Visualizing the unknown Balkans

Abstract

The visualization of the archaeological heritage from the Balkans turns the spotlight on the human past in this region that is in many ways essential for our understanding of European history in general. Southeast Europe represents one of the key areas for analysing the human past, where most of the major cultural developments started that had a long-lasting impact on the continent. This specific culmination of cultural and social dynamics over millennia took place in the highly diverse, but connected landscapes of the Balkans. These distinct characteristics form the backbone of one of the most exciting and challenging areas for archaeology on the globe. Visualizing the Unknown Balkans offers an overview of ongoing interdisciplinary fieldwork in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia covering a time span of about six millennia. The results, in the form of maps, plans, geophysical screenings and digital reconstructions, open up new perspectives for potential future investigations and set the course for the broader public and scientific perception of archaeological research in the region.