The first traces of permanent human settlements in our immediate and wider territory (the settlement of Novi Bečej and its hinterland) appear during the Neolithic (younger Stone Age), extending through the Eneolithic (Copper Age) and reaching the Bronze and Early Iron Age (Hallstatt period), covering the time frame between 3000–1000 BC. The oldest and, to date, the best-researched prehistoric sites in our area based on the discovered archaeological material are Matejski Brod and Borđoš.
The first site, Matejski Brod, is geographically located slightly northeast of the present settlement of Novi Bečej and has only one locality. It dates back to the Late Stone Age, through the Copper Age, to the Bronze Age (3000–1000 BC).
Visible traces of semi-dugout houses of regular square shape were discovered here. These houses were regularly oriented toward the cardinal directions, with wooden foundations covered in clay. A total of seven houses were discovered.
In terms of archaeological material and other objects, a large number of baked ceramic pots of Vinča and Pannonian types (with primitive decorative patterns), as well as remains of tools made from clay and bone, and some materials from the Bronze and Early Iron Age were found. Additionally, remains of kilns, a hearth, one burial with a crouched skeleton, and one horse grave were discovered.
The second site, Borđoš, is geographically located slightly southwest of the present settlement of Novi Bečej and has two localities.
The first locality dates back to the Late Stone Age with elements around 2500 BC. A sitting Neolithic figurine made of baked clay, holding a vessel in its lap, was found here. This figurine is exceptional for our Late Stone Age in terms of its overall concept, although in terms of style and ornamentation details, it can be connected to Vinča and Pannonian plastic art.
The second locality of this site dates back to the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (around 1500–1000 BC). Here, several bronze hoards and a cemetery with urns (specifically to protect the ashes of the deceased) were discovered, suggesting that the inhabitants of this settlement practiced cremation during this period, which likely represented an integral part of their pagan religious rites.
From the perspective of social relations development, the period between 3000–1000 BC in our territory represents the era of barbarism, a time of gradual decline of the female authority and her role in the family and society (matriarchy), and the gradual rise of the male authority and the consolidation of male power (patriarchy). This process was a consequence of the emergence of a significant social division of labor (the decline of the gathering economy and the abandonment of the nomadic way of life, along with the rise of agriculture, livestock farming, and permanent human settlements).
Remains of material culture from the Roman period in our immediate and wider area are very scarce and still incompletely and insufficiently researched.
The settlement of Novi Bečej, along with its immediate and wider area, was part of the Roman province of Dacia for a short period, from the time of Emperor Trajan (98–117 AD) until possibly the end of Emperor Aurelian's reign (270–275 AD). During this period, our area represented a very important strategic point on the eastern part of the northern border of the Roman Empire in Europe, as it was one of the sections of the LIMES, the best-fortified and best-defended Roman frontier against the barbarians in Europe. This frontier ran along the left bank of the Mureș River to its confluence with the Tisza River, then downstream along the left bank of the Tisza to its confluence with the Danube River, and finally upstream along the Danube.
From this period, specifically from the time after Emperor Trajan, comes a settlement of a Roman military camp, which, judging by all available evidence, was located in the area of present-day Garajevec, to the left of the road leading to Bašaid.
The increasing invasions of barbarians from the eastern parts of Europe, after the time of Emperor Aurelian, along with the sudden weakening of the defensive power of the Roman Empire as a whole, resulted in the shifting of the LIMES in this area from the line of Mureș – Tisza to the right bank of the Danube, downstream from the confluence of the Tisza into the Danube.
After the withdrawal of the Romans from this area, the entire Banat, and consequently our region, experienced significant ethnic changes and gradually altered the structure of its population, a substantial part of which, at the very beginning, was made up of South Slavs.
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