Tell Sultana-Malu Roșu: First Results and Interpretation on Site Formation, Absolute Dating, Subsistence Economy and Material Culture from the Excavation in 2021

The Gumelnița/KGK VI tell settlement of Sultana-Malu Roșu is located in the valley of the Mostiștea, a tributary of the Lower Danube. It has been the target of archaeological investigations for 100 years. A new profile section has clarified stratigraphic questions and provided information on dating, environment and economy. It was possible to trace the construction, use and destruction of a fortification and to record settlement horizons and terraces. Within the trench, documented settlement activities begin around 4450 BCE and end around 4300 BCE. The destruction of the fortification around 4380 BCE is associated with terracing and additional backfilling to extend the tell in order to obtain additional space for buildings. At the end of the occupation, a diversification of the food supply can be demonstrated, in particular the importance of foraging and hunting increased. Similar changes were also observed at other Early Chalcolithic tells on the Lower Danube. This is a typical pattern in subsistence crises, which in this case led to considerable transformative processes. Initial isotope analyses point to increasing warming and desertification, which may have led to food crises and subsequently to the abandonment of the tell settlement.