Marta, Liviu (szerk.): Satu Mare. Studii şi comunicări. Seria arheologie 29/1. (2013)
Laura Dietrich: Projectile weapons of the Late Bronze Age int he Easter Europe. The case of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni cultural complex
Laura Dietrich from Rotbav10, as well as a detailed examination of the ‘ashmound’ of Rotbav, I was able to show that the ‘ashmounds’ represent special, collectively used places constructed at the boundary of the settlement in round or oval basins, where extensive hide working, but also other activities like communal feasting, took place. I will come back to the interrelation of the function of the ‘ashmounds’ and the projectile joints analyzed below later. Fig. 1: Distribution of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni Complex; settlements with ‘ashmounds’ (in red). We do not have a very concrete image of the spatial distribution of settlements and the organization of cultural landscapes in the whole area of the NSC, but studies in southeast Transylvania10 11 produced evidence for small, somehow uniformly distributed settlements with ‘ashmounds’ and cemeteries in their immediate proximity. It is yet not sure that this settlement model can be extended over the whole distribution area, albeit other regions seem to confirm the general impression12. A hierarchy of settlements is hardly discernable archaeologically. The graves, mostly plane in the NC and barrows in the SC13 have very few grave goods, mostly pottery; they neither do reflect a hierarchy. The society seems to be based largely on lineages; elites are at least not easily discernible archaeologically14. Nevertheless some differentiation has to be assumed, as prestige objects seem to exist15. With the NSC rich metalwork in form of numerous hoards as well as finds of casting moulds is associated16. The hoards have generally a complex structure, although sickles and socketed axes dominate. Nevertheless, also daggers and spearheads are present in considerable numbers in the NSC hoards17. Together with battle-axes, short swords and bow/arrows they seem to constitute the main weaponry of the NSC18. While weapons such as daggers and spearheads19 as parts of hoard finds have been studied 10 Dietrich 2013 forthcoming. “Dietrich 2010. 12 Bicbaev, Sava 2004. 13 Sava/Agulnikov 2003; Gerskovic 1999. “Dietrich 2010. 15e.g. Vulpe/Lazăr 1997. 16Dergacev 2002, Uşurelu 2006. 17Uşurelu 2006. 18Klochko 2001, 197-223; compare with the general remarks for the Carpathian Basin by Soroceanu 2011. 19 Not to mention the PBF volume in preparation by Tiberiu Bader. 182
