Savaria - A Vas Megyei Múzeumok értesítője 24/3. (1997) (Szombathely, 1997)
Horváth Tünde: Adatok a középső bronzkori borostyánleletek vizsgálataihoz
S AVARIA 24/3 (1998-1999) PARS ARCHAEOLOGICA measurments are very complicated. The examination of amber as archaeological-find was worked in the Sixties in the Vassar College (the advantage of it is applicable to conservation amber too) 3 . The examination is based on the selective absorption of amber. The measuring is done with infrared spectroscopy: the amber finds originating from different quarries have gotten specific, characteristic spectra, thus the Baltic 4 , the Sicilian 5 and the Asian-origin 6 amber can be distinguished. The amber appears in Hungary first in the Upper Paleolithic: from Pilismarót-Pálrét 7 and Mogyorósbánya 8 Gravettian settlements, on which M. Földvári did spectroscopy-examinations. The examinations could not prove the Baltic origin of amber. In this time the Baltic sea-coast was covered with ice (Wurm glacial period), thus the Baltic origin amber could possibly be collected from the terminal moraines, which got till the Bohemian-basin. The next numerous appearance of amber is in the Middle Bronze Age (at A. Mozsolics Bronze Age III., at I. Bona Middle Bronze Age I.). The earliest finds are from the cemetery of Szőreg (this is the southern-most appearance) and the settlement of Pécska. In Slovakia in the same phase (so-called Aunjetitz culture classical phase) come into sight, then in the Koszider-period (there is Magyarád culture) numerous amber pieces found. The excavation on Százhalombatta-Earthwork (1989— 93.) have been given 3 amber-beads, from authentic layer. 9 The description of finds: - II. section, 1. pit: brown-dark brown colour, in pieces, Vatya culture, conserved (1. sample). - II. section, 5 th layer, -250 cm, on the white-grey reed-floor, brown-dark brown, in pieces, conserved, Nagyrév culture (2. sample). (On the base of this datum the amber appears in the Early Bronze Age III. already!, it is one phase earlier, but we have only this single piece.) - III. section, 2. house, ruins of oven, yellow-light brown colour, in pieces, Vatya culture (3. sample). 3 BECK - WILBUR - MERET 1964. The amber finds have been treated with a kind of wax or lacquer should observe some absorption, which cause these conservation materials, altough often make unidentificable the spectra. 4 BECK - WILBUR - KOSSOVE - KERMANI 1965. The spectra of the Baltic origin amber characterize the wide, horizontal „shoulder" between 8.0 and 8.5 micron, and following an absorption-maximum on 8.7 micron. The corrosion changed the horizontal shoulder to slope line. 5 BECK- HARTNETT 1993. 6 SAVKEVICH - SOKOLOVA 1993. 7 T. DOBOSI 1985. 8 T. DOBOSI 1992. 9 Special thanks to the excavator Ildikó Poroszlai, who allowed the author the publication of the amber finds. Unfortunately, the bead was very bad condition, thus the restorer interference was unavoidable. The chemical substance changed the structure, so we could not use the ether-test. The beads from SzázhalombattaEarthwork are very important finds, because they from exploitation's layers (we know these finds only Pécska IX. layer 10 till now). From settlements, not from layer but in bronze-hoards know amber finds: Jászdózsa 11 , Bölcske 12 , Dunaújváros-Kosziderpadlás I. 13 , Mende 14 settlements, uncertain was found the Csongrád-Felgyő 15 and Füzesabony 16 finds. In Slovakia the appearance of amber is in the same period. 17 The data is not reflect the real value of the occurrence and the frequency. The thick refuses of the tellsettlements help the destruction of amber, as well as self-decomposition. Generally, remain only little pieces from an amber bead, so they can easily escape the excavator's attention. We have more chance if the amber is in a bronze-hoard, which was hidden in a pot, or put in a grave, near the skeleton. Anyway, the amber was great value, usually founding with gold or bronze treasures, or in reach graves. There are some opinions, that save the amber the robbing of graves: it was a personal property, and was so rare, that the robber was afraid of taking it, because it had been conspicuous 18 . After all, we have more finds from the settlements, than know, but they appear only in rare and lucky cases. The amber-finds in Hungary were treated in a few studies: the summaries of the metal-hoards or cultures touch on the question. The examination of amber finds from Móra F. Museum (Szeged), and the classification of the whole early and middle Bronze Age's amber beads 19 is incomplete already, so I would give a new list of this period. I ROSKA 1912, szőreg II—III. layer. II 171 beads, lost, the last Hatvan-layer of the settlement, STANCZIK 1982. 12 MOZSOLICS 1967. 13 MOZSOLICS 1967. 14 KOVÁCS 1975b. 15 Settlement of Vatya culture, unpublicated, SPRINCZ - BECK 1981a. 16 Uncertain data, TOMPA 1934-1935. 17 For ex. Bárca: HAYEK 1957, Spissky Strvrok, in detail: SPRINCZ-BECK 1981a. 18 CSÁNYI1984. 19 SPRINCZ - BECK 1981b; SPRINCZ - BECK 1981a. 278
