History of Lepenski Vir

Once agricultural products became a commodity, a new way of life replaced the old social structure. Distinct characteristics of LepenskiVir culture, its house architecture and fish sculptures, disappeared gradually. LepenskiVir III is representative of a Neolithic site and is more typical of other sites across a much wider area. The exact mechanism of this transition remains unclear, but the evidence suggests development through evolution rather than outside invasion.

Seven successive settlements were discovered on the LepenskiVir site, with the remains of 136 residential and sacral buildings dating from 6500 BC to 5500 BC.

All the settlements follow the shape of the underlying terrain, a horseshoe-shaped plateau. Settlements always face the direction of the river, which was the obvious focus of life for its inhabitants. The basic layout of the settlement consists of two separate wings and a wide empty central space which served the purpose of a village square or meeting place. The settlement is radially divided with numerous pathways leading to the edge of the river. The outer edges of the village are parallel to the surrounding cliffs.