Tálas László szerk.: The late neolithic of the Tisza region (1987)

The Late Neolithic of the Tisza region: A survey of recent archaeological research (N. Kalicz and P. Raczky)

N. KALICZ-P. RACZKY The so-called Venus I and II of Kökénydomb: vases in the shape of enthroned female figurines. Hódmezővásárhely-Kökénydomb. Tisza culture [5] tell-like settlements and, perhaps, reflects differences in subsistence patterns. This settlement form is general in the Late Neolithic of the Tisza region and is considerably more frequent than either tells or tell-like mounds. They are easily missed in topographical surveys since they tend to be more severely disturbed by erosion and later occupation, causing difficulties in the definition of their original extent and nature of occupation. The southern part of the Tisza distribution territory is characterised by the frequent occurrence of tells and tell-like mounds, and their combination with single-layer settlements. A concentration of these two contrasting settlement forms has been noted in the environs of Hódmezővásárhely and Szeged. On the other hand, single-layer settlements predominate in the northern Tisza territory and the settlement network appears to have been less dense in this area. The geographic transition of site forms can be observed in the Körös valleys. A comparison between the number of Middle Neolithic and Late Neolithic (Tisza) sites reveals a considerable decrease. A denser settlement network can be observed around Csóka, Hódmezővásárhely and Szeged. About one-third of the presently known 13—15 tell and tell-like settlements lie in this area (Csóka, Lebő, Gorzsa, Kökénydomb, Szegvár). A statistical analysis and comparison of the settlement density of various areas is not yet possible since most areas have not been systematically surveyed. Thus, for example, the number of relevant sites is conspicuously high in county Békés owing to recent .'..'.

i'-. . . .., '...'..... . 16 field surveys carried out in this area. However, this site density is relative for 'only' 30 sites of the Tisza culture have been detected as compared to the several hundred Middle Neolithic and Early Copper Age sites. Only the number of tells or tell-like settlements can be safely estimated since these are easily recognised and detected owing to their characteristic form. The presently known Tisza sites number about 110 settlements. The settlements of the Tisza culture all lie on elevations rising above floodplains that were suitable for grain cultivation. The tells and tell-like settlement mounds are without exception situated beside river links; in other words, they occupy a strategic position in terms of trade and cultural relations (MAKKAY 1982,104-164). Two of the most characteristic tell settlements of the Tisza culture, Szeghalom-Kovácshalom and Vésztő-Mágor, cover an area of 1.3 and 3.8 ha respectively, representing the two ends of the spectrum, that roughly corresponds to the greatest areal extent of coeval Bulgarian tells. Karanovo, for example, extends over an approximately 2.5 ha area. Tell-like mounds range from 1.5 ha (Kökénydomb) to 6 ha (Gorzsa) and 11 ha (Szegvár). The number of single-layer, horizontal Tisza settlements exceeds by far both tells and tell-like mounds. Their size ranges between 1 to 10-12 ha. It has been suggested that the coexistence of these three settlement forms perhaps reflects some sort of economic or social hierarchy. However, these suggestions have been mostly based on the presence of single-layer settlements concentrated around major Tisza mounds (MAKKAY 1982; 111-164; HORVÁTH 1985, 93), and only the extrinsic criteria of this assumed hierarchy, focusing on settlement size, have been outlined; causal relationships yet remain to be proven. It would appear that this variability in settlement forms of the Tisza culture rather reflects different adaptations to the natural environment. In contrast to the centuries-long occupation of the tells, neighbouring horizontal settlements appear to have spanned only a few decades and could not have been organised into a permanent economic and settlement system during the life-span of the tells (KALICZ 1985,128-132). Another characteristic feature of the Tisza settlement pattern in its southern distribution territory is that a small tell or tell-like mound can occasionally be observed within the large horizontal settlement (Dévaványa—Sártó, Battonya—

Parázstanya). The site of Öcsöd-Kováshalom, lying in the transitional zone between site forms, was composed of several small settlement nuclei enclosed by fences. This situation can probably be generalised for most Tisza sites since a similar settlement layout was observed at Hódmezővásárhely-Kökénydomb, as well as on the eponymous site of the Herpály culture. It would appear that the entire area of these single-layer settlements had not been occupied simultaneously and that their large areal extent can probably be attributed to the periodic shift of smaller settlement nuclei.