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

Kreiter Attila: Kerámia technológiai vizsgálatok a Halomsíros kultúra Esztergályhorváti–alsóbárándpusztai településről: hagyomány és identitás

168 Kreiter Attila Technological examination of Tumulus culture pottery from Esztergályhorváti-Alsóbárándpuszta: tradition and identity This paper investigates the ceramic technological tradtion of the Tumulus culture focusing on tempering practices. At Esztergályhorváti the majority of storage vessels are tempered with coarse and very coarse quartz pebble. In some cases coarse and very coarse limestone temper can also be observed. By the means of microscopic and ceramic petrological examination the paper considers the functional expedience of quartz pebble and limestone tempering. The analyses revealed that the utilisation of these tempering materials weakend the end product since quartz pebble caused considerable crack progation and visible debonding between the clay and quartz grains which resulted in the breakage of pots. Coarse and very coarse limestone in the majority of cases caused lime spalling thus made the vessels unusable. In spite of the difficulties that these temepring materials caused during firing they were used consistently. For this reason it is argued that functional requirements may not give a complete explanation of these practices. It is considered that technological practises may be better 1. kép: Finom - közepes nyersanyag. Esztergályhorváti, +N. A fotó hosszabb oldala 6.8 mm Fig. 1 : Fine - medium raw material. Esztergályhorváti, XPL. Viewable area 6.8 mm understood in terms of cultural choices. This paper highlights the relationship between manufacturing sequences and technological tradition and argues that the choice of coarse and very coarse tempering materials - since this tempering practice is not characteristic to the Early and Middle Bronze Age in Hungary - is used to express the identity of the potters and the community. While the distinctive nature of the Tumulus ceramic tradition can be emphasised, the results of this analysis also revealed tantalising similarities between it and other Middle Bronze Age assemblages. The recognition of similar traits within the ceramic technology of the Tumulus and préexistent societies offers a better understanding of social relations between different communities and it is suggested that the relationship between the Tumulus and other societies may be better understood through extensive social networks rather than military campaigns. Translated by Attila Kreiter 2. kép: Nagyon finom - finom nyersanyag. Esztergályhorváti, +N. A fotó hosszabb oldala 6.8 mm Fig. 2: Very fine - fine raw material. Esztergályhorváti, XPL. Viewable area 6.8 mm