Csengeri Piroska - Tóth Arnold (szerk.): A Herman Ottó Múzeum évkönyve 54. (Miskolc, 2015)

Régészet - Kósa Polett: Meggyasszó-Halom-oldal dűlő: New data int he Tumulus culture research from North-eastern Hungary

Megyaszó-Halom-oldal dűlő: New data in the Tumulus culture research...

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the Austrian areas to the Czech Basin (KOVÁCS 1966, 192). Several variants decorated with knobs are typical in southwest Slovakia (TOCIK 1964, 48).

There are more undecorated I.A.2. types in Halma), which have 2 handles, while in the cemetery of Detek and Zagyvapálfalva there are more of the I.A.3. type, besides some more decorated pieces (KEMENCZEI 1968, 180).34 35 Older burials were characterized by undecorated potteries, while the younger ones were defined by increasingly complex decorations. This way of development can demonstrate Kemenczei’s assumption that Tumulus culture transmitted the pottery forms to the Piliny culture, whom later further developed and decorated them (KEMENCZEI 1968,180). Megyaszó is more corresponding with the cemetery of Halmaj, as there are more I.A.3, than I.A.2. vessels. As no densely ornate piece was found, the simple, primary forms suggest an early connection between the Tumulus and Piliny culture. Large urns, bowls and mugs show similar changes. Undecorated forms with handles are more frequent in the Tumulus cemeteries. Pieces with incised, impressed, channeled decorations are more common in Piliny findings.

Furthermore, the amount and position of inclusions are also essential elements of ritual. It can be observed in Megyaszó-Halom-oldal dűlő that 7 out of the 10 graves contained a large vessel that held the ashes, on top of which a small mug was placed and the whole urn was covered with a bowl. This simplified order is typical to Tumulus cemeteries.35 Later this tripartite set lived on in the Piliny culture, and in the so called Bárca group as well (KEMENCZEI 1968, 176). In general, bronzes were also placed on top of the ashes, as the 2 bronzes from Megyaszó were also found among the ashes.36

Scattering the ashes is also diverse. Generally, a single individual was placed in the urn, but in Halmaj and Megyaszó there are some cases, when ashes were scattered into several vessels. By Megyaszó’s grave SI, the ashes of 2 children were scattered into 3 vessels and in grave Sll the individual’s remains were placed into 2 potteries (K. ZOFFMANN 2015, 1). In Halmaj there were a total of 5 cases where ashes were put in 2

34 Undecorated, I.A.2. types are from Halmaj: 11 pcs; Detek: 1 pc. Richly decorated, I.A.3. forms are from Halmaj-. 1 pc; Detek. 3 pcs.

35 The specific set of vessels can be detected in many Tumulus culture sites, like Salka I.: TOCIK 1964, 43-54; Egyek: KOVÁCS 1966, 190; Igrici-, Halmaj-, Detek: KEMENCZEI 1968, 176.

36 KEMENCZEI 1968,176: All bronzes from Halmaj and Detek were found among the ashes, except the fragmentary piece of a bronze dagger, which was beside the urn.

or more vessels (KEMENCZEI 1968,176), but without anthropological examination it is not clear whether the remains belonged to one or more individuals.

Due to the limited information, no conclusions can be drawn with certainty concerning the rite. In the cemetery of Megyaszó social differences are not clearly identifiable and inclusions were not sorted by gender differences. The above mentioned modest graves with a set of 3 vessels are the most common.

Childrens’ burials can be emphasised to some extent. The double burial of feature SI contained the most diverse inclusions. Among the 9 findings there are decorated vessels, bronze jewels and clay beads as well. Grave Sll has also more vessels and the decorated large mug is one of the most beautiful pieces compared to other mugs. SI 3 contains the regular urn, bowl, mug set, but the LB. type urn is one of the most attractive urns with its channeled decoration. It cannot be stated that children burials would be richer, but some special treatment can be observed. Children definitely got as many inclusions as adults, often even more (FAHLANDER-OESTIGAARD 2008,11).

It is difficult to find any differences between male and female burials, as there is no sufficient data for further interpretation. All graves were equipped with the typical urn, bowl and mug set, which sometimes differed by 1 or 2 objects.

Megyaszó-Halom-oldal dűlő could be dated mainly by the similar spectrum of finds from the nearby cemeteries. The shapes and decorations in the cemetery of Halmaj are more specific to the Tumulus culture, while the cemetery of Detek is strongly coloured by the elements of the Piliny culture (KEMENCZEI 1968,185). Since Megyaszó has a majority of undecorated vessels, it may be nearer in time to the cemetery of Halmaj, which has been dated to the beginning of phase Rei. Br. C. Detek has been dated to the second half of this period. The most typical ceramic forms are the upright-rimmed, conical-necked, large urns that spread intensely in the Rei. Br. C period in Northern Hungary according to T. Kovács (KOVÁCS 1966, 192—193). This time period was further divided by T. Kemenczei, who dates these large urns to the Rei. Br. Cl phase (KEMENCZEI 1968, 180). Therefore this urn type sets Megyaszó’s excavated part to the Rei. Br. C period. Bowl and mug forms also support the Tumulus character, while decorations are already showing an early connection to the Piliny culture. Bronze rings are less significant for dating, since their spatial and temporal extent is