Janus Pannonius Múzeum Évkönyve 26 (1981) (Pécs, 1982)

Régészet - Ecsedy István: A kelet-magyarországi rézkor fejlődésének fontosabb tényezői

A KELET-MAGYARORSZÄGI RÉZKOR 91 polgár and the Bodrogkeresztur periods prove clearly that the first nomadic groups has not altered significantly the ethnic structure in the Hungarian Plain. We cannot agree with Marija Gimbutas' thesis that the Early Copper Age population was „kurganized" in this period.

26-27 The „kurganization" cannot be demonstrated by archaeologic information from the area. Gimbutas leaves the bulk of evidence pointing to the role of the local traditions unconsidered and reviews the data anly to illustrate her theory about the overall distribution of the „Indo-European Kurgan Culture" which - in her opinion - „kurganized" the most part of Europe at the -expense of the „Old European Culture". Many insignificant and/or irrelevant features has been brought up •* and misinterpreted - in order to demonstrate the direct impact of the supposed steppic intruders. The theoretical backgroun for the deductions leading to the neglect of the whole corpus of the archaeological evidence and to the overemphasis of certain aspects of the Copper Age Cultures in Hungary in a cluster of misinterpretations is provided by the basic idea that the large-scale invasions of the „Kurgan Culture" were responsible for the dispersal of the Indo-European languages.

28-30 It seems obvious that the shift in the way of life beginning with the emergence of the Tiszapolgár Culture cannot be interpreted as a result of the „Kurgan influence". The contraposition of the „Old European" and „Kurgan" models does not seem justifiable from this respect if one takes into consideration the exceedingly rich burials of the Varna cemetery belonging to the „Old European" Gumelnita Culture. The most important elements of the TiszapolgárBodrogkeresztur ritual can be traced back in the cemeteries of the local Late Neolithic particularly in those of the Lengyel Culture. The archaeological evidence does not indicate that the beginning of the Copper Age development was influenced to any marked extent by the arrival of the Srednii Stog II groups specially as the earliest infiltracions cannot be dated before the latest phase of the Tiszapolgár Culture. It was not the Srednii Stog II infiltration but rather the integration of the Salcu^a, Erősd, Tiszapolgár Cultures - possibly indirectly induced by the steppic groups - which resulted in the Bodrogkeresztur Culture. The population of the Bodrogkeresztur Culture may have assimilated the small etnich groups of steppic origin without being „kurganized" by them. The Bodrogkeresztur cemeteries do not contain the characteristic elements of the Srednii Stog II — Early Pit Grave (Yamna) burials. On the other hand, the progress of the integration is clearly indicated by the Late-Bodrogkeresztur and the following Hunyadi-halom (Herculane III Pecina - Vaj ska - Laznany) material. In this period we cannot find anything to prove the influence of the Pit Grave Culture.

31-36 The relative stability of the Middle Copper Age in the Carpathian Basin can be regarded as one of the consequences of the Cernavoda I - Usatovo stabilization at the Lower Danube and in the Ponticarea. These two cultures must have been able to resist to the groups of the Pit Grave Culture - at least for a short time-or these cultures holding „the buffer - zone" had peaceful relations wich their steppic neighbours.

37-38 There is not a case, in our opinion, for agreeing with Marija Gimbutas' assumption as far as the historical implications of the earliest steppic infiltrations are concerned. This thesis suggesting an impact of significant measure in Middle Europe in the Tiszapolgár - Late Lengyel and Bodrogkeresztur Early Lasinja periods cannot be proved by the archaeological evidence. The appearance of the groups from the western part of the pontic steppe demonstrated by the graves from Suvorovo, Casimcea, Marosdécse and Csongrád can be dated to the latest phase of the Cucuteni A - Gumelnita III a - Salcufa I - Tiszapolgár cultures or little later. This infiltration or rather series of infiltrations cannot be documented on the areas west of the Tisza river. It seems to be a significant phenomenon that some pastoral groups penetrated into the areas west of the Black Sea suitable for their way of life as early as in the formative phase of the characteristically steppic, horse breeding economy.

39 The development of the territories in question has been altered or modified by the various steppic tribes several times after the first infiltrations. On the other hand, it is obvious that these territories, i. e. the area east from the Tisza river do not belong to the steppe culturally or geographically. The basis of the cultural tradition has never been common with the steppe - cultures and it is due to this fact that the material culture of the groups from the steppe has never remained unchanged here although the single groups could preserve their ethnic entity and independence. It is a usual phenomenon that the appearance of the steppe-folk is followed by a shift in the material culture on the newly occupied area. It is the alteration of the political-cosial relations which provides the possibility of the changes since the new ethnic groups open new connections of their own after disarranging the structure and organization of the autochtonous population. If this be the case, the distinguishing features of the material culture, especially those of the archaeologically most important pottery neither from the traditions of the immigrants nor from those of the local populations are to be deduced directly. Nevertheless it would be a mistake to suggest a third ethnic com-