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)

tion that shares numerous similarities with the longhouses of the Central European Linear Pottery cultures (STARTIN 1978, 143-159; MODDERMAN 1968; BRANDT 1980; MASUCH-ZIESSOW 1983, 229-260), and the longhouses unearthed at the Csanytelek site of the Szakáihát group (HEGEDŰS 1982-83, Fig. 3; 1981, Fig. 2). Similar groundplans have been reported also from the Vinca culture of the Balkans (BRUKNER 1982, Figs 6-8; TRINGHAM etal. 1980, 24-32). The houses uncovered on the Herpály site are especially important. Their form and dimensions generally correspond to the structures unearthed in the southern part of the Great Hungarian Plain. The presence of two-storied houses on this site indirectly reflects the high technical level achieved in the construction of houses by the Late Neolithic. Similar twostoried houses have been reported from various Neolithic and Copper Age sites of South-East Europe (KALICZ-RACZKY 1984, 99-107). The internal partitioning of houses undoubtedly reflected the functional division of space; however, no apparent regularities have yet been observed, and hearths or ovens were, more often than not, to be found in all rooms. Two basic types of ovens can be distinguished in the Late Neolithic of the Great Hungarian Plain: an open type, the other with a domed top or resembling a pyramid. The latter type had an arched opening in its side and its plastered plate was divided by a rib, giving a large baking plate and a small firing area. This oven form appears to have been more popular in the Herpály culture, although it has been reported from Tisza sites such as Szegvár and Öcsöd. Most houses contained clay-plastered grinding areas, oval or quadrangular in form, flat clay tables, often surrounded by quernstones and stone or bone artefacts. One characteristic built-in feature of the Tisza houses were the rectangular and rounded clay bins either plastered onto the floor or standing on legs, and large vessels. The grain remains found in these bins and vessels suggest that they had been used for grain storage. In the Herpály culture various large-sized vessels, wooden chests or baskets woven of twigs were used for such purposes. The cluster of loom weights indicates the former presence of a wooden loom within the house. Altars and basins, serving a variety of cult purposes, and big clay figurative reliefs applied onto the wall also belonged to the internal furnishing of houses. Beside these, most Late Neolithic houses contained a number of household vessels, as well as a great variety of stone, bone and antler artefacts. The clay-lined floors often preserved the imprints of reed or rushwork matting that led J. Csalog to suggest the possible use of sleeping mats. Traces of a reed covering were sometimes preserved on the underside of clay storage bins and on the burned clay floor itself. This matting probably served as damp proofing. A SURVEY OF RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH Upper part of a female figurine. Hódmezővásárhely-Kökénydomb. Tisza culture. H: 6.7 cm [9] The day to day activities of the Tisza population were mostly performed in the open areas between and around houses, as suggested by the open-air fireplaces and ovens, and the waste products from the on-site manufacture of various tools and implements. Clay for the construction of houses and the manufacture of pottery was obtained from the pits surrounding the house clusters and the settlement itself, that were later reused as refuse pits. Some of these pits also contained traces of fires and other activities. MATERIAL CULTURE The most abundant category of finds in the Late Neolithic of the Great Hungarian Plain is undoubtedly pottery. One conspicuous feature of this period is a basic change in pottery technology as compared to preceding periods. Chaff was no longer used for tempering, and the qualitative differences between coarser and finer wares practically disappeared. However, there is no surviving evidence of how pottery was fired, or for the use of kilns. The new pottery forms making their appearance in this period include various amphora-shaped vessels and high pedestalled bowls. 19