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

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

Móra Ferenc Múzeum Evkönyve 1982—83/1 THE SETTLEMENT OF THE NEOLITHIC SZAKÁLHÁT-GROUP AT CSANYTELEK-ŰJHALASTÓ HEGEDŰS KATALIN (Szentes, Kosz ta József Múzeum) Introduction, discoveiy and description of the site On October 15, 1979 it was reported that SE of Csanytelek human skeletons, pottery fragments and animal bones were found on a peninsula-like extension of the levee alongside the former Dongér stream which ran into the Tisza (Fig. 1). The brief surface survey following this report confirmed that two important sites, a Szakáihát settlement and a biritual Scythian cemetery were endangered by the earthworks necessary for the establishment of a new fishpond of the "Tisza" Halászati Tsz. (Tisza fishing co-operative, Szeged, F. Deák str. 24—26). The first rescue excavation was conducted between October 22—December 7, 1979. A total of 600 m

2 were uncovered of the Neolithic settlement under the direction of the author, and 2650 m

2 yielding 56 graves of the Scythian cemetery were excavated by Márta Galántha. The excavation of the Scythian cemetery was resumed in 1980. A further 2500 m

2 were explored during the second campaign. Apart from 76 Scythian graves and 1 Sarmatian burial, three characteristic Linear Band Pottery longhouses with massive timber framing were also unearthed. Settlement features House 1. Prior to the beginning of the excavations, scrapers had already removed a с 25—30 cm thick humus layer from the surface of the peninsula-like extension of the levee extending into the floodplain of the Dongér stream. A highly calcareous yellow clay subsoil was visible under the humus against which the contours of various settlement features, the groundplan of houses, the contours of pits dug into the virgin soil and graves were clearly visible after clearing the surface (Fig. 3). The groudplan of the house is marked by the darkly shaded, roughly rectangular area in Fig. 3. The foundation trench of the house, the dimensions of which were 19.4X9.2 m was dug into the yellow clay subsoil to a depth of 30—35 cm. The foundation trench was filled with hardbeaten greyish clay and fragments of burnt wattle and daub, pottery fragments and specks of charcoal. No definite culture layer could be observed either inside or outside the house. Only the humus layer yielded a few Szakálhát-type finds, ceramic fragments, a few quernstones and scanty zoological material. The entrance to the house probably lay in the short eastern side of the house where there was a gap in the wall. The doorposts were in fact two wooden beams dug vertically into the soil. Vertical posts embedded firmly into the foundation 7