A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 41. - 1999 (Nyíregyháza, 1999)

Régészet - Mikhailo Potushniak: A multilevel settlement on Mala Hora at Mukachevo/Munkács–Kishegy

Mikhailo Potushniak eyes, nose and mouth (PL II. 10). It is interesting that relief depictions of human faces on vessels can be relatively frequently found at the settlements of PPC. Among others they are known from the settlement Rivne/Szernye-Kismező (POTUSHNIAK 1985.149, ris.38.3,6.), Rafailovo/Rafajnaújfalu-Kishomok, Holmec/Korláthelmec-Karan, and in Hungary in Sonkád (KOREK 1977. Abb. 17). No doubt that the pottery group separated from the pottery collection of Mala Hora I (PL 1.1—6, II. 110, III. 1-27) belongs to the Middle Neolithic and judging from all typological and technological features - can be connected with the PPC. In our scheme of periodization of PPC (POTUSHNIAK 1985.149, POTUSHNIAK 1997.37) the assemblage of finds in question can be compared the best with the Raskovce group of PPC. Chronological position of finds in the middle phase can be defined on the basis of the typological analysis of materials. For example, basin shaped pans are typical for the coarse ware of the settlement of the early stage of the PPC. In the Transcarpathian region rich collections were collected from the settlements of Rivne-Kismező II, Rafailovo-Kishomok, in Hungary from Sonkád (KOREK 1977. Abb. 20.1-7). Pans were also met on the settlements of the middle and late phases, but in much lesser number (POTUSHNIAK 1997. PL VI.

= I. 35,8). We have hardly any examples of tulip shaped cups and bowls at the settlements of the early stage, they have appeared in the middle phase and spread en masse in the late Diakovo stage of PPC (POTUSHNIAK 1979. 30. ris. 4.2, POTUSHNIAK 1997.36. PL V.7,9-10, VII. 12,5,11). We have to keep in mind that vessels with widening rim, especially among wide open bowls were used already at the beginning of the Late Neolithic, in the late period of the Polgár Culture (in the following: PC) (Drisino-Mala Hora II, Zastavne-Kovadomb II, Beregovo/Beregszász-Ardivska hora) and they can be also met in the middle Cicarovce/Csicser-Oborin/ Abara period of the culture, e.g. at the settlement of Cicarovce (VIZDAL 1980. tab. XI. 1, XIII.2, XVIII. 1, XXVIII. 1,LVIIL2). Finally, the pottery with painted patterns from Mala Hora I (PL III. 1-25) beside its ornamentation pattern has close analogies on the settlements of the middle phase of the culture, e.g. Holmec-Karan, DrisinoMala Hora I, Drisino-Baloca, Uzhhorod/UngvárDravcy in the Transcarpathian region, Szamossályi, Kisvarsány (KOREK 1977. Abb. 10.1-18, KOREK 1983.3,1-7. ábra) in Hungary, Zemplinske Kopcany/ Hegyi, Michalovce/Nagymihály (SISKA 1989.9197,135-138, obr. 13,34-37) it the East Slovakian Lowland in Slovakia. Painted pottery of the settlements of the middle phase noticeably differs from the painted pottery of the late phase of the PPC, because there are no geometric motifs in its ornamentation. This is especially evident if we compare it with painted pottery of the Diakovo phase of the PPC: Diakovo-Mandicstag, Zastavne-Kovadomb I (POTUSHNIAK 1979. ris. 6.1-10, POTUSHNIAK 1997. PL VIII. 1-19). According to these data the material from the settlement Mukachevo-Mala Hora I can be well dated to the Raskovce phase of PPC. In this period the material from Mala Hora I was contemporary with the final phase. We suggest that this phase can be synchronized with the middle phase of the Zseliz group (Dvory nad Zitavou/Udvard) of the Linear Pottery Culture. Generally, the Raskovce group was contemporary with the Tiszadob group (SISKA 1989. 135-138) of the Alföld Linear Pottery. Mala Hora II. The second period of the site belongs to the end of the Late Neolithic and culturally can be connected with the Polgár Culture (PC). Finds of this age include also about 50 units of pottery material. According to the technological and typological features, the Late Neolithic pottery from Mala Hora II completely differs from that of the Middle Neolithic and the following Baden Culture ones. In our finds the thin walled pottery dominates, half of it was ornamented by incised patterns. Pottery was made of clay tempered with chamot and sand. A small part of the pottery had exclusively well ground limestone in its clay added. Limestone appears both on the exterior and interior, light red, rough surfaces. In the case of most fragments, both surfaces were thoroughly smoothed, part of them polished and brownish red. The inner part of the decorated vessels, as a rule, was smoothed. The firing of the vessels was of good, but uneven quality: the core of the walls is black and only rarely has the same, red color. The thickness of the walls does not exceed 0.4-1 cm. Among the forms of the Late Neolithic pottery we can separate the following types: a. small low dishes, b. conical and biconical bowls, c. cups, d. drinking glass shaped vessels, e. high-footed, pedestalled vessels, f. beakers, g. lids, h. miniature vessels. a. Low dishes are represented by two pieces. The first one has got an ovoid, oblong, a little deformed shape. Its surface is brownish, black polished both in its interior and exterior. Under the rim there must have been 2 or 4 semi-spherical knobs. The restored sizes of the bowl are the following: rim - 14.5x8 cm, bottom - 11.5x5.8 cm, height - 3.5-4 cm. The rim is edged, 12