Majorossy Judit: A Ferenczy Múzeum régészeti gyűjteményei - A Ferenczy Múzeum kiadványai, D. sorozat: Múzeumi füzetek - Kiállításvezetők 5. (Szentendre, 2014)
Czene András: Kora bronzkor
to be found. It might be supposed, that this new complex of cultures could not reach the copper-mining sites, or the available sources exhausted. Furthermore, copper was driven out from the former thriving barter mainly among metal objects, at the same time the exchange of other raw materials started to bloom. On the basis of the excavations and investigations of burials, this culture could be characterised by a uniform potterymaking and belief system. The transitional stage between the Middle and the Late Copper Age, the beginning of the abovedescribed standardisation process is a very interesting field of research that is - due to the new results - are constantly changing even today. On the large-scale excavations more and more pieces of information can be gathered about this phase that is also shown in the exhibition. An important part of this transition is the so-called Protoboleráz-horizon. Looking at the objects on display, the visitors can also notice the similarity of forms, handles, ornaments of the former Bodrogkeresztür and Ludanice cultures, but at the same time the new elements typical of the uniform Late Copper Age material can be easily distinguished. The furrowstitch incrustation decoration is a very interesting type of ornament. The process of standardisation continued during the life of the Boleráz group. The characteristics of this period were the incised fish bone pattern or the pine-needle ornament, and a very interesting and exceptional site was found near Vác at the “Chair-hill”. The speciality of this site is its fortification consisting of three ditches, which surrounded the settlement. The defensive ditch-system indicates that the peaceful life of the earlier era had drastically changed. The homogenisation of the Late Copper Age reached its peak during the Baden complex. In the decoration of pottery the former fish bone patterns were followed by impressed rows of dots, carved net patterns, and polished surfaces. Among the potteries the large number of small mugs and jars are noticeable, the fish boat vessel imitating fish bladder is rather characteristic, and the easily recognisable bowl divided into two is also typical. During the long life-span of the period (roughly 500 years) the types of vessels and their decorations went through hardly any changes, and even if they did only of a small extent, preserving all the main characteristics. On the basis of the large cemeteries containing a huge number of graves, our knowledge about the burial of the period is fairly good. The former mainly cremation burials were succeeded by inhumation. One of the most well-known cemeteries of the Baden complex was found at Budakalász. Among the burials excavated here the grave No. 177 is the most outstanding one, since it contained a clay model in the form of a wagon, which is the earliest such model in Europe. The appearance of this object proves that the people of that age knew and used wagon. The characteristic of the grave itself is that beside a pedestalled cup and two blades it contained nothing else. Thus, the wagon was not a funerary gift of a dead person. Placing the wagon into the grave could have several explanations. According to one theory, the grave was dug especially for the wagon. At the end of the Copper Age the Baden complex that occupied a greater part of Central Europe started to disintegrate, it separated into groups on the different territories. Along with the new methods of mining for metal ores and new techniques in metalwork, bronze emerged as a metal determining the next millennium. Kocsimodell, Baden-komplexum / Wagon modell, Baden complex 19
