Marta, Liviu: The Late Bronze Age Settlements of Petea-Csengersima (Satu Mare, 2009)
III. Habitation of te Suciu de Sus Archaeological Culture
Ignoring a few small different elements, the following categories of spiral motifs are distinguished: a hook made from a spiral (MA), a hook made from a spared strip (MB), two adjoining oblique hooks separated by a spared line (MC), a spiral comprising one wide strip and two narrow coiled spirals (MD), a complex spiral made by linking two wide bands flanked by coiled spirals (ME), a large spiral formed from two bands flanked by a group of two coiling spirals and a group of three coiling spirals (MF), a large spiral made by linking three wide bands flanked by three pairs of coiling spirals (MG), two linked hooks coming from opposite directions (MH), a motif consisting of two broken hooks (MI), a spiral formed from two coiling spirals coming from opposite directions (MK), a complex spiral formed by linking two pairs of coiling spirals (ML), a simple spiral formed from three coiling spirals coming from the same direction (MM), a complex spiral formed from a wide band that becomes gradually narrower (MN), spiral formed from a descending band (MO), spared disc with a spiral in its centre (MQ), four hooks arranged crossways (MP). Large spirals (motifs MD, ME, MF, MG) play a central part in the general ornamentation of Suciu de Sus vessels. They are repeated four times on every vessel, whether on an amphora, bowl or cup. The tips of the spirals are placed in an area of the wall that is pushed outwards. Often the four large spirals are linked with small spirals or with the circles on the small knobs. Among the linking elements there are also hooks and simpler spirals (MA, MB, MH, MI, MJ) that usually have a secondary role in the general ornamentation of the vessels. The most frequent are large spirals of the types ML, MN, MD, and MF (PI. 24/1, 31/4,6,9, 32). A more reduced frequency is encountered in the case of ME and MG motifs (PI. 13, 37, 43/2, 53/1, 64/1) from among the large spiral motifs. Small spirals and hooks have a relatively high occurrence in the two settlements. As it was said, these have a secondary role in the general ornamentation of the vessels, however in the case of vessels with a simpler decoration these can be the main ornament (PI. 45/5) 27°. The following motifs: MI (PI. 51/2), MQ (PI. 53/2) and MP (PI. 52/8) are unique. Exased-intised decorative motifs originating from groups of spirals and coiling spirals combined with other elements (the N group of ornaments — Typ. pl. 4). NA and NB are rows of spirals going upward or downward. They have been placed in the same decorative register (PI. 13). The ND motif comprises a group of three spirals (PI. 27/7). The NC motif is a spiral surrounded by four arches (PI. 10/12). Each of these ornaments is unique in the settlement at Petea — Csengersima, and have not been encountered on other vessels of the Suciu de Sus culture. III.5. Metal, Clay and Stone Objects. Some of the bronze pieces was discovered in the archaeological complexes of the settlement, while others were found in the cultural stratum. Four needles made up a bronze deposit, and the other bronze finds and moulds belong to the inventory of some archaeological complexes or were found on the surface of the settlement. Needles with discs and protuberances. Each of the four examples found within a bronze deposit has a globular head, a disc and four protuberances (PI. 1/1-4). Three examples have handles, while two of them have ribs between the disc and the protuberances. The length of the pieces is: 42,8-53,2 cm, the diameter of the discs are: 2,3-4,3 cm, their weight is: 77,7 g, 89,4 g, 93,2 g, 166,2 g. Among the needles with protuberances, also called the Noua type needles, the 270 270 Small spirals from which oblique lines emerge are used in a single case as main decorative motif on the body of an amphora from the vessel deposit at Nyírmada (Tóth - Marta 2005, abb. 4). 44
