. Like Foremother it seems to be in some state of anguish and carries an extra facial detail with clearly marked bags under its eyes.

Elsewhere I admittedly had to fix my gaze for a while before I could make out the artist’s intention in this deer in forest scene. Evidence I guess that the Lepenians didn’t rely solely on fish and had other sources of meat available to them.

Last but not least (oh who am I kidding it’s definitely least), I think we both felt a bit bemused by this one, Little Catfish. Try as I might, it still just looks like a giant bowling ball to me. Yes, I can see the chipped eye and mouth but I’m not really buying it.

Little Catfish?

Speaking of buying, if one feels so moved it’s possible to leave the museum with a mini foremother or progenitor of your own. Despite being not at all expensive I can’t say we felt tempted. In fact, I’m not sure we fancied the idea of these faces staring at us while we’re trying to work.

Back in Donji Milanovac we decided to toast our successful birthday field trip with a late lunch and drinks at the appropriately named Lepenska Ribica Restaurant.

Apparently they have a reputation for fresh fish. But we couldn’t see past their signature pizza, a ham, cheese, mushroom and olive concoction that really hit the spot!

Like this? I’ve written travel articles from all across Serbia.

I’ve been living, working and traveling all over the world since 2001. So why not check out my huge library of travel reports from over 40 countries.