Folia archeologica 36.

18 VIOLA 'Г. DOBOSI At the upper end of the object and in the lower part of it to the left of it is centre line there are traces of small concentrated blows. These scars indicate that the object might have served as a retoucher as well. Slightly over its horizontal bisector there is a small depression in the longitudinal axis. The fissure marking the longitudinal axis in the upper part of the object is, in our opinion, natural. The marked manufacture of margins can be seen very nicely along both edges of the reverse side of the objects (Fig. 7.). On the left hand section of its lower end, scratches caused by polishing made with sone coarse-grained material can be observed. There is some damage along the margins. If the scientific description of an object may admits to some subjectivity, it may be said that this object has a very pleasant feel, it is artistic, in short, it is a pleasant visual and tactile experience. The raw material is phillyte.

2

2 This is a rock of laminar structure which occurs in the Uppony and Szendrő Mts., and thus was transported a distance of at least 50—60 kms' to the site. This greyish black silvery and silky rock is unsuitable for making chipped stone tools. Later it became suitable for making polished implements. On the surface of the rock there are several glittering mineral particles and quartzite veins with uneven surfaces as well as quartzite lenses. They are visible to the naked eye as well.

2

3 This beautiful disc was probably not intended to have a practical function. At any rate there is nothing indicating this. Therefore and also because of its careful manufacturing we identified it as a churinga. Our remarks upon this find are the same as those in the discussion of the Tata mammoth-tooth lamina above. We may add, however, that here the ancestor pebble was already made from real stone. THE TISZA RIVER-BED, TÓSZEG-TELEK In 1959, an unique object was fished out of the Tisza river. This object is one of our unjustly disregarded finds since its dating to the Pleistocene age is more than probable. At approximately 100 ms from the river mark № 327 a drinking horn (Fig. 8.) was fished out from a down river-bed. Its dimensions: height: 97 mms, diameter of the oval mouth: between 78—63 mms, its lower diameter is 50—40 mms; the thickness of the wall is 10—11 mms. The object is registered in the collection of the Damjanich Museum at Szolnok. I should like to express my thanks for being permitted to publish it here. It is evident that this small vessel was not made from the end of the tusk of a young animal, since it is a naturally laminated fragment. Its rim had been carefully shaped and carved. When the stratigraphical sequence at the river mark of № 327. was investigated, a fossil soil layer was found buried within the sandy loess. This soil has a high iron content which relates it to one of the interstadials of the Upper Würm. The analysis of sediment hardened to the surface of drinking -horn renders it probable that it might have come from this clay with a high iron content. The find was published by L. Vértes together with that small vessel which was found in the sand of 2

2 I should like to express my thanks for M. Kretzoi's identifications. 2

3 Papp, F., Kertész, P-, Geológia. (Budapest 1966) 128—129.