Folia archeologica 30.
Viola T. Dobosi - István Vörös: Adatok a lovasi őskori festékbánya leletegyüttesének értékeléséhez
22 V. T. DOBOSI—[ . VÖRÖS 4. Chronology The layers of the Lovas paint mine yielded a bone material which can be divided, according to its use or purpose, to two distinctly different groups: 1. the mining implements (Alces, Cervus, Capra), and 2. the kitchen midden (Alces, Cervus, Sus, Equus, Grus). The reindeer, represented by a naturally cast antler, cannot be divided in either of these groups; it might have come to the area of the mine as result of gathering. It is conspicuous that the animals of prey are not represented in the species assemblage of Lovas. This does not diminish, though, the evaluability of the species assemblage, as the herbivorous big mammals are more sensitive to climatic changes than the big beasts of prey. The racial assemblage of 7 - where 5 races are represented with a single fragment each - is containing in 80 per cent elks, rather indifferent from the point of view of chronology, Wild boars, red deer, elks and presumably reindeer are forest dwellers. Elks indicate, besides, a swamp environment; for them the vicinity of the Balaton basin might have given an ideal living space. When judging the race assemblage we have to consider, naturally, - as we have here to do with working implements and kitchen refuse - that the changes within the percentage of the single species is due to a "special" hunting activity, and on the other hand, that the mining area is not excavated at all to a favourable measure. Among the racial assemblage, determined by hunting, we find no arctic or extremely continental elements, which would place the chronology of the site to the Tokod phase or to the subsequent interstadial. According to our present-day knowledge, the vertebrate remain assemblage of the filling of the Lovas paint mine is to be classified, on the ground of the dominance of elements, characteristic of leafy forest elements of the temperate zone, with a great probability to the Varbó phase of the Utrecht faunal stage.
