Pingе 2 at Mali Šturac: archaeological and geophysical investigation of ancient mining

Abstract

Pinge 2 is located on the north-eastern border of the zone of copper mineralization and prehistoric mining works as well at the Prljuša site at Mali Šturc, the lowest peak of Rudnik mountain in central Serbia. In its immediate neighborhood, there is a mine shaft which has been excavated since 2014 and dated, according to pottery finds in the Early Eneolithic Bubanj-Hum I culture. The exploration of Pinge 2 was undertaken to determine whether it is the trace of prehistoric or later mining from the Roman or Medieval Age. Pinga 2 is a funnel-shaped surface depression, 18 meters long and 14 meters wide. The research was started with a small trench (3x2m) in the central part of the pinga. Only one layer of humus mixed with large stones was detected in the trench. The excavation was suspended at a depth of 1.8 m and followed by geophysical measuring. Geoelectric scanning in the central part of Pinge 2 revealed a thick layer, almost 10 m deep, composed of large stone material. This layer leans on a border rock almost vertically descending to the bottom. Another archaeological excavation was undertaken on the eastern border of the Pinge 2. The excavation revealed the steep rock representing the edge of the pinge. Along the top of this rock a narrow eleven meters long track carved in the rock was discovered, connecting two entrances into mining shafts. The waste stone material from these shafts was thrown into the central part of the pinge infilling it and probably covering earlier mining works. During excavations archaeological material was not found , but the appearance of mining works and the absence of malachite in surrounding rock indicate that the works certainly do not originate from the time of the Early Eneolithic as the neighbouring mine at Mala Šturca.