Tálas László szerk.: The late neolithic of the Tisza region (1987)

The Late Neolithic of the Tisza region: A survey of recent archaeological research (N. Kalicz and P. Raczky)

A SURVEY OF RECENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH caused grave misunderstandings and difficulties in the interpretation of the Csőszhalom group, and the Tiszapolgár and Bodrogkeresztur cultures. Several studies have been devoted to the interconnections between the Tisza, Herpály and Csőszhalom cultures, and the Lengyel and Vinca cultures (BOGNÁR-KUTZIÁN 1966, 264-270, 276-278; KALICZ 1969, 192-195; 1970a, 13-23; 1971, 154-156). The first comprehensive monograph on the Tisza culture, occupying a central place in the Late Neolithic of the Tisza region, was only published in 1972 (KOREK 1972). Beside a thorough analysis of settlement patterns and subsistence, the definition of the Tisza culture was nonetheless based on the analysis of its vessel forms and ornamentation. The definition of the Herpály and Csőszhalom complexes too was based on ceramic styles. However, only the large-scale excavations begun after the 1970s provided a suitable basis for wider perspectives on the cultural definition of 'recurrent assemblages'. A brief survey of previous investigations on representative sites of the Late Neolithic shall now be given, beginning with F. Mora's excavations at Csóka between 1907 and 1913, and at Tápé-Lebő between 1928-1930 (BANNER 1960, 1-56; MÓRA 1930, 159-162). The latter site was later again investigated by M. Párducz, O. Trogmayer and J. Korek (TROGMAYER 1957, 19-60; TROGMAYER 1969, 475; KOREK 1958, 132-153). Other important Tisza sites in this region include Hódmezővásárhely-Kökénydomb, excavated by Banner between 1928 and 1944 in five campaigns (BANNER 1930, 49-106; BANNER 1951, 27-36; BANNER-FOLTINY 1945, 8-34; BANNER-KOREK 1949, 9-25) that provided a truly scientific basis for the complex investigation of the Tisza culture. The tell-like settlement at Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa was first surveyed by E. Zalotay in 1950, and later by Gy. Gazdapusztai from 1955 to 1963 (GAZDAPUSZTAI 1963, 36-48; 1969, 125-139). Systematic excavations on this site exposing a larger area, however, only began in 1978 (HORVÁTH 1982, 201-222; 1985, 89-102). The excavations at Szegvár-Tűzköves were begun by J. Csalog in 1955 and lasted until 1964 (CSALOG 1957, 207-211; 1959, 7-38; 1958, 95-114; 1960, 57-68). Work on this site was resumed in 1970 and later, in 1978 (KOREK 1971, 15; HEGEDŰS 1979, 26-27). A team under the leadership of P. Raczky investigated a great part of a smaller settlement of the Tisza culture at Öcsöd-Kováshalom (RACZKY et al. 1985, 251-278; RACZKY 1985,103-125). The layer sequence of the settlement mound at Szeghalom-Kovácshalom was clarified in 1969, following preliminary trial investigations (BAKAY 1971,144) One of the most impressive sites of the Tisza culture was surveyed by K. Hegedűs between 1972 and 1976 (HEGEDŰS 1982, 184-185; 1976, 335). Two important sites representing the formative and early phase of the Tisza culture were excavated in the environs of Battonya by J. G. Szénászky and Gy. Goldman (Parázs tanya and Gödrösök) (SZÉNÁSZKY 1977, 216-220; GOLDMAN 1984). Only one site from the northern part of the Tisza distribution territory has been invesBowl fragment (altar?) with cylindrical legs showing a painted male representation in its interior. Szentes-Honapart. Late Szakáihát group. H: 20 cm [1] tigated thoroughly: the settlement at Kisköre-Gát excavated between 1963 and 1966 (KOREK 1972, 32-87). Unfortunately, most of the Late Neolithic sites of the Tisza culture and Csőszhalom group dotted along the northern periphery of the Great Hungarian Plain have only been probed with small trial trenches. These sites include Szerencs-Taktaföldvár (KOREK 1972, 88-102), Bodrogkeresztúr-Kutyasor, excavated in 1926 (TOMPA 1927, 31-49, 269-277; 1929, 15) and 1956 (PATAY 1957, 25-37), Kenézlő (TOMPA 1929, 57; 1934-35, 40; Kiss 1939, 7-12), as well as Bodrogzsadány-Akasztószer, Bodrogzsadány-Templomdomb (BOGNÁR-KUTZIÁN 1963, 415, 435; 1966, 267-268, 283) and Paszab-Öved (TOMPA 1929, 41). The northern boundary of the Late Neolithic in the Great Hungarian Plain is outlined by the sites at Cicarovce/Csicser (VÍZDAL 1980, passim), Oborin (VÍZDAL 1970, 217-234; SISKA 1968, 154-164), Zemplín/Zemplén (NOVOTNY 1958, 24; PAVUK-SISKA 1981, 50-52; LICHARDUS 1970, 258) and Mukacevo/Munkács (JANKOVICH 1931, 16). The eponymous site of the Csőszhalom group and the Bodrogzsadány site, mentioned in the above, can be considered as links to the Herpály distribution territory. Beside the eponymous Herpály site, the sites at Berettyószentmárton, Zsáka and 13