Alba Regia. Annales Musei Stephani Regis. – Alba Regia. A Szent István Király Múzeum Évkönyve. 27. 1993-1997 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: C sorozat (1998)

Akten der "Tagung über Periode der pätlatene/frühkaiserzeitlichen Zeit - Novšak, M – Tica, G.: Trnava and matev – newly discovered pre-roman Settlemets in the lower Savinja Valley (Slovenia). p. 25–38.

Fig. 4: Smatevz. A view of the site (photograph - S. Olic). In view of this, the bowl with an outwardly curved rim from Smatevz (fig.8: 1) is analogous with those from the Mokronog Ha phase - Slatina, grave 14 (Pirkmajer 1991, T. 14: 95-97), from Pecina near Kostolac, grave 283 (Sladic 1986, 15, T. 1: 3) and from Brezice, grave 23 and Dobova, grave 23. The inwardly curved bowls with profiled rims from Smatevz (fig. 8: 2,4,5) are also the most frequent type during the Mokronog Ha phase. An identical bowl is also in one of the Dobova graves - grave 21 (Gustin 1984, 328, Abb. 17: 1). Also attributed to the context of fine-clay pottery from Smatevz is the fragment of the neck of a vessel decorated with imprinted concentrated circles (fig. 8: 7). Schwappach ascribed this technique of ornamentation to the Middle La Tcne (Schwappach 1970-71, 237ss). Fine-clay pottery from Trnava reveals a few forms that are otherwise absent among the Smatevz material. Bowls featuring a distinct passage between the body and the neck of the vessel (fig. 6: 5) originate among the Scordisci culture (Sladic 1986, 22,23, T. 7:9, 9:8). Bowls with short, straight necks (Fig. 6: 6,8,9) occur in Austria (Karl 1996, 61, Abb. 6,8), Moravia (Meduna 1970, T. 36: 5,8) and also within the Slovene Styria region (TomanicJevremov, Gustin 1996, 277, fig. 6: 10,12). Their occurrence is dated to the entire Lt С and Lt Dl phases. The fine-clay pottery from each Smatevz and Trnava represent the Middle La Tcne period according to the typology of forms, with an emphasis on the Lt Ha phase at Smatevz Strong differences can be noticed between the technology aspects of the pottery from the two sites, which induced the attempt to determine a more precise chronological classification of the material according to their technological attributes. The pottery was divided into eight technological groups based upon a comparison of factors of hardness, colour, surface finish and quality of clay. First the groups were compared with each other and then with the pottery from Brezice and Dobova. The final results are as follows. A softer pottery of brown earth tones or an intensive black colour predominates at Smatevz. An additional fine, glossy polish is a common attribute of the pottery at Smatevz. The pottery from Trnava is much harder. Its surface is smooth, however without additional polishing so that it has a slightly coarse touch. Greyish-black tones prevail (as opposed to intensive black) and individual reddish-brown fragments (these are the youngest elements) are sparse. Pottery vessels with attributes characteristic for either Smatevz or Trnava do not commingle in the graves at Brezice and Dobova. The grave material dated to the Mokronog Ha phase is similar to that at Smatevz, while the grave material dated to the Mokronog IIb and IIla phases is similar to that at Trnava. Graphite-clay and coarse pottery do not dissent from these chronological classifications. Each of these types of pottery present an apparent similarity between the two sites, yet at the same time they also exhibit clear differences. Thus, graphite-clay pottery from Trnava reveals a comb ornamentation exclusively in combination with a horizontal channel either at the top or the bottom of the vessel (fig. 7: 1-5), while at Smatevz this combination is inapplicable as a rule(//g. 8: 10,11; 9: 1,2). The application of moulded knobs upon coarse pottery is also of significance. This would seem to be an entirely local characteristic as it is absent throughout the Central European La Tène environment. It represents a frequent attribute from the Early Hallstatt period in the Dolenjska region, however there are no parallels from this time in the Styria region. Stari Grad above Pobocje (Gustin, Cunja, Predovnik 1993, 26s) would be the nearest site where this style of ornamentation could be traced, conditionally, from the Late Hallstatt period through to the Late La Tène. However, a Middle La Tène layer is lacking at this site and the material that is similar to that from Trnava originates from very mixed up layers.

5 It can thus be concluded that the material from the building complex at Smatevz is earlier than that from Trnava. This material pertains to the earlier part of the Middle La Tène (the second half of the 3

ld and the beginning of the 2

nd centuries ВС), while the material from Trnava represents the span between the middle of the Middle La Tcne period and the beginning of the Late La Tène period (the larger part of the 2

nd and the first half of the 1

st centuries ВС). Let us now return for the remainder of the story to Smatevz, where a few fragments (fig. 10) were discovered, younger than those examined as of yet. A critique of the problems associated with determining classifications for particular material finds from this complex is in: Novsak 1997,40,41. The majority of the material from Bre ice and Dobova is not yet published. The analogies that we have cited were found within the depot of the Pokrajinski Muzej in Bre ice. 29