A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve, 1982/83-1. (Szeged, 1985)

Régészet - Hegedűs Katalin: The Settlement of the Neolithic Szakálhát-Group at Csanytelek–Újhalastó

It should also be mentioned here that there is also indirect evidence corroborating the possible southern origins, namely the longhouses of phase В of the Tripolye culture

40 which are extremely similar to the timber constructions of the Linear Pottery Culture. The characteristic features of the houses unvovered at Kolomiiscina and Vladimirovka were already compared to the longhouses of the Linear Pottery Culture by A. Stieren in his study quoted in the foregoing.

41 He concluded that this characteristic house form was adopted from a common southern ancestor by both the Linear Pottery and the Tripolye culture. To conclude, we must also briefly discuss an apparent contradiction, namely that as a result of research carried out in the past few decades there is accumulating evidence confirming the Alföld Linear Pottery origins of the Szakáihát group, granting at the same time that as a result of the large distribution territory of this group, formative influences from the Transdanubian Linear Pottery Culture lying to the west and from the Vinca culture bordering it to the south also made a strong impact on the material culture of the Szakáihát group. Until now the strong typological ties with the Alföld Linear Pottery culture were also corroborated by the similarities in the building techniques and the structure of the settlements, namely that the excavated houses of the Szakáihát group bore stronger resemblances to the Alföld Linear Pottery forerunners than to the timber structures of the Linear Pottery complex. We should nevertheless bear in mind that the excavations conducted on settlements of the Szakáihát group mentioned in the above were very limited in scope and are thus unsuitable for drawing conclusions concerning the structure of these settlements. It should also be pointed out that smaller structures built with a different technique have also been observed among the timber framed longhouses at the completely or nearly completely uncovered Linear Pottery Culture settlements of Central and Western Europe. This apparent contradiction can also be resolved in another way. The material culture of the Szakáihát group was distinguished from the preceding and succeeding cultural complexes at a relatively late date. The first steps towards the differentiation of possible territorial groups and the establishment of an inner chronology have only just been taken; these have invariably posed a number of disconcerting problems. Regarding the finds from the 56 refuse pits excavated in the vicinity of the Csanytelek houses, their discussion and evaluation would exceed the scope of this study. Burials In spite of the fact that numerous settlements of the Linear Pottery culture have so far been either completely or near-completely excavated, there are relatively few graves or cemetery parts which can be associated with these settlements. This statement is also true of Hungary. The monograph by N. Kalicz and J. Makkay lists 13 graves form seven sites (11 at Dévaványa—Sártó, 2 at Tarnazsadány— Sándorrésze).

43 The deceased were deposited within the grave in a — sometimes extremely strongly — contracted position and were laid on their right or left side. 40 Hancar, F., Blick nach Osten 2 (1949) 25, Figs. 4—6. See also Passek, T. S., Periodisation of the Tripolye settlements (in Russian), MIA 1 0 (1949). "Stieren, A., BRGK 33 (1943—50) 84—86, Fig. 11. Kalicz, N.—Makkay, J., op. cit. 83. 43 Ibid., 86. 21