Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology of
the Prehistoric Balkans
The Balkans
Periodization of Balkan Prehistory

Neolithic
Early Neolithic - later 7th - mid 6th millennium cal BCE (abt 6200 - 5500 cal BCE)
Late Neolithic -  mid 6th Millennium - end 6th millennium cal BCE (abt 5500 - 5000/4900 cal BCE)
Copper Age
Early Coper Age - beginning of the 5th millennium - mid 5th millennium cal BCE (abt 5000/4900 - 4500 cal
BCE)
Late Copper Age - mid 5th millennium cal BCE - end 5th millennium cal BCE (abt 4500 - 4000 cal BCE)
Final Copper Age - beginning 4th millennium cal BCE (abt 4000 - 3600 cal BCE)
Bronze Age
Early Bronze Age
    Early Bronze I - abt 3600 - 3000 cal BCE
    Early Bronze II - 3000/2500/2400 cal BCE
    Early Bronze III - 2500/2400 - 2000 cal BCE
Middle Bronze Age - abt 2000/1900 - 1600/1500 cal BCE        
Late Bronze Age - abt 1600/1500 cal BCE - 1200/1100 cal BCE

References: Nikolova L. 2001, Nikolova L. 2000е,  Nikolova 1999a, Görsdorf J., Bojadžiev J. 1996, ,
Internal links: Balkan Prehistoric periodization schemes  

Main archaeological complexes/cultures/groups and areas of distribution

Early Neolithic
Karanovo I (Upper Thrace and Southwest Bulgaria)
Karanovo II (Nova Zagora Region in Upper Thrace)
Starcevo (Serbia, Oltenia, Banat)
Anzabegovo (Macedonia)
Cris (Transylvania)
Koprivets (Northeast Bulgaria)
Ovcharovo (Northeast Bulgaria)

Late Neolithic
Karanovo III (Upper Thrace)
Karanovo IV (Upper Thrace)
Late Starcevo-Gradeshnitsa (Serbia, Oltenia and Northwest Bulgaria)
early Vinca (Serbia)
Samovodene (North Central Bulgaria)
early Hamangia (Muntenia, Dobroudja, Northeast Bulgaria)
early Boian (Muntenia)

Early Copper Age
Maritsa (Upper Thrace)
later Vinca (Serbia, Oltenia, Banat)
Gradeshnitsa - Slatino - Dikili Tash (Western Bulgaria, North Greece)
Hamangia (Muntenia, Dobroudja, Northeast Bulgaria)
Boian (Muntenia, Central Northern Bulgaria)

Late Copper Age
Karanovo VI (Upper Thrace, European Turkey)
Bubanj-Krivodol-Salcuta (Western Bulgaria, Serbia, Oltenia)
Suplevac-Bakarno Gumno (Serbia, western Central Bulgaria)

Final Copper Age
Cernavoda I (Muntenia, Dobroudja, Northeast Bulgaria)
Salcuta IV -Telish  IV (Northwest Bulgaria, Oltenia)
Yagodina (The Rodope Mountains)
Kolarovo (Southwest Bulgaria)

Early Bronze I
Cernavoda III (the Lower Danube basin)
Yunatsite I (Western Upper Thrace)
Ezero I (Eastern Upper Thrace)
Salcuta IV - Dikili Tash IIIA (North Greece)
Pernik I (Southwest Bulgaria)
Pit Grave Culture (Lower Danube basin, Eastern Upper Thrace)

Early Bronze II
Cernavoda II -  (the Lower Danube basin)
Yunatsite II (Western Upper Thrace)
Ezero II (Eastern Upper Thrace)
Salcuta Va - Dikili Tash IIIB (North Greece)
Pernik II (Southwest Bulgaria)
Pit Grave Culture (Lower Danube basin, Eastern Upper Thrace)
Glina (Muntenia)

Early Bronze III
Yunatsite III (Western Upper Thrace)
Ezero III (Eastern Upper Thrace)
Salcuta Vb  (North Greece)
Pernik III (Southwest Bulgaria)
Pit Grave Culture (Lower Danube basin, Eastern Upper Thrace)
Zgalevo (Northwest Bulgaria)

Middle Bronze Age
Gulubovo (Eastern Upper Thrace)
Verbiciora (The Lower Danube basin)

Late Bronze Age
Plovdiv (Upper Thrace)
Zimnicea (Muntenia)
The Encrusted Pottery Culture (the Western Lower Danube basin)
Tei (the Western Lower Danube basin)