Folia archeologica 46.

T. Dobosi Viola - Vári Ágnes: Horváth Adolf János régészeti feljegyzései

FOLIA ARCHAEOLOGICA XLVI. 1997. BUDAPEST I dedicate this article to Mr. Pál Patay ALFÖLD LINEAR POTTERY FINDS FROM TISZALÚC-SARKAD Hargita ORAVECZ Tiszalúc—Sarkad is one of the systematically investigated sites in the Upper Tisza region. Excavations were conducted by Pál Patay between 1974 and 1991 years. House remains, refuse pits and burials from the Neolithic to the Middle Ages were found on levee beside Sarkad creek.

1 Although the diggings could not be continued on the Middle Neolithic settlement, the publication of the Alföld Linear Pottery (AIT) remains is important since they contribute to a better knowledge of the Neolithic Upper Tisza region. Separate study devoted to the ALP skeletal finds.

2 This article will discuss the ALP remains from the settlement discovered partly.

3 The earliest settlers on the investigated area of the Sarkad creek were ALP population groups (fig. 1-2). The surface scatter of sherds observed on the excavated area and the adjacent agricultural land suggest that one-time village covered some 1-1.2 hectares, of which about one-third was investigated. The Neolithic people opened its refuse pits and buried its dead into a thick humus layer. The pits barely extended into the virgin soil and their presence was usually indicated by the accurrence of shells, bones and pottery. Houshold refuse was found in two large and several smaller pits, as well as scattered over the settlement.

4 The pottery finds included a limited number intact vessels, and quite a few pots could be j)ieced together from their fragments or reconstructed in drawing, as well. Summary of pottery decorations and types Earthenware manufactoring techniques were quite simple. The vessel forms and their ornomental motifs are rather uncomplicated and show little variety. The qyality is not particularly good, and most vessels are considerably coarse. The clayware was generally tempered with chaff. Mica or crushed pottery used as a tempering agent could only be noted in the foreign (import) wares. We did not find any great difference between firings either. The ceramic was predominantly burned to a brown or greyish brown colour. The greyish and greyish black sherds were usually Bükk imports. The fragment of so called "Szamos Region Painted Pottery" is orange coloured. The household ceramic was rarely polished, although we did notice that jDots were often smoothed with hand or using some tool. The pedestalled bowl is the most common type. This kind of base shows a great variety in terms of form, height and diameter. Ehe low squat bowls recall Körös ' Patay 1987, 89-120; Idem 1995, 107-122, with a preliminary report of the findings of the excavation at Tíszalúc-Sarkad. 2 Oravecz 1998, in print. 3 I would here like to thank Mr. Patay for his help and advice during the analysis of the Neolithic finds. 4 The original contours of the pits could not be observed in a single case, this being the reason that we nave not shown them on the excavation map. The concentrationor scatter of finds are marked with shaded areas.