Zalai Múzeum 15. Horváth László 60 éves (Zalaegerszeg, 2006)

Bondár Mária: Kultúraváltások a rézkori emberábrázolások tükrében (Dunántúl)

Kultúraváltások a rézkori emberábrázolások tükrében (Dunántúl) 123 some characteristic furrow-stitch decorated female figurines are known. One of these was found in Zala county (Figs. 4-6.). Baden culture People of the late Copper Age Baden culture made different human representations for their feasts, ceremonies or to commemorate their dead. Figurines, breasts applied on amphorae, anthropomorphic burial urns, or a recently found mask forming a human face indicate the many levels of their belief system and ceremonies. Figurines have been assessed by many researchers from many different perspectives. It is not aimed here to challenge or reinforce these assumptions but rather to offer some new perspectives. The differences between the figurines of the Baden culture are often explained by chronological differences between them. In assessing the material culture of Balatonszemes it has been realised that there seems to be no considerable chronological differences between the pits containing figurines. If different figurines came to light from chronologically similar pits, or two different figurine types were found in the same pit, it has to be considered that the reason for the differences between the figurines lies not in chronology but rather that they convey different meanings. It is considered that different figurines convey different meanings in terms of ideology and they may also represent different events. Amongst the figurines there is one which depicts both a woman and a man at the same time (Fig. 8. 6.). In considering the above it is assumed that at Balatonszemes the paraphernalia of an initiation ritual from childhood to adolescence was found. Figurines came to light in different sizes. The schematic figurines seem to represent youngsters, the sex of whom is still „hidden" and they have not reached fertility. It can be argued that the figurines from Balatonszemes (Fig. 8. 1-6.) were necessary for the different parts of an initiation ritual (to become a woman or man). A large two-headed figurine (Fig. 8. 5.) by the end of the ritual perhaps represented a man and a woman who have already been initiated and acquired the knowledge characteristic for the different genders. Alternatively it shows the transition from childhood to adolescence. The relevance of the assumption - that different figurine types do not necessarily represent chronological differences, but rather chronological similarities and that they were a dramaturgical paraphernalia of the same ceremony - was examined at sites where similarly to Balatonszemes more than one figurine was found (Besenov 3, Bina 6, Branc 3, Leliceni 3, Sarovce 9, Tököl 12, Vinca 6 and Vucedol 3 figurine fragments). Amongst these sites at Branc, Sarovce and Tököl, amongst the torsos a similar dualism to a figurine at Balatonszemes could be observed. Thus „standard" Baden type figurines (they are flat, headless and their bodies are made of two triangles) appear with different types of figurines (e.g. figurines with angular body features or figurines with legs) at the same settlement. It seems that the appearance of such dualism in terms of different types of figurines is not an isolated or accidental case but it can be demonstrated to appear in different sites. This implies that for an initiation rite (?) at least two types of figurines were necessary. After the event figurines lost their cultic meaning and for this reason they were broken and discarded in different pits of the settlement. Accordingly, if in the same pit two different types of figurines are found this may indicate a similar chronological position of the figurines. What lies behind the differences of human representations is the different means of expressing ideological meanings. The appearance of Baden figurines in settlements and not in cemeteries suggests that figurines did not play a role in burial ceremonies but rather it implies that they may have been used in ceremonies or initiation rituals (?). The spatial distribution of figurines shows great variation in that in some regions many figurines are present whilst in other areas only a few figurine fragments are found (Fig. 9.). This distribution shows that figurines were especially important in the life of Baden people. The two biggest cemeteries of the classic Baden culture in terms of the number of graves (Alsónémedi, Budakalász), show many cart models (Budakalász, Szigetszentmárton) and a peculiar cattle-shaped vessel (Vác), all found in Pest county. A unique cemetery of the Boleráz period was found in Komárom-Esztergom county (Pilismarót-Basaharc) and also many settlements of the Baden culture (Pilismarót-Szobi rév, Esztergom-Szentkirály-Duna dűlő) with figurines and pottery deposits. Anthropomorphic urns that are outstanding representations of a death cult came to light from Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county (Center, Szentsimon) and its neighbouring area from Slovakia (Vcelince, Gemer). Amongst the extraordinary finds from Somogy county mass burials (Balatonboglár, Balatonőszöd), cart models (Balatonboglár, Balatonberény) and the famous grave with a diadem (Vörs) can be mentioned. A human mask from Somogy county (Balatonőszöd) also has to be mentioned but until now is a unique find. A distribution of distinct anthropomorphic representations, such as vessels with breasts which can be associated with fertility rites are also more common in the above mentioned regions than elsewhere. The