Paluch Tibor: Egy középső neolitikus lelőhely a kultúrák határvidékén. A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve: Monographia Archeologica 2. (Szeged, 2011)

Maroslele-Pana: A Middle Neolithic Site at the Frontier of Cultures

76 P

ALUCH Tibor • MAROSLELE-PANA: EG Y KÖZÉPSŐ NEOLITIKUS LELŐHEL Y A KULTÚRÁK HA TÁR VIDÉKÉN 76 morphic figurines and the views are equivocal. Most interpretations reckon them to be objects used in religion, magic, and other social rites. Thus, they represent priests, priestesses, gods and goddesses, and have a ritual function. Some archaeologists have discarded such interpretations as philosophically and archaeologically unsupported (BAILEY 1994, 321). Regarding the survival of Körös features, these types of objects are missing from the ALP, which speaks against the direct impact of Körös phenomena. The object found at Maroslele can certainly be classified as a cultic vessel. Unlike the anthropomorphic vessels of the Körös culture and the linear pottery culture, however, this object represents a transitional phase to the Late Neolithic, when vessels in the shape of a sitting woman predominated in everyday rituals. Altars: Altars and oil lamps have two distinct types. The first type was prevalent in the Early Neolithic; it has four legs and a rectangular shape. These are best interpreted as lamps and are known from the Körös culture. The other type consists of three-legged, triangle-shaped altars with animal heads on the three corners; these are presumably of southern origin. These triangle-shaped altars are sometimes decorated with incisions and red paint. Unique objects: A number of unique, specific objects were found among the small sculptures. One of these is a flat, L-shaped clay "amulet" with rounded corners, decorated with incisions on both sides (Fig. 63. 6). Although this object is not without parallels in the Middle Neolithic of the Carpathian Basin, it is certainly a rare find. Similar clay shapes have been reported from the archaeological sites of Tiszaszölös-Aszópart (KOVÁCS 2007, Fig. 14. 3), Tiszavalk-Négyes (NAGY 1998, 22. t. 2), and Mezőkövesd-Mocsolyás (KALICZ-KOÓS 2000. Fig. 9). The unique decoration of the object discovered at Pana might have had a special meaning. Both sides of the small plate are ornamented with incisions but the patterns are different. One side is embellished by a broken geometric line, while the other side is ornamented with wavy lines. Relative chronology A number of factors must be taken into consideration when establishing the chronology of the finds. In the coarse ware material. Schlickwurf with Finger impressions is prevalent. Sprinkled barbotine with channeled finger-impressed decoration is typical for late Körös-Starcevo and the early TLP (Transdanubian Linear Pottery )-ALP-Vinca A-Dude?ti I-Protokakanj (Kakanj)-period coarse ware. The appearance of this decoration type signifies the transition between the Middle and the Late Neolithic in the northern and central Balkans and the southern part of the Carpathian Basin (NIKOLOV 1974, Fig. 5, 12; NIKOLOV 1984, 16; RACZKY 1983, 191). Within the Starcevo cultural complex this type appeared in the Linear B period and became widespread in the later, Spiraloid B, phase (DIMITRIJEVIC 1974, 70; PAVÚK 1996, 170; KALICZ-MOLNÁR-RÓZSÁS 2007, 50). The closest parallels of such vessel surfaces shaped with vertical finger impressions are found in the Vinca A-period assemblages excavated at Ószentiván VIII (B

