Janus Pannonius Múzeum Évkönyve 27 (1982) (Pécs, 1983)

Régészet - Ecsedy István: Ásatások Zók-Várhegyen (1977–1982)

ÁSATÁSOK ZÖK-VÁRHEGYEN (1977-1982) 91 ver had to have opennings in it for the casting hole and for the outlet of the gases which were created. Following this, the preheating of the mould could be carried out in the melting furnace itself without fear of the parts of the mould might coming out of place. We wonder whether there was a direct connection between the above-mentioned, hypothetical method and the use of multipurpose block moulds. We are referring to those moulds where, on the lateral face of one valve, the negative of a narrow chisel is to be found. It is unlikely that the two negatives on the same mould were used in the same process, especially not if the casting of both objects needed a two-piece, closed mould. Concerning the origin of the multipurpose mould it is likely that on the lateral face of the axe - mould with the casting-hole they formed a simple open mould (for chisel or ingot) so that they could immediately use up the metal left behind after the casting of the axe.

44 The set of moulds found at Zók and the observable technological details represent the earliest metallurgy of the Early Bronze Age. This metallurgy is not less characteristic than the one of the Gumelnita-Cucuteni-Tripolje-Tiszapolgár cultural zone. As regards the cultural relations of this characteristic metalwork which spred over a large territory in a relatively short period of time, that is, concerning the survey of the Early Bronze Age cultures phase by phase, this paralel can hardly be applied. On the basis of the sites belonging to the Vucedol-Zók Culture a set of tools and weapons can be reconstructed which show only a small scale of the types. Among the finds belonging to this culture without doubt there are hardly any types or their varieties which can be said to characterize the Vucedol-Zók Culture only. The assemblages from the Early Bronze Age contain basically the same tools from Petralona - or rather from Poliochni - to Dunakömlőd - or rather to Stublo": shaft-hole axes, flat axes, chisels.

45 Weapons are represented by the shaft-hole axes and the daggers. Apart from the most primitive, therefore perhaps the most homogenous casting technology represented by the Bányabukk type, evidence of the use of both partly open (Chernych, 2. type)

46 and closed (Chernych, 3. type)

47 moulds can be found in the Vucedol-Zók Culture. It is obvious, too, that there was a development towards the prevalence of the already completely closed moulds (Chernych, 4. type) in the Middle Bronze Age.

48 Judging from the finds uncovered at Zók we presume that the metallurgy of Fajsz and Dunakömlőd can be directly connected with the Vucedol-Zók Culture and the metallurgy of those cultures following the Late Vucedol-Zók period (Somogyvár-Vinkovci and Makó-Kosihy-Caka) are directly of Vucedol-Zók origin along with

49 some long-known, characteristic elements of their pottery.

50 The Circumpontic Metallurgical Zone reached its largest extent subsequently to this period through the mediation of the Vucedol-Zók Culture and continued its development on the basis of the local cultures which became stabilized by the Middle Bronze Age.

51 The period which is characterized by the appearance and spreading of axes of the Bányabükk, Fajsz, Dumbraviora, Kozarac, Stublo type can be identified with the Late Copper Age, with the Aeneolithic, it can be called a transitional period, too. Nevertheless, this metallurgy represents a peculiar, distinctive feature of the earliest, often „in statu nascendi" Bronze Age.

52 One of the essential features of this period is that the spread of this metallurgy can be connected everywhere with the appearance of new cultures and so cultural diffusion in a south-east - north-west direction can be clearly detected. It seems unecessary to emphasize that neither the types nor the technology came to the Balkans and the Carpathian Basin through the mediation of infiltrations from the steppe or the „Kurgan Culture".

53 The presumption of a local, independent metallurgical development can also be excluded, since the Ezero I, Cotofeni and Baden Cultures can be characterized by the complete lack of metallurgy (tools and weapons). The finds which can be dated back to the Boleráz period show only sporadic survival of the earlier Pfyn, Mondsee, LasinjaBalaton metallurgy.

54 The starting points can be well defined in the North Balkans: the first remains of Bronze Age metallurgy appear on the settlements of the Mihalic (Ezero II.) and Vucedol cultures, and, later, north of them, on those of the Somogyvár-Vinkovci, Makó-Kosihy-Caka, Glina III.-Schneckenberg B.-Jigodin, all more or less belonging to the same period.

55 The often mentioned contacts between Ezero and Thermi and those between Poliochni and Troy, in terms of similarities in vessel-forms and decoration, are bound to lead us to obvious connections in metallurgy, but probably there is no chronological synchrony either this or any of the numerous other connected features of material culture. We tend to suppose that the beginning öf the Mihalic -Vucedol metallurgy was chronologically paralel to the Early Helladic III. period, not preceeding it.

56 To decide this question the examination of the earliest layers of the Macedonian settlements from the Early Bronze Age and the cultural definition of the metallurgical finds uncovered there and belonging to the circle in question, can be of real importance.