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

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

blem : the lower half of the bowl was wider than he had first anticipated, thus the customary quadripartite pattern did not cover the entire surface and another S-spiral had to be added. Vessels with human face representation This vessel type which was obviously used for cult purposes is represented by neck and shoulder fragments from two a large storage jars, a cylindrical human face vessel which could finally be pieced together and numerous fragments which can be assigned to this category. Human face vessel 1 (PI. 111:1—2 and Fig. 17) This 27 cm high cylindrical cult vessel showing traces of bichrome painting was found in pit 4. The 97 cm deep, slightly beehive-shaped pit also yielded a fragmented jar with elbow-shaped handles and the heavily burnt, red coloured fragments of a bench. In their discussion of the human face vessel from Füzesabony N. Kalicz and J. Makkay suggested that the similar find circumstances can perhaps be interpreted as being indicative of cult practices.

101 An incised line runs parallel to the rim of the human face vessel; this can be regarded as a stylized depiction of straightly cut hair falling onto the forehead. Side-whiskers are indicated by a rectangular incision starting from the above line. The face is bordered by the characteristic 'M' sign. This sign does not yet appear on the human face vessels of the Alföld Linear Pottery,

102 but strangely enough it occurs in the later groups of the Transdanubian Linear Poltery.

103 The interpretation of the sign itself is still subject to debate. It has been suggested that this sign delineates the chin and the neck

104

; it has also been forwarded that it is a representation of a woman giving birth

105 and it has also been proposed that it should be interpreted as the façade of a sanctuary.

106 The surface of the vessel was divided into panels filled with incised meander hooks and a step pattern; the panels were separated by vertical and horizontal dividing bands. The background of the patterns was covered with pastose red paint. A good parallel to the human face vessel found at Csanytelek was published by Gy. Goldmann from Battonya

—Gödrösök.

107 Similar cylindrical vessels covered with meandric patterns were unearthed in the course of the excavations conducted at Szentes—

Ilonapart by J. Csalog. Since these latter were mostly fragmented theit attribution to this otherwise extremely rare anthropomorphic vessel type was nor 101 Kalicz, N.—

Makkay, J-, Gefässe mit Gesichtdarstellungen der Linienbandkeramik in Ungarn. Prähistorische Idolkunst. Munich (1973) 15. 102 Kalic? N.—Makkay, J., op. cit., Budapest (1977) 61—67, Fig. 3. 103 Human face vessels are known from several sites of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery, thus Keszthely, Kaposvár, Neszmély, Mande and Győr—Pápaivám. Mithay, S., Zselizi típusú leletek a Győr-, pápaivámi újabbkőkori lakótelepen (Zseliz-type finds from the neolithic settlement at Győr—Pápaivám). Arrabona 8 (1966) 50—52, PLI:18. 101 Goldman, Gy., Gesichtsgefässe und andere Menschendarstellungen aus Battonya. BMMK 5 (1978) 38. 105 Pavlu, I., Early Myths Relating to the Neolithic Society. AR 18 (1966) 714. ив Popovich, V., Une civilisation égeo-orientale sur le Moyen Danube. Ra 2 (1965) 44. 107 Goldman, Gy., op. cit., Pl. VII :2a—b. 39