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

Öcsöd-Kováshalom (P. Raczky)

ÖCSÖD-KOVASHALOM that one of these lids bears an incised comb-like motif depicting a human figure that occurs frequently both on anthropomorphic vessels and face pots, and also on small figurines. The levels of the Öcsöd-Kováshalom settlement yielded a great variety of stone, bone and antler implements. Stone was especially abundant, ranging from cores to various tools. The area of the site was called Kováshalom ('flint mound') in the Middle Ages exactly because of the profusion of flintstones over its surface. This richness in chert is generally characteristic of Tisza sites, reflected by the fact that several sites were called Túzköves Cfirestone mound') or Kováshalom ('flint mound') in the Middle Ages indicating that their area was regarded as a source of firestones. That stone was worked locally at Öcsöd is proven by the abundance of various tools and implements, semi-finished products, cores and debitage in the northern part of the excavated area. Dominant among the polished stone artefacts were small trapezoidal axes. Various types of chert predominate in the lithic material, but obsidian too is present in fairly large amounts, reflecting the intensity and extent of interregional contacts involving the transport and exchange of various commodities on a larger scale. Especially noteworthy among the antler implements are the smaller and larger barbed harpoons that, together with small bone hooks, suggest that fishing played a far more important role in the economy than on other Late Neolithic sites. A great variety of needles, awls, points, as well as flat bone burnishers, chisels and axes were recovered. Dress accessories and personal ornaments were relatively few in number and were hardly ever deposited into graves. Pierced quadrangular pedestal of an altar, originally supporting a hemispherical basin. It is decorated with incised geometric motifs. Classical Tisza culture. H: 10.8 cm [30] Ornaments include star-shaped clay pendants perforated in their centre, and a variety of pendants fashioned from bone, animal teeth and boar's tusk. Bone combs were often lavishly ornamented. Another indication of long-distance 'trade' are the beads, armrings and pendants polished from Spondylus, the latter including a large disc with a large central perforation and two smaller ones for suspension in its upper half. Armrings were occasionally also made from 'cheaper' material such as clay. The material remains of sacred beliefs permeating various aspects of everyday life have also come to light. Unfortunately, the unburnt and often systematically emptied and, occasionally, levelled houses of the settlement did not preserve traces of possible areas that had functioned as domestic shrines. However, a pit into which several vessels and numerous animal bones were deposited was found in house 4 belonging to phase A (pit 105). A similar, but somewhat smaller pit containing several layers of fine ash rich in fish remains was uncovered before the doorway to houses 9-10. The contents and nature of the fill in these pits indicated that they had fulfilled a function different from that of ordinary refuse pits or beehiveshaped storage pits. It would appear that the above two pits did not serve utilitarian purposes and can perhaps be interpreted as areas where ceremonies had formerly been conducted. The presence of sacrificial pits in the South-East European Neolithic has since long been demonstrated (MAKKAY 1975, 167-169; 1983, 157-167; 1986, 169-175) and thus their occurrence at Öcsöd is in no way unusual. Direct proof for the sacred ceremonies conducted at Öcsöd is furnished by objects, mostly of clay, whose form and ornaFragment of an enthroned male figurine with folded arms and wearing a mask. Stray find, probably classical Tisza culture. H: 5.6 cm [31] 77