Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 32/2. (2012)
Articles
Prehistoric Wheel Models from the Collection of the Mure$ County Museum For the first type of wheel models, those with hubs on both sides, from the very numerous analogies there should be mentioned the very similar artefacts from Sighisoara- Wietenberg (Bichir 1964, 70, fig. 3; Andrijoiu-Rustoiu 1997, pi. 20/12, 16, 25, 29; 24/1; Rotea et al. 2007, 69, catalogue nr. 61, pi. 96), as well as from Päuleni, hidden inside an amphora (Cavruc- Rotea 2000, 155, 164, pi. 5/1,3). Very numerous wheel models were found within the sites of the Otomani culture: Otomani-Cetáfuíe, Socodor, Var^and (Bichir 1964, 76, fig. 6), or in Suciu de Sus culture settlements at Oar(a de Jos-Válceaua Rusului (Kacsó 2004, Abb. 7/10, 11, 12). Maybe the most impressive is the similarity with the wooden wheel from De Eese (Fig. 1). For the second type of wheel models, with only one hub on one side close analogies were unearthed in the settlements from Otomani-Cetätuie (Roska 1925,402,2/2), a fragment from the Wietenberg settlement of Albi§i (Székely 2003, 482, fig. IX/6) and from the Early Iron Age site from Vatina (Milleker 1905, 53, VIII/1). They are very similar to the wooden wheels, with only one hub (Häusler 1981, 602, fig. 10/11). The most uncertain category is represented by the wheel models without any hubs, because they can easily be mistaken with the spindle-whorls. Taking into consideration the analogies, it is important the presentation of few such artefacts. At Sighisoara- Wietenberg A.ndn\o'u\ mentions several spindle-whorls (Andrijoiu-Rustoiu 1997, pi. 20/22; 21/6; 24/4, 5, 9, 14), while another wheel model is mentioned by Gogältan (2009, 141, pl. X/3) at the site of the Gligore$ti group, from Iernut-Sfäntu Gheorghe-Monument. The pieces from Anaoi (Bóna 1960, 101, fig. 6) and Bebenkovoi (Häusler 1981, 614, Abb. 16/1) are also considered wheel models. In this third category the existence of real wooden wheels are very important (Fig. 2), because the small clay wheel models for surely were imitations of these daily used objects as well (Häusler 1981, 598, fig. 8/2a-b). Fig. 1. Bronze Age single-piece wooden wheel from De Eese in Netherlands (after Pigott 1965, 96; Pigott 1987, 113). Fig. 2. Typology of composite disc wheel models (after Häusler 1981, 598). 19
