Kisné Cseh Julianna – Somorjai József szerk.: Komárom – Esztergom Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 5. (Tata, 1997)

Antoni Judit: Ethnoarchaeological Experiments I (Manufacturing and Use of Stone Artifacts form the Neolithic)

Ethnoarchaeological Experiments I Manufacturing and Use of Stone Artifacts from the Neolithic Judit Antoni This article - which comprises a chapter in the author's dissertation - is the first publication concerning research into the techniques used by Neolithic craftspeople in producing ground stone artifacts. The experiments were carried out between 1985 and 1988 at the CsabdiTélizöldes (Fehér county), a Lengyel culture site of the late Neolithic where the author has undertaken excavation work since 1978. These aim of these series of experiments was to shed light on the manufacturing techniques used by people of the Lengyel culture as well as improve understanding of manufacture techniques for stone, bone, and antler artifacts and their uses. In addition to these - as a long term goal - it was decided to produce a series of artifacts which would be suitable for microwear analyses. The experiments presented in the article represent only one stage in the ethnoarchaeological methods adopted here and are presented using the polished stone tools from the main sites of the Lengyel culture (Aszód, CsabdiTélizöldes, Lengyel and Zengővárkony) as models. In order to produce the desired stone artifacts, the author and her group of workers gathered raw material from five sites and selected only such stone materials which were used by Lengyel culture craftspeople. It was ascertained during the experiments that it does not take very long to manufacture ground stone artifacts and that one needs nothing more than a certain manual skill. A knowledge of the type of stone being used (especially its workability) was essential when manufacturing stone blades. The shaping of the blade 'types' can be decisive in terms of handling (weight, size, shape, the curve of the blade, the quality of the material, etc.). To date, experiments in drilling techniques have not lead to the desired results. Holes made with the help of the hollow elder wand and sand corresponded to hafting holes in prehistoric blades. However, the drill cores thus obtained in the experiments were much smaller than those from Lengyel find assemblages. Other authors have suggested that holes were produced using bone or antler drill bits but no attempt was made to use them in the experiments because such drill types have never been found in Hungarian or foreign Lengyel materials. Only experience will help researchers decide if these experimental materials can be utilized. Consequently, it will be absolutely necessary to put these pieces to the test and to observe them being used. Of particular importance to the study of microwear will then be the use wear traces found afterwards on these artifacts. 69