A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 48. (Nyíregyháza, 2006)

Régészet - Korbály József: Copper Age metal finds from the Transcarpathian Region

Rézkori fémleletek Kárpátaljáról 46). Szendrő type one-bladed axes appear in the Early Copper Age and stay in use until a later period of the Copper Age (NOVOTNÁ 1970. 22-23, PATAY 1984. 46). It is more difficult to determine further two representatives of one-bladed axes from typological point of view. The piece from „Nagybégány" (Pl. I: 4) - despite of its fragmented character with a great probability belongs to the Crestur type (PATAY 1984. 41-42. Taf. 9: 159, 162, 163, 165 etc.). The axe from Agtelek is also close in shape to this type (PI. I: 3). As it was proved by Slovakian finds (NOVOTNÁ 1970. 22. N 89), this type appeared in the Early Copper Age and developed until its end, and even later. The territory of spread of Crestur type axes shows the connections of our region with the Tiszapolgár Culture. Axe-adzes are represented in our collection even in a larger number than one-bladed axes (PL II: 1-4, PL III: 1-2, HAMPEL-BESZÉDES 1876. PL VII: 9). Five of them belong to variants Tirnavita (PL II: 2), Orsova (HAMPEL-BESZÉDES 1876. PL VII: 9), Bradu (PL II.: 4) and Petresti (PL II: 1, 3) of the Tiszaladány type. Axe-adzes of the Tiszaladány type were spread in large number at a vast territory in the middle phase of the Copper Age. From cultural point of view - at least here, in the north-eastern part of the Carpathian Basin - they can be connected with the Bodrogkeresztúr Culture (NOVOTNÁ 1970. 26, VULPE 1975. 46, TODOROVA 1981. 44^18, PATAY 1984. 86-88, SCHALK 1998. 33, 36, Karte 2). It is more difficult to classify two other axe-adzes (PL III: 1-2). If we take into consideration - especially in the case of axe N 10 (PL III: 1) - the straight profile, the shovel shaped upper arm, its almost parallel sides, straight blade and some other features, than it could be determined as the Nógrádmarcal type (PATAY 1984. 90-91). Such classification of the other axe is more problematic but possible. If this classification will prove to be justified, than we'll face a very interesting situation, because until now this axe type has been found only from the Little Plain (Transdanubia) and the Bükk Mountains (PATAY 1984. 92. Taf. 64: 13), where it was used in the Middle Copper Age and at the beginning of the Late Copper, that is to say during the life of the Boleráz Group of the Baden Culture. Recently, researchers started to consider Transcarpathian Region as the territory of Boleráz (POTUSNJAK 1996. 190-194), and that could perhaps explain the appearance of the Nógrádmarcal type axes here. Finally, we have to mention the bipennis copper axe-adze from Gát (PL III: 3). Its rhombic shape is strange among copper tools of the Carpathian Basin, or at least unknown for me. The second group of the objects analysed here, consists of three finds: a plain hatchet (PL III: 6), a massive awl (PL III: 6) and a fishhook (PL III: 4). In my opinion, the plain hatchet corresponds to the criteria that characterise the Szakáihát type. The latter is typical in the Middle Copper Age and can be connected to the Bodrogkeresztúr Culture (PATAY 29. Taf. 3: 52, 4: 60-61 etc.). The awl-shaped massive piercer must have been used in coppersmith's work. I do not know its exact analogy, but tools of such character were used by the people of the Tripolje Culture in the early phase of it (RINDINA 1971. 61-62). Finally, the fishhook from Beregdéda (PL III: 4) is very important because it was found at the excavation of a Copper Age settlement. M. Potushniak who analysed this settlement's material, separated a Tiszapolgár layer and a layer containing Boleráz elements, but he could not determine which layer the hook belonged to (POTUSNJAK 1996). The hook itself has got a simple shape, with one of its end sharpened, and the other one plated. That could possibly refer to the Early Copper Age taking into consideration that such tools had been really in use since the Early Copper Age (RINDINA 1971. 52. ris. 5: 1-5, 99). Summarising our data, we can assume that Copper Age tools - axes, hatchets, hook etc. found in the territory of present Transcarpathian Region, are typologically rich and chronologically they can be divided into two groups: the one from the Early Copper Age that can be connected to