Folia archeologica 18.
Tibor Kovács: Eastern Connections of North-Eastern Hungary in the Late Bronze Age
54 T. KOVÁCS Bronze Age. 9 6 On the other hand the finds of the Berkesz —Demecser type, clearly distinguishable even typologically from the material of the two mentioned groups, can be found throughout North-Eastern Hungary (cf. Fig. 19). Approximately 40% of this pottery are types of alien origin. The tumulus burials at Nyírkarász—Gyulaháza and the metal objects of eastern and Transylvanian types prove with certainty that at the end of the Late Bronze Age a new people settled in North-Eastern Hungary. We possess no data to prove that the tumulus culture played a role in the course of the history of the Late Bronze Age of North-Eastern Hungary. 9 7 The appearance of a few western metal types is likely the result of trade relations. The analysis of burial rites, pottery and metal finds was helpful in tracing the contact with the Noa-Sabatinovka culture, but mainly with that of Komarovo. It is striking that the least relationship can be proved to the Noa culture of Transylvania which is the most closely located site. It is easier to find ties to the North Moldavian finds (e. g., Gîrbovât, Trusesti). On the other hand the contracted burials characteristic of the Noa culture are unknown in the territory of Northern Hungary. The foreign features of the Berkesz —Demecser ethnic group are the most closely related to the Komarovo culture existing north-east of the Carpathians. Each of the eastern types of our material occurs among the finds of the Komarovo culture with the exception of the bronze objects of the Transylvanian type. The rite of tumulus burial is common in this culture. 9 8 Still, previous to the publication of I. K. Svesnikov's study on the Komarovo culture and ofthat of E. A. Balaguri on the Noa culture of Carpathian Ukraine we cannot trace the route of the population settling in the Nyírség from the east and its ethnic composition. We can only presume from the scanty proofs that the population separated from the Komarovo culture (coming into contact with the territory of the Nora culture ?) reached North-Eastern Hungary. The available finds are insufficient to strictly describe how the relation of the local population and the new ethnic group developed. For this reason several still unsolved problems will be elucidated by the study of the cemetery unearthed at Alsóberecki Haraszti-dűlő. 9 9 Its material may provide additional proof for our assumption that the settlement of eastern groups of people (the tribes of the Komarovo and Noa? cultures) in NorthEastern Hungary had begun the process which led to the transformation of the cultural and ethnic aspect of the area and it sets the limits between the second and third phases of the history of the Bronze Age in North-Eastern Hungary. We have several data supporting the chronological position of the finds of the Berkesz —Demecser type. 1. The discussed material as a whole is clearly distinguishable from the finds of the Gáva culture easily datable by hoards to the R HA period (according to Mozsolics' chronology to the В V period) and from 9 6 Concerning the relative chronology of the Tisza region cf. Kovács, T., Acta Antiqua et Archaeologica (Szeged), 10 (1966) 65—73. 9 7 For the lack of finds the limits of the Late Tumulus Culture in the Middle Tisza region is unknown. 9 8 The burials of the Komarovo culture suggest strong social stratification (Svesnikov, I. K„ op. cit. 13.). 9 9 The finds suggest that it was one of the cemeteries of the Bárca group of the Piliny culture, of a part of the Felsőszőcs population and of the mixed eastern ethnic group.
