Madaras László – Szabó László – Tálas László szerk.: Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 8. (1993)

Kertész Róbert: Adatok a Nagyalföld mezolitikumához

these industries took place in a nearly identical time in each of them. The development in the technocomplexes of the period had nearly the same rate and dynamics as the intercultural elements appearing at the different sites testify it.

41 Apart from different cultural traditions, the trapeze had become generally widespread in the region at about 6000 B.C. It is interesting that in the distribution of Carpathian obsidian, a raw material considered to be an „intercultural raw material" was influenced by certain specific features and tendencies different from the above-mentioned techno-morphological changes. According to E. Elster an increased use of obsidian in the Carpathian Basin had started from the Late Mesolithic.

43 Our data, however, suggest that an increase in the use of obsidian in the area was not at all so general and the more intensive use depended rather on the nearness of geological sources of the obsidian and not on the chronological-cultural phase. As for the use and distribution of obsidian we may observe those tendencies henceforward which had been developed, though in somewhat different manner, already in the Upper Paleolithic. At the Upper Paleolithic site Bodrogkeresztur in the Tokaj-Eperjes Mts.

44 the ratio of obsidian is nearly 20 per cent, while in the sites being farther from the geological sources of obsidian

45 the use of this raw material was considerably subordinated and there are settlements where the obsidian was even missing.

46 The industries of the so-called „Tisza Valley Mesolithic"

47 in the NE peripheral zone of the Carpathian Basin were based on obsidian. Its ratio is considerable at Ciume?ti II (40 per cent)

48 and at Barca I the whole material of the site was made of obsidian.

49 At the same tiNotes 1 In a historical and ethnographic terminology it means more or less the Jászság. 2 Csalog—Tóth 1966, pp. 10—12.; Kalicz—Makkay 1977, p. 135.; Kalicz—Raczky 1987, pp. 8—9.; Kaposvári 1969, p. 178.; Kemenczei 1966, p. 65.; Komáromy 1937, pp. 75—78., 1943a, pp. 73—74., 1943b, pp. 113—116.; Korek 1960, p. 24.; Makkay 1982, p. 68.; Oravecz 1985,; Poroszlai 1990,; Raczky 1982, p. 20. 3 Kertész 1990a, 1990b, 1991a, 1991b, 1991c, 1992a, 1992b, 1992c, 1992d. The financial means needed for the starting of field surveys were offered by the Economic Experts' Committee of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County Scientific Coordination Committee and the foundation „For studies on the Prehistoric Archeology of the Jászság" (Alföld Project Kecskemét, Tisza Club Szolnok, Management of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County National Savings Bank — OTP — , „Topán" Plastics Procesme in the sites of the Younger Mesolithic in the central area of the Carpathian Basin the use of obsidian is restricted as compared to other raw materials. Both at Kaposhomok and at Jászberény I, there was only one obsidian tool, at Jászberény II two pieces were found and at TarpaMárki tanya the ratio of obsidian was per cent. Within the Carpathian Basin there are essential relations between the distribution and ratio of obsidian and regional characteristics. Considering the above-mentioned facts we may risk to outline a hypothesis according to which in certain areas of the Great Hungarian Plain and the Transdanubia there are certain connections between Late Mesolithic sites and of the scarce occurence or even of the absence of obsidian. In the NE peripheral part of the region, in the sites of the Tokaj-Eperjes Mts. and its vicinity as a result of local characteristics and of certain processes different from the above-mentioned ones the use of obsidian was almost exclusive. New researches in the Zagyva Basin and the analysis of archeological records yielded the recognition of some new relations in the Mesolithic history of the region. The Late Mesolithic sites of the microregion, due to their geographic position, may help to solve even other still unsolved problems of prehistory as well. Here we mention only one question, namely that of the formative period of certain early post-Mesolithic cultural units (Starcevo-Körös-Cris culture and Linear complex). Considerable progress toward our better knowledge of the connection between the Mesolithic and Neolithic, of the problems related to continuity or discontinuity is expected from further topogra-phic surveys and excavations.

50 sing and Service Ltd. Budapest, Jászberény Municipality and „Jász" Society Budapest). I express my many thanks for their support here. 4 Fűköh 1990a, pp. 59—60., 1990b. 5 Kertész 1990a, 1991a, 1992a, 1992d. (A summarized evaluation of the data sites is in progress.) 6 Besides test drillings we made also intensive field surveys in the site and recorded the observed archeological phenomena (see the topographic data of the site). Surface material was not found in a representative quantity; certain groups of tools, e.g. scrapers of burins are well, other ones, e.g. points, are not represented. 7 Balahuri—Kurucz 1991, pp. 30—32.; Bárta 1965, pp. 159—163., T.LXII—LXVI., 1972, 1973, 1980, pp. 129— 130., 1981,; Boroneant, 1981,; Chapman 1985,; Kozfowski 1973a, pp. 315—325., 1973c, 1975, 1981, 1985, 1989,; Koz/owski—Koz/owski 1979, pp. 60—70., 1983a,; Leitner 1983,; Matskevoi 1987, pp. 85—89.; Montet-White—Koz/owski 1983,; Päunescu 1970, pp. 25—34.; Srejovic 1985,; Valoch 1981. 91