Budapest Régiségei 15. (1950)

Banner János: Adalékok Budapest újabb-kőkorához 7-25

JÁNOS BANNER SOME DATA CONCERNING THE NEOLITHIC AGE IN BUDAPEST The researches concerning the Neolithic Age in Hungary cannot yet be considered as finished. Ne wonder, as the real research work dates only back merely to the last two decades. Until then, the published data were mostly topographical or yielded typological information that was more or less useful, but not always suited to draw prehistorical conslusions from. The first Neolithic finds, whose well observed stratigraphy enabled us to draw some chronological conclusions, came to light about twenty years ago, during the excavations of Francis Tompa in Bodrogkeresztur. This excavation and its results can be considered as the basis of further research, as the result of which we were able to discern the two cultures characterized by the pottery with band decoration. Unfortunately, the recent researches are not always based on observations made during the excavations. Since then, we have been able to discern, besides the Bükk and Tisza cultures, two Other cultures, the Kőrös and the Bánát. The chronology of the cultures with band decoration became problematic after the recent research, though this has not yet been based upon stratigraphical observations. This essay does not aim to settle the dispute, which moreover, cannot yet be considered as finished. Kven if it furnishes some new data it does not want to refute the older important hypotheses as yet. Still it is necessary to mention them, for all assumptions which strive after the scientific truth are rightful and necessary, and help to clear the problems through objective and fertile discussions. Here we want to treat such problematic questions, two in particular concerning the Neolithic Age. We also take into consideration the results of excavations which took place in distant territories. Both problematic finds came to light in the territory of Great Budapest and have been treated not only in the excavation reports, but also in detailed archaeological monographies. It is quite true that the results of our prehistoric research cannot always follow from the careful examination of a single place of discovery. Very often the data of distant places throw a new light on questions which had already been regarded as settled. So we must often revise our conclusions, even if they had already been considered as definite. Such a revision is also important if it starts a discussion, for it stimulates those, who direct the researches. This is ' the aim of the present essay too. Here we throw a new light on two Neolithic finds, which are important for the whole Neolithic Age in Hungary. First we are going to deal with a part of the material which has been discovered in the pits of the Tabán settlement, and which has been considered — on the basis of the other finds — as belonging to the group of the older linear pottery. We are speaking here of the coarse, thick vessel fragments decorated with dense nail 21