A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 1. - 1958 (Nyíregyháza, 1960)

Makkay János: The celtic finds in Újkenéz (Cserepeskenéz)

THE CELTIC FINDS IN ÚJKENÉZ (CSEREPESKENEZ) The ensemble of finds in Újkenéz (Cserepeskenéz) came probably to light at the end of the last century as addings of a cremation grave put into a vessel. The objects extant to-day are : a dog's figure, a sitting duck, protoma of a cattle, fibula, hoop, plate fragments, аП of bronze, as well as fragments of an iron sword and scraps of hoops. The drawings of András Jósa have conserved the precis form of the former protectors of the two swords. These drawings make it possible to date the findings, according to analogies in Hungary, into the La Тёпе С period. This period stands also — we suppose — separately for both protectors. The choronological order of similar findings outside Hungary are not inconsistent with this dating. By means of these we can make our dating more exact and set the findings of Cserepeskenéz, inside the La Тёпе period, into the 2-nd century before our era. This statement is also asserted by a formal examination of the fibula. Among the findings in Hungary known till now — the bull protoma is an unparalleled piece in the Celtic period. Its application as an amulet is proved by a ring fitted to the forehead. We know analogies only from regions laying westward from Hungary, in the Celtic relic material. We know also the back ground of the delineation which lies in the domain of the history of religion : we have knowledge of oaths sworn before a bull's head, of prayers offered to an ox'head, of bull's head delineated on a stone altar. With knowledge of these dates it seems probable that the apparition of the cattle's protoma in the relic material of Celtic tribes is not simply an intellectual influence of eastern peoples or a consequence of commercial relations but an objective formation of specific Celtic religious beliefs. A direct eastern influence may be infered first of all frcm the findings in Krajova and Dolj. In the similarity of the bull protomas in Cserepeskenéz and in Krajova we may see a common influence of eastern origin exerted on the relic material — primarily on metal work — of the Skythians as well as of the Celtics at the end of the Hallstatt period. János Makkay 30