Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988

PROSPECTING and DATING - György GOLDMAN - Júlia SZÉNÁSZKY: Topographic research on the neolithic settlements in Békés Sárrét

György GOLDMAN - Júlia SZÉNÁSZKY TOPOGRAPHIC RESEARCH ON THE NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENTS IN BÉKÉS SÁRRÉT Abstract: We were able to study numerous Neolithic and Copper Age sites on the Great Hungarian Plain beginning from the development of Körös up to the Tiszapolgár culture by using systematic surface collection from each and every site and proton-magnetometer examinations. Keywords: Neolithic, settlement, houses, surface collection. The history of a neolithic settlement, or its reconstruction obviously cannot exclude mention of the use of tne resources originating from excavations; still our present paper is, first and foremost, based on data obtained from surface or topographic examination and analysis. Numerous neolithic cultures settled in Békés Sárrét, which is located along a section of Körös river valley in Békés county (SE Hungary). Soil erosion has not destroyed or washed away these traces of culture, nor has it buried its most significant remains or deposits. This therefore makes it possible to examine the succession of Körös, Alföld Linear Pottery (ALP), Esztár, Szakáihát, Tisza and Herpály cultures and possible internal connections between them. We have already selected numerous sites from these areas and, on several occasions, carried out a number of surface investigations on them. The first phase of our research, in the form of a joint English - Hungarian program, took place between 1979 and 1981 (SHERRATT, A., The Development of Neolithic and Copper Age Settlement in the Great Hungarian Plain. Part II. Site Survey and Settlement Dynamics. OJA Vol. 3. No. 1. Oxford, 1983.) The participants of this programme included the Oxford University Ashmolean Museum, Archaeological Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and employees of the Mihály Munkácsy Museum in Békéscsaba. Through this co-operation, we were able to study numerous Neolithic and Copper Age sites beginning from the development of Körös culture up to the Tiszapolgár culture. However, only questions relevant to the period between the appearance of the ALP residing or living in this place, and the Tisza culture are discussed in this paper. Throughout the process of our surface research, we carried out systematic surface collection from each and every site. This in itself meant identifying the characteristics of the given sites, and collecting any find of archaeological value from selected areas using a grid system. On the basis of the data thus obtained, we carried out a protonmagnetometric examinations using the same grid. A Philpott fluxgate gradiometre was used, to which an automatic x-y drawing equipment was connected which produced a continuous graphic output. ALP refers to the second half of the Early Neolithic on our region. If we look at the dispersion of such settlements on the map we notice that, in accordance with Nándor Kalicz's earlier observation, it considerably differs from that of the Körös settlements in the area. Instead of the tracks of settlements, found earlier along river banks, traces of settlement of uncharacteristic shapes, also occur inthe areas of lower relief. These settlements recede away from the river bank. During a joint English-Hungarian co-operation, the site called Dévaványa-Tarcsány was chosen for the purposes of a detailed research. This site was selected primarily, because it was exclusively in this place where traces of the ALP were found previously. We carried out different kinds of work at this site.- We walked throughout the whole area in a chain, labelling every piece of find including all stones, decorated sherds, vessels and utensils and subsequently collected and mapped all 13