Agria 39. (Az Egri Múzeum Évkönyve - Annales Musei Agriensis, 2003)

Domboróczki László: Radiokarbon adatok Heves megye újkőkori régészeti lelőhelyeiről

ever increasingly degree of certainty, therefore, that we can exclude the possibility that the indigenous local population (after the one thousand year gap suggested by many) suddenly, and without any transitional phase, adopted a Neolithic form of existence almost overnight.

120 In Heves County over the last decade, during the course of several large scale excavations, it has been possible to record the settlement structure of a number of ALP settlements.

121 The settlements can be found on the banks of smaller rivers and streams, the sites themselves being found on larger and smaller eminences. The settlement objects, namely the pits and the houses, stood next to each other at regular intervals. Their main axis was without exception NW-SE. These (for the most part on a NE-SW axis) were arranged in settlement rows. One individual settlement could be made up of one, two or more settlement rows. The way in which the rows are arranged show some regularity, the individual rows being about 100 metres from one another. The way the graves which have been found are arranged also adhere to a strict system. The graves tend to be found on the corners of the houses, the bodies being laid in their shallow graves in a NW-SE direction (or at right angles to this). As we have seen there is reason to believe that the largest settlements came into being over a long period (in some cases several hundred years). It is indeed worth considering the degree to which the adherence torules played an important role in the lives and traditions of people living at the time. It is interesting that the rows' NE-SW orientation often fails to take the line of the river bank into consideration. Such regularities are particularly obvious in the early and classical ALP period in the life of the Szatmár Group, later it seems to fall away,

122 although this settlement form can also be seen in the early Tisza period.

123 We know that Körös Culture settlements are arranged on a rowed format.

124 The pits and houses are lined up along the higher river banks (in most cases along larger rivers and related flood plains). The lenght of the settlements sometimes reaching several hundred metres. The formal similarity of the ALP and Körös sites is noticeable. It is interesting that while Körös settlements, built as they were on long, elevated river animals. As for the relationship between a technologically underdeveloped indigenous population and developed arrivals L. Verhart has suggested the relationship worked on two levels. The first phase was short and characterised by wonder and confusion, the second a period of normalisation in relations between the two groups, when some kind of an ordered system was established between them (VERHART, Leo B.M. 2001. 18.). The author used interesting historical and ethographical analogies when putting forward his arguments, which he tests in the context of his chosen theme, the Mezolithic-Neolithic transition in Holland. It is an approach which could be used in Hungary as well. 120 That the indigenous population lived through this drastic change undisturbed in their economic, social and cultural sphere (consciously and in terms of their concept of the world) whilst experiencing a leap forward in the technical sphere, outdoing the Körös Culture in the process is, we believe, a possibility which exists only in theory. 121 Füzesabony-Gubakút, Mezőszemere-Kismari-fenék, Füzesabony-Szikszói-Berek: DOMBORÓCZKI László 1997c. 84., 90., 92., Ludas-Varjú-dűlő: DOMBORÓCZKI László 2003. map 6. (site map). 122 Kompolt-Kígyósér: 1997c. 77., 83. 123 Polgár 6: RACZKYPál ETAL. 1997. 36. ill. 23., Öcsöd-Kováshalom: RACZKYPál 1987. 66. 124 MAKKAY János 1982b. 159., SHERRAT, Andrew 1983a. 23. Pitvaros: HORVÁTH Ferenc 1994. 13-14. 35