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

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

stone beads, 2 large prismatic limestone beads and 12 segmented shell beads (Fig. 13). (2) Spondylus pendant with two circular perforations in the region of the wrist (Fig. 14). If the funerary rites of the 13 Szakáihát graves known earlier are compared to the 16 graves excavated by the author at Csany telek, Csongrád—Bokros and Vésztő, the following results are obtained. During the period of the Szakáihát group burials were located within the settlement, usually grouped in the open area between various settlement features. It would thus appear that the deceased were buried in the temporarily unused or uninhabited parts of the settlement. Apart from these groups, single graves are sometimes found sandwiched between settlement features. This funerary custom or rite is surprisingly archaic and differs from the burial practices of the West European variants of the Linear Pottery complex which is characterised by the establishment of separate cemeteries alongside settlements.

47 Traces indicative of funeral structures are only known from two sites in Hungary: Szegvár—Tűzköves (grave 14)

48 and Vésztő (grave 36).

49 In both cases the deceased were deposited within a kist-like wooden structure. Regularly spaced post holes observed around graves 24 and 28 of the Sonderhausen cemetery were interpreted Fig. 9. Necklace from grave 3 47 Kahlke, D., Die Bestattungssitten des Donaulandischen Kulturkreises der jüngeren Steinzeit. Teil I. Linienbandkeramik. Berlin (1954) 116. 48 Csalog, J., A legújabb kökénydombi fonatlenyomat tanulságai (The implications of the newest mat impressions from Kökénydomb). MFMÉ (1964—65) 38, 40. 49 Hegedűs, К., A Vésztő mágoridombi újkőkori és rézkori temetkezések (The Neolithic and Copper Age burials of Vésztő Mágoridomb). PH. D. Thesis. Budapest (1977) 146. 26