Pásztor Emília (szerk.): A fény régészete. A természetes fény szerepe az őskori ember életében - Bajai dolgozatok 20. (Baja, 2017)

Pásztor Emília: A bronzkori fényszimbolizmus

tor 2006). Gábor Szitás excavated the 59 houses of a settlement belonging to the Late Bronze Age tumulus culture at the Dunakeszi - Székesdülő archaeological site. It seems plausible to assume the facade or the entrance of houses with roughly north-south axis was orientated to face the midday or the rising sun (Pásztor 2013, 22-23).

Bronze Age Light Symbolism

Circular depictions were common decorative features of Bronze Age artifacts and most archaeologists believe they represent the Sun. However, nobody has questioned for a long time why these would symbolize the Sun, and not the Moon or even the Stars. The rich formal diversity hasn't awoken curiosity, largely as these variations were mainly attributed to be simply fruits of the decorating desire of Bronze Age craftsmen. However, these symbols can be found in almost every human culture. The significant time and spatial deployment was only regarded as an effect of cultural relations or coincidence.

However, the comparative analysis of atmospheric optical phenomena and Bronze Age symbols and ornamental motifs revealed striking similarities in structure. These celestial phenomena dressed the Sun and the Moon in unique forms which can be

identified in Bronze Age depictions (Pásztor 2017). Richly decorated artefacts were possibly connected to authoritative, powerful figures.

Though, both sunlight and moonlight create the same atmospheric phenomena around their orbs, there is still a difference between where and when they're visible to us. For instance, simple halos are generally tied to the Moon, while complex one (Sun dogs) appear more frequently around the Sun. The lack of the crescent moon on artefacts has made archaeologists overrate the role of the Sun over the Moon in spite of all the historical, ethnographical evidence highlighting the Moon's "renascent" ability /at all stages of life.

The rich diversity among symbols and their similar depictions around the world also support the assumption that these symbols reflect atmospheric phenomena around the Sun and the Moon. Comparing them can give answers to surprisingly many questions. However, this can lead to new questions or even new research directions to deepen our understanding of the beliefs of the Bronze Age man and his interest in nature.

Roughly 80% of air is concentrated in the lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, the troposphere. This is where everyday weather takes place, and the vast majority of atmospheric phenomena are formed. Temperature is lower at higher points, and

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