Folia archeologica 23.

Tibor Kovács: Askoi, Bird-Shaped Vessels, Bird-Shaped Rattles in Bronze Age Hungary

ASKOI, BIRD-SHAPED VESSELS, BIRD-SHAPED RATTLES IN BRONZE AGE HUNGARY Tibor Kovács In the field of prehistoric research, the art of Hungary in the Bronze Age has been somewhat neglected. This, may perhaps be explained by the fact that descriptive art in the Bronze Age did not produce specific achievements as, for example, the neolithic Venus or altar-pieces, or the figurative urns of Sopron's Burgstall which are still outstanding pieces of European art in the given period. On the other hand, the form-treasure of man and animal figures from the Bronze Age shows a remarkable variety. But a general survey becomes extremely difficult owing to tremendous distance in time and space. Last but not least, European research in the prehistoric period seems to know much less of the cultic background of the surviving treasures than either of the Neolithic cults or those relating to the peoples of the Hallstatt-period. This seems to be corroborated by the fact that at least three-fourth of the arts-finds came to light in Hungary have been listed in print, nevertheless only a few publications have attempted to provide some sort of detailed account of the arts objects.

1 However, in recent years many important human and animal figures have come to light from the Bronze Age within authentic circumstances. So, for example, at Ároktő-Dongóhalom an askos,

2 at Tiszafüred-Majoros a human-faced askos,

3 at Jászdózsa-Kápolnahalom a small animal figurine,

4 at Siófok-Széplak a birdshaped rattle,

5 at MendeLeányvár a humanfaced urn.

6 The above, as well as numerous recent finds, offer a much better chance for the study of certain questions of figurative art. On the other hand, here we only intend to deal from the existing Hungarian Bronze Age finds, with those referred to in the title, and what follows below denotes simply the first steps towards a more detailed study of the bird cult in Hungary. What we intend to do is to offer a survey that might comprize any existing finds with references to the essential relations. The cultic objects relating to birds (below: bird-cult) 1 Mo^solics, A., Acta Arch. Hung. 5(1955) 50 ff. ; Banner, J., Menschendarstellung auf einem Gefäß von Tószeg und die Frage der sog. Krötengefäße. PZ 36(1958) 244-254.; Bona, /., Magyarországi művészet a honfoglalásig. Művészettörténet 19. (Bp. 1959) 53.; Bóna, I., A középső bronzkor Magyarországon és a Közép-Duna-medencében. (Manuscript 1958); Makkay, /., Arch. Ért. 86(1959) 12.3—138.; Ka/ic%, N., Die Frühbronzezeit in Nordostungarn. АН 45. (Bp. 1968) 98-99., 159-160., 171-172., 176.; Kemencééi, T., A Miskolci Herman Ottó Múzeum Közleményei 9(1971) 36-49.; Kovács, T., Arch. Ért. 99(1972) 47-51. 2 Tibor Kemenczei has kindly permitted me to disclose that in the course of excavations of Tell settlement at Ároktő-Dongóhalom in 1966 an askos and fragments-of perhaps anotherhave emerged from the settlement layers of the Hatvan culture. 3 Kovács, T., Arch. Ért. 94(1967) 220. 4 Ilona Stanczik has kindly permitted to repeat. 5 Gábor Bándi has kindly permitted to convey. 6 Kovács, T., RF I:2o. (Bp. 1967) 19.