Janus Pannonius Múzeum Évkönyve 46-47 (2001-2002) (Pécs, 2003)

Régészet - Katalin T. Bíró–Zsolt Schléder–Judit Antoni–György Szakmány: Petroarchaeological studies on polished stone artefacts from Baranya county, Hungary II. Zengővárkony: Notes on the production, use and circulation of polished stone tools

A Janus Pannonius Múzeum Evkönyve | 46-47 (2001-2002 j 37-76 | Pécs, 2003 j Petroarchaeological studies on polished stone artefacts from Baranya county, Hungary II. Zengővárkony: notes on the production, use and circulation of polished stone tools Katalin T. Biró*, Zsolt Schléder**, Judit Antoni*** and György Szakmány** * Hungarian National Museum ** ELTE University, Dept. of Petrology and Geochemistry *** Budapest, Hungary / Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Introduction In the previous publication (Petroarchaeological studies on polished stone artefacts from Baranya county, Hungary, Part I.) a preliminary study of polished stone tools from Baranya county was given, on the basis of artefacts from various old collections of the museum

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. The original intention of the authors was to study polished stone tools from Zengővárkony (SCHLEDERBIRÓ-SZAKMÁNY 2002); however, the scope was enlarged by the actual samples analysed and related fieldwork (SZAKMÁNY-BIRÓ 1998). The original intention, however, was never given up and a detailed study was devoted to Zengővárkony polished stone tools, integrating previous petroarchaeological research and the implications of finding the first Hungarian polished stone tool quarry site (BIRÓ-SZAKMÁNYSCHLÉDER 2001). Zengővárkony is one of the most famous sites of Hungarian prehistoric archaeology. Excavations were conducted here by János Dombay in several seasons between 1933-39 and 1941-1949. The results of the excavations were published in extensive monographs, (DOMBAY 1939, DOMBAY 1960). It is not simply one among many Late Neolithic sites but one of the largest and most completely excavated even today. The settlement is located on a closed plateau of cca. 75 hectares surrounded by deep valleys. It is dated to the Late Neolithic Lengyel culture, embracing its first phase mainly but also used in the beginning of the second phase. The lithic material of the site was obviously very important, observed already in the first surveys. Even in a period when post-Palaeolithic stone tools were generally overlooked, Zengővárkony just could not be neglected. Partly, the 368 graves excavated by Dombay contained, as a rule, stone tools in considerable quantities. Large cemeteries are not common features in Hungarian Neolithic: neither are stone tools as grave goods. The obvious richness of Zengővárkony in lithic material induced several studies from the base monograph onwards on the chipped stone industry (DOMBAY 1960, DOBOSI 1968, BÁCSKAY 1989, 1990, BIRÓ 1989, 1990; BIRÓ 1998). The polished stone tools received less attention, at least in published form. Judit ANTONI made a general survey of the polished stone tools in the late 1980-ies, summarised briefly in her so far unpublished PhD thesis (ANTONI 1990). Antoni's data are mainly concerned with technology and use of the pieces, however, petroarchaeological description of a large part of the Zengővárkony material was also given by Zoltán ALMADY, who gave a brief description on the polished stone tools (ANTONI 1990 pp. 188-189). Almády also gave a sketch on the genetical distribution of the material but no evaluation as for the place of origin. It was very just to do so as the analysis of the raw material was primarily macroscopical with a hint on some reagents used (probably HCl), and no comparative data were available for provenance of the stones. In the past few years, the authors made considerable efforts for creating an authentic reference sample collection for polished stone tools, however, we are still at the beginning of this process. Results were published in a number of articles cited in the References and project issues of IGCP-442

n The results presented in this article also form an important step in this process. Polished stone tools in the Zengővárkony material The manuscript notes collected on the Zengővárkony finds by J. Antoni comprise data on 202 polished stone tool items. The aspect of the notes comprised the following data: Image (drawing), dimensions, weight, description, raw material and technological observations. This type of treatment allows us to follow the stone tools piece by piece, without the generalisations of a summary treatment. In this form, the material has never been published yet, not even in her dissertation. During the analyses of the chipped stone industry by Bácskay and Biró (BÁCSKAY 1989, 1990, BIRÓ 1989, 1990), 2 polished stone tool fragments were found among the chipped stone industry: inv. 2/373 - 1948 Pit 3, ash layer, phonolite,: 37 x 30 x 16,0 mm inv. 2/445 - 1948 Pit XII. Lengyel quartzite?: 46 x 30 x 18,0 mm In relation with his socio-archaeological survey of Lengyel Culture cemeteries, István Zalai-Gaál became engaged by the study of polished stone tools as objects of special prestige and status markers (ZALAI-GAAL