Marta, Liviu: The Late Bronze Age Settlements of Petea-Csengersima (Satu Mare, 2009)
V. Conclusions. Contribution of the Petea-Csengersima Excavations to the Knowledge of the Late Bronze Age
Bronze 1 phase in the chronology of T. Kemenczei put forward for the east of Hungary701 or the Late Bronze I phase located by C. Kacsó in the north-west of Romania702 and by F. Gogâltan in Transylvania703. From the perspective of historical evolution, the Suciu Ha phase emerges in a moment of ample cultural difficulties and transformations observable in the north and west as well as in the southern part of its initial cultural area704. In the first of the areas the Otomani and Fiizesabany cultures come to an end, while in these areas the Hajdúbagos — Cehăluţ culture emerges/penetrates. The most marking element of the changes in this area is reflected by the end of the social-economic system represented by the tell type settlements in the Tisa Plain. In this period profound changes take place within the interior of inter- Carpathian Transylvania due to the penetration of the Noua culture (in the eastern part) 705 and of the Hajdúbagos—Cehăluţ cultural group706. These transformations do not affect the Suciu de Sus communities from the Upper Tisa region. Moreover, the Suciu de Sus communities gain benefits from these and take over territories to the south and to the north. Towards the south the Suciu communities of the Ha phase occupy areas in the Sălaj Valley707 to the disadvantage of the Wietenberg culture, the middle basin of the Someş reaching the Lăpuş Depression708. The penetration to the proximity of the area of convergence of the Someşul Mare and the Someşul Mic rivers at this moment remains uncertain, as long as the settlement at Căşei is dated later, in the Bz D period. To the north, the moment of expansion of the Suciu de Sus culture is not dated with certainty. The presence of imported vessels with excised decoration in an early phase of the Piliny culture709 suggests that the expansion took place also in the Suciu de Sus Ila stage. Within the area occupied by the Suciu de Sus culture, though the weight of the striated pottery, the differences are noticeably maintained between the Satu Mare area and the eastern regions of the culture. Striated pottery also plays an important part in the new regions occupied in the southern and south-eastern area. Phase Sudu lib. Representative of this phase are the settlements at Petea—Csengersima and Culciu Mare. As already stated, within the pottery of these settlements there are a few vessel types and variants and numerous ornamental motifs that are absent from several sites attributed to the Suciu de Sus II phase. Even if the chronological value of all these remains uncertain, some new elements can be considered as conveying a more recent date for the settlements they are present in. This is the case of cup type 4 that appears in the late phase of the settlement at Petea—Csengersima, and also of the amphora with cylindrical neck (type 2A). The appearance of bi-chrome black-red pottery, still used on a reduced scale, is another element that expresses the late evolution of these sites. In addition, from a great number of the ornaments from the Suciu de Sus lib, absent (or have a much reduced weight) from the Suciu Ila type sites, a good part is represented by the category of complex ornaments (some spirals, associations of spirals or circles combined with other ornamental motifs). As a result it is likely that at least one part of these ornaments are specific of the Suciu lib phase. As already stated, a series of early vessel forms and decorative motifs end in the Suciu Ila phase, without being used again or becoming “rarities” in the Suciu lib phase. The settlements of Petea—Csengersima, Lazuri and Culciu Mare, though the bronze finds specific of Uriu— Opályi type deposits, link the Suciu lib phase with the Bz D phase. These links also appear 701 Kemenczei 1984, p. 87-88, 96 (tabel cronologic). 702 Kacsó 1990a, p. 41-50. 703 Gogâltan 2001, p. 196. 704 The initial cultural area of the Suciu de Sus culture is considered as being in the Someş Plain, the Oaş Depression and the Maramureş Depression (Bader 1978, p. 76, Kacsó 1990, p. 45). 705 Popa — Boroffka 1994, p. 55-56; Cavruc 1996, p. 71. 706 Kacsó 1997, p. 97-110; Bejinariu 2001, 157-162. 707 Kacsó 1987, p. 70; Bejinariu 2003, p. 71. 708 Kacsó 2003, p. 83. 709 Kalicz 1960, taf. 4/2; Kemenczei 1984, p. 27, taf. 3/4,5 98
