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 Surviving items of marble, Spondylus, bone and haematite from the hoard found in the necked amphora shown in Fig. 13. Coka-Kremenjak (Csóka-Kremenyák). Tisza-Vinca culture. Scale cca. 3:11 [14] sistence of the Tisza II period shows a marked continuity with that of the preceding phase. Certain changes, however, can be perceived in pottery forms and their ornamentation: the appearance of flowerpot-shaped vessels and a flavour for high pedestalled bowls. Most vessels are ornamented with incised meandric patterns set in panels dividing the vessel surface into 2 to 4 parts. The bitumen coating gradually decreases and is replaced by black painting. Former human face vessels, too, are gradually supplanted by smaller-size ones with the facial features set in a quadrangular field, and anthropomorphic vessels. The enthroned figurines of the Tisza culture mostly date to this phase. The distinction between these two phases is based on the material excavated at Öcsöd. At the end of the Tisza I phase and the beginning of the Tisza II period, the Tisza culture penetrated the territory north of the Körös rivers, and established its single-layer horizontal settlements. These Tisza sites are characterised by mixed assemblages including Tisza l and II forms, as well as local Bükk, Szilmeg, Esztár and Szakáihát elements, depending on the local precursors. These sites are dotted over the entire Great Hungarian Plain, and also extend into Eastern Slovakia and westwards as far as Transylvania. This cultural complex blending the characteristic traits of both periods can be regarded as a transitional phase, and has been termed Tisza l/ll. The Tisza l/ll period can be correlated with the end of Vinca B 2 in the eastern and northern part of the Great Hungarian Plain, and is synchronous with the Bicske II phase of the Sopot culture, represented by the assemblages from Se, Brezovljani and Luziaisky. Following the Tisza l/ll period, Tisza II makes its appearance, founding its settlements along the Tisza river to the mouth of the Sajó river. Following the Tisza l/ll transition, the emergence of the Herpály and Csőszhalom cultures can be observed in the Berettyó valley and the Upper Tisza region, a development that can be synchronised with Vinca C. The beginning of the longeval Tisza II period can be parallelised with the very end of Vinca B 2 ; this period roughly spanned Vinca C. In the Banat this corresponds to the end of Bucovat III and the ensuing Vinca C period in areas where the presence of the Tisza culture is not attested. In Transylvania, Tisza II can be equated with the Iclod group, and the Petresti and Ariusd cultures. It follows from the above that Tisza II was contemporaneous with the early and classical (I and II) phases of the Herpály culture and the early phase of the Csőszhalom group. To the south of the Körös rivers, the Tisza II period began during the final phase of the Sopot-Bicske II - Sé - Brezovljani - Luzianky period, as indicated by a Bicske II type painted sherd recovered from the upper layer of Öcsöd—Kováshalom. Most of Tisza II was coevel with the classical phase (I) of the Lengyel culture, as implied by the finds from Aszód. The distribution of sites datable to the Tisza III period corresponds to that of preceding periods. However, only a few assemblages can be assigned to this phase, and thus our knowledge of this period is rather sketchy. One characteristic pottery form is the collared vessel. A gradual decline of pottery painting can be perceived during this period. The relative chronological position of this phase is indicated by a characteristic Tisza III vessel found in a Vinca D context at Vinca. Few sites can be unambiguously dated to this period in the area north of the Körös rivers. Phase III of the Herpály culture with its combination of red and white painting, and the red and white painted wares of Csőszhalom and Cicarovce can be correlated with this phase, as well as the white painted pottery of Oborin. In the Banat Tisza III corresponds to Vinca D v and in Transylvania to the final phase of the Iclod group, and the Petresti and Ariusd cultures. In Transdanubia Lengyel II with red and white painting can also be equated with Tisza III. The final phase of the Late Neolithic in the Great Hungarian Plain is marked by the appearance of Proto-Tiszapolgár finds, foreshadowing a pattern of development gradually leading to integration. The settlement and subsistence patterns of this period follow earlier Tisza-Herpály-Csőszhalom traditions, most clearly indicated by the fact that the majority of these Proto-Tiszapolgár assemblages was recovered from the upper26
