Virag, Cristian: Situl neolitic Halmeu - Vamă (Satu Mare, 2015)
Abridged version
B. Zoomorphic figurines. There were found two such pieces in the site of Halmeu, both in fragmentary condition. Cx. 5/2006. 19. Zoomorphic figurine (fig. 133/6), representing a fragmentary four-legged animal. It is preserved the back side of the animal with its right foot cylindrical and short and a small bulge indicating the animal’s tail. Cx. 3/2014. 20. Zoomorphic figurine preserved fragmentary. It represents a bovine horn (fig. 133/4). C. Monumental statuary. The monumental statuary is represented by a foot fragment that may come from an altar or a monumental statuette either represented standing or sitting on the throne (fig. 135). The leg is 46.2 cm long, cylindrical (with a diameter of 13.5 in the midline) that easily flattens in the lower part as the upper part widens. A similar piece was found at Liubcova11. Abriged version D. Miniature vessels. Their number is rather big. Some of them imitate ceramic forms that were found in the settlement but without holding functionality as the capacity of the containers is symbolic. In this regard, one can assume several working hypotheses. A first hypothesis would see these vessels as toys made for / by children. Another hypothesis would link these pieces to some cultural or magical practices. Others are vessels with a container of 50 ml. We can assume the latter were containers for drinking or storing liquids. If this be the case, we wonder about the clumsy craftwork of some of these vessels with irregular shape that make us imply they were linked to childrens activities. Cx. 4/2003 1. Miniature clay spoon (length 2.6 cm; width 1.3 cm; inside bowl diameter 1 cm), cone-shaped handle, slightly irregular oval spoon bowl (fig. 133/9; 136/8). 2. Miniature vessel (height: 3 cm; rim diameter: 3.5 cm; bottom diameter: 1.6 cm.) in the shape of a truncated cone; with a flared rim (fig. 134/1). 3. Miniature vessel (height: 3.4 cm; rim diameter: 2.3 cm; bottom diameter: 2 cm) in the shape of a truncated cone (fig. 134/2); with a thick bottom (bottom thickness 2.4 cm). 4. Miniature tronconic vessel (height: 4.1 cm; rim diameter: 3 cm; bottom diameter: 1.8 cm) with a small handle under the rim (fig. 134/3). In what concerns its shape, we found analogies at Porţ-Corău12. 5. Miniature tronconic vessel (height: 3.4 cm; rim diameter: 3 cm; bottom diameter: 3.8 cm), with inward flared rim (fig. 134/4). 6. Miniature tronconic vessel (height: 3.1 cm; rim diameter: 3.6 cm; bottom diameter: 2.1 cm, fig. 134/5) with analogies at Porţ-Corău13. 7. Miniature vessel (height: 4.2 cm; rim diameter: 1.9 cm; bottom diameter: 2.6 cm) with an inward flared lip and a thick bottom (fig. 134/6). 8. Miniature vessel (fig. 133/10) with draining tube (height: 3 cm; rim diameter: 5 cm; bottom diameter: 2 cm). This type of vessels has various terms in use to describe it: baby bottle nipple-vessel or baby bottle nipple-spoons. Such vessels were found 11 Luca 1998, 209, fig. 43/5, 51 if; Lazarovici/Lazarovici 2006, p. 504, fig. IVa. 12 S. Băcueţ Crişan, 2011, p. 73-74, Pl. III/2. 13 S. Băcueţ Crişan, 2011, p. 73-74, Pl. II/8. 97