ANNER-PÁRDUCZ 1948) and Tiszasziget-Agyagbánya (TROGMAYER 1983, 57). Among the painted fragments a striped piece is of special interest. The pattern (alternating wide brown stripes on a dull beige background and white stripes) provides a guideline for the chronology. Existing parallels show that this type of striped painting style was present only in the latest, so-called Starcevo IVB or Spiraloid B, phase of the Körös-Starcevo cultural complex. The polychrome painted decoration on the vessels of the late Starcevo-Anza-Circea-Gradesnitza-Karanovo II period appears simultaneously in the southern part of the Balkans and precedes the Vinca A-Dude§ti-Karanovo III period (RACZKY 1983, 190; RACZKY 1988, 22). Analogies of vessels ornamented with short incisions that cover the whole surface are found in the Starcevo IV-Vinca A-late Körös-Proto-Vinca-Karanovo III-ALP 1 complex (RACZKY 1983, 181; HORVÁTH 1994, 98-99). Such decorations are present only in the earliest phase of the Szakáihát culture (SZÉNÁSZKY 1988, Fig. 7. 10). In the Banat area, this decoration is considered a Vinca A element (LAZAROVICI 1979, 110, 10/d. 14). In the northern part of the Great Hungarian Plain such finds have been discovered at ALP 1 sites. In several cases deep channel-like finger impressions were noted on pottery fragments; analogies for this kind of decoration are known from the site of Bicske-Galagonyás and from pit 3 of Maroslele-Pana (MAKKAY 1978, PI. XVIII. 1-2; TROGMAYER 1964, Fig. 7. 2, 5, 11). Its chronological significance is undeniable as these fragments constitute the earliest assemblage of Vinca-type finds (HORVÁTH 1994. 104). Incised ornamentation is crucial in terms of chronology. The upturned V-shaped incision marks the earliest, developmental, phase of ALP. From the earliest stage of classic ALP, incised wavy lines under vessel rims and the arrowhead pattern are certainly present, but a more precise dating of these ornaments is not feasible. Rectangular or rhombus-shaped meander-like patterns are also dated to the early classic ALP. Some fragments of the fine ware display Vinca characteristics. The core is usually the same color as the surface; some cores, however, are burnt black or burnt in double layers (grey and black, brown and black, red and black). Bicolored cores are prevalent in the Middle Neolithic of the Tiszahát area; separate grey-black, red-black layers as well as red cores are typical for the late Starcevo, and also in the early Vinca-period ceramics of Slavonia and the Banat region (HORVÁTH 1994, 97; BÁNFFY-OROSS 2010, 257). Bowls are present in the assemblage in a large number of variations; all of them have carinated biconical bodies. Analogies for biconical bowls with a sharply angled profile are found at the archaeological sites of ószentiván VIII (B

ANNER-PÁRDUCZ 1948, VIII. t. 8, 10), Tiszasziget-Agyagbánya (TROGMAYER 1983, 57), Majdan (KATUN

AR 1998, 81), Szarvas 23 (MAKKAY 2007, Fig. 21-30), in feature 36 at Bina, and in pit 1 at Bicske-Galagonyás (MAKKAY 1978, Pi. III. 1-4). In most cases, two to four knobs are placed on the carination. Top-quality biconical vessels with a slight polish are unique finds; their shoulders are embellished with refined, oblique, plait-like channeled decoration. In a Hungarian context, a similar piece is known from the Vinca A site of Ószentiván VIII (BANNER-PÁRDUCZ 1948, X. t. 2^1). In the Banat region, however, these are dated to the Vinca A3 period (COM$A 1969, Fig. 18; LAZAROVICI 1979. Pl. XV; LESSON 2007, 13. kép). Four of the biconical bowls are of special interest; their upper part is burnt black while the lower part is red. This so-called black-topped technique is typical for the earliest Vinca period. Most scholars agree that this technique appeared throughout the Balkans at approximately the same time, even though they have different period names (Vinca Al, Spiraloid B, Szatmár II, proto-Vinca) (LAZAROVICI 1977, 203; SCHIER 1996; RACZKY 1983; MAKKAY 1987). The only difference in interpretation concerns the connection to cultural complexes, as some scholars consider this technique a Vinca element, while others view it as a heritage of the Starcevo culture. Analogies for the unique cultic objects and the altars are known from Vinca territories. The so-called violin-shaped idols (Fig. 64.1) appear in an early Vinca context and they are traditionally connected to the Vinca culture in the Banat region as well (SREJOVIC-STOJANOVIC 1984, Kat. 226; VASIC 1936, SI. 176, SI. 326; VINCa 2008, Fig. 215). Only the triangle-shaped