Marta, Liviu: The Late Bronze Age Settlements of Petea-Csengersima (Satu Mare, 2009)
I. Natural Environment
The Natural Environment The archaeological site at Petea—Csengersima looks like a river meadow. Its flat area is furrowed by traces of the old meanders of the Erge brook. The landscape is specific to the Plain of Satu Mare, which is a plain with small banks, fragmented by shallow valleys. Its appearance is given by the way it was formed—namely as a result of alluvial deposits brought by the Someş river and its tributaries1. The actual drained course of the Someş river, which is the main artery of the Plain of Satu Mare, is situated 8 km south of the settlement at Petea—Csengersima. Before drainage started in the years 1740—1741, the lower course of the river had been represented by a sequence of meanders with amplitudes of over one kilometre (Fig. 2). Dry or wide water valleys that used to be old meanders or even main or secondary abandoned courses, are either near the present riverbed or tens of kilometres far2. These valleys, where the small tributaries of the Someş river have entered, were often filled with water from the frequent floods while water 'rediscovered' the old trails abandoned in time. Drainage works which were carried out to avoid flood and draining swamps included the Someş river and a large area of the Plain, causing major changes in landscape. This situation was specific of the entire area and matched the location of the settlement from Petea-Csengersima, whose aspect hasn't changed much in the recent decades. The Erge brook that used to cross Petea locality, has been moved to the west of it. Its course crossed the area of the archaeological site in the east—west direction making large meanders. Nowadays, its area is crossed by a deep, straight canal in the north-south direction. The new canal influenced the surrounding area: after its excavation, the swampy areas in the south and west part of the site were eliminated for 1—2 km in their surface (Fig. 2). Devastating effects of frequent flooding of the Someş river, especially in its inferior sector was a natural phenomenon that influenced people's life in the Satu Mare area3. The excavations from Culciu Mare showed that this phenomenon was common in the Bronze Age. A layer of gravel covered a few dwellings from the settlement in the vicinity of a dried branch of the Someş river4. Traces of a flood were observed in the site from Petea that was situated on the bank of the Someş river tributary, Erge. The remainders from the Middle Bronze Age settlement have been covered in a slimy layer of clay, left by a water flood. The reason why people, then and now, settled along the Someş river and its tributaries was because floods brought a fertile mud5. This led to a very high efficiency in the agriculture practised on a land liable to inundation, which brought out an essential aspect here, namely the agriculture practised on small plots. This land was also easy to be worked, which was an important aspect in the context of prehistoric agriculture when people would use primitive ploughs with furrow opener made of wood or deer antlers. Favourable conditions for practising agriculture6 were probably the basis of the spectacular growth in 1 Geographic studies about the Satu Mare Plain (some studies mention it as Câmpia Someşului/ Someş Plain): Mihăilescu 1966; V. Mihăilescu 1969; Benedek 1973; Bader 1978. 2 Benedek 1969, p. 25-30. 3 Devastating floods have been registered during the last two and a half centuries, in the years: 1740-1741, 1778-1782, 1784, 1816-1817, 1834, 1855, 1870, 1888 (estimated as being the greatest), 1893, 1901 and 1919. In 1970 the Someş river and its tributaries flooded 30% of the Satu Mare county (Borovski 1910, p. 43, 69, 253- 254; Epopee pe Someş. Satu Mare. 1970; Sistemul de gospodărire a apelor Satu Mare. Regulament de funcţionare şi întreţinere). 4 Bader 1978, p. 64. 5 Szirmay 1809, p. 16-17; Maksai 1940, p. 3-4. 6 The large number of grinding stones found in Petea suggest a broad use of cereals. Deforested areas increased on the basis of the intensification of cereal cultivation in the plain areas from the northern Tisa Basin, beginning with the Middle Bronze Age. This aspect is attested by the paleobotanical analyses (Sümegi 2004, p. 326, 330). 7
