Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988

ENVIRONMENT - Levente FŰKÖH: The role of malacological examinations in arheology

the archaeological site at Füzesabony-Guba-kút. The aims of examinations carried out in 1995-1996 were as follows: 1 Determining the sedimentological circumstances and geomorphological formation of the archaeological site and its environment; 2 Attempting the environmental reconstruction using the palaeoecological evaluation of the malacological material retrieved from the samples collected. In order to achieve these aims, several boreholes were made at the locality. In the case of Füzesabony-Guba-kút, archaeological finds occurred on the surface of a lime-rich soil. It indicated the importance of determining the position of this highly calcareous sediment. During the analysis of the cores mottled, pieces of clay ironstone were found that contained gastropod shells at a depth of 60 cm. Detailed sampling was thus carried out for the purposes of palaeontological examinations (Samples FG 23/1 to 5). The following species have been identified: FG 23/1 No any molluscan remain has been found. FG 23/2 Succinea oblonga Limacidae indet. Theodoxus sp. FG 23/3 Succinea oblonga Succinea elegáns Theodoxus sp. Vertigo alpestris FG 23/4 Chondrula tridens Vallon ia pulchella Succinea oblonga Vertigo sp. FG 23/5 Succinea oblonga The aforementioned molluscan assemblage is not suitable for establishing an elaborate biostratigraphy. Nevertheless, palaeoenvironmental conclusions can still be drawn from it. On the basis of the occurrence of Succinea, Vallonia and Vertigo species one may conclude that the site lay in a wet meadow environment, presumably not covered by water during the dry season; it was not a swampy area. The lack of species preferring permanent water cover can be observed. Meanwhile Chondrula tridens, a definitely xerophileous species occurs here. The occurrence of Theodoxus in two samples is the most interesting feature of this fauna. This species requires water currents (river or lake-shore waters), but is always a marker of a solid bottom substrate. In the case under discussion here, there is no sign of such an environment. The presence of this species, however, is significant, since it is characteristic of alluvial sediments. Laskó-stream cut through the Pleistocene terrace of Eger stream washing out and redeposited Theodoxus shells. (This hypothesis is supported by the geographical superposition of the two streams). The real importance of the occurrence of the species is, that it marks the positions of rivers. There had been a river in the territory of the site, which kept the meadow wet periodically, and deposited sediments transported from the upper course. The aim of deepening a second series of borings was to investigate the course of this hypothesised riverbed. A fossil meander with a humus fill was exposed, which may have been 150 cm deep. At a depth of around 160 cm, grey coloured clay was found. On the basis of previous geological examinations it may be dated to the Pleistocene. (This sediment was also exposed at the archaeological site of Füzesabony-Kisbudai-berek, 1.5 km to the east within the 210