A 6,800-year-old settlement in Serbia was far larger than archaeologists first thought, new research shows.

Opovo Ugar-Bajbuk was a Late Neolithic settlement linked to the Vinča culture. People lived there more than 6,500 years ago, during a period of large settlements and long-distance trade in southeastern Europe.

Archaeologists first studied Opovo in the 1980s. Their work placed the settlement across about 5 hectares, with around 200 people living there. Researchers viewed Opovo as a small farming village or a modest trade center.

A German-Serbian team returned to the site between 2022 and 2024. Researchers collected surface finds and used geomagnetic surveys to map buried structures. They also drilled core samples and ran new radiocarbon tests.

The new survey changed the size of the settlement. Opovo covered about 9.4 hectares, nearly twice the earlier estimate. Researchers mapped between 180 and 220 house structures across the site.

Population estimates also rose sharply. The team estimates a peak population of up to 711 people. Earlier research had placed the population at roughly 200.

New dates place the main occupation between about 4850 and 4725 BCE. Earlier dates suggested occupation from about 4860 to 4780 BCE. The new results show a slightly longer period of settlement.

The research also shows how Opovo grew over time. Early settlement covered about 4.3 hectares. A ditch enclosed this first area around 4850 BCE.

Around 4820 BCE, people expanded into a second area. Part of the earlier ditch was filled, while larger ditches were built around the expanded settlement.

Researchers found up to five enclosing ditches at Opovo. Building such large earthworks required many people to work together. The study found no signs of forced labor.

House sizes offer another clue about social life. Researchers found relatively small differences between houses across the settlement. Their analysis gave a median Gini index of 0.22 for material wealth.

The result points to low differences in material wealth. Some economic differences existed, but they didn’t produce strong social divisions.

The ditch system also suggests a community able to organize large work projects. The lack of signs of coercion points toward cooperation rather than a strongly ranked social system.

The researchers stress one limit of the study. House size measures material wealth, but other forms of wealth and status need separate study.

The reasons for Opovo’s abandonment after about 4725 BCE also remain unclear. Environmental, economic and social factors could have played a role, but current evidence doesn’t identify a cause.

Opovo also adds to the picture of Late Neolithic life in the Balkans. Vinča communities maintained trade links across the region. Their pottery and stonework show varied styles and strong knowledge of materials.

The study, published in Archaeologica Austria, shows how older sites change when researchers return with newer tools. Much of the new work took place without large-scale excavation.

Geomagnetic surveys revealed buried houses, ditches and changes in the settlement layout. Surface finds, core samples and radiocarbon dates added further evidence.

Researchers now describe Opovo as a medium-sized Vinča settlement. Future work will study the order of ditch construction and the use of production areas.

Further regional comparisons will also help place Opovo among other Late Neolithic settlements. Such work could explain how the community grew, organized labor and fitted into wider exchange networks.