A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 37-38. - 1995-1996 (Nyíregyháza, 1997)

Régészet - Ivan Popovich: Periodization and chronology of Kushtanovica type sites in the Transcarpathian region

Ivan Popovich Together with the bones, the back side and part of a bronze spring-coil from a poorly preserved fibula were found (Pl. XVII.7) as well as an iron object, possibly a spear-head (Pi. XVII.8). Grave 10. Remains of a cremation of a possibly 1830 years old woman and a maximum 6 months old child were placed into an urn (Pi. XVIII.4). This woman may have died in childbirth. In the same place, we found 120 short cylindrical beads and a great number of amber pieces - the remains of a lost necklace (Pi. XVIII.7). Grave 11. The calcinated bones of a person (sex was not determined) older than 20 years, were placed in an urn (Pl. XVIII.6). An iron bracelet (Pl. XVIII.10), a biconical pot (Pi. XVIII.

3) and two bowls were found together with the bones (PI. XVIII.5,8). Grave 12. The calcinated bones of a 23-40 years old woman were placed in an urn. The lower part of a pot served as an urn (Pi. XVIII. 11). In the same place were found a miniature vessel (Pl. XVIII.9) and a strongly deformed amber bead. Grave 13. The calcinated bones of a 30-40 years old woman were placed into an urn. The lower part of a pot served as an urn (Pi. XVIII.

12). In the same place was placed a miniature dipper (Pi. XVIII.

13) and an iron needle. The burial rite of the barrow in question is characterized by cremation made outside the territory of the barrow. Remains of the cremation separately from the fire were collected in urns and moved to the place of the burial above which the barrow was erected. The barrow near Bobovoie village is a typical representative of collective burials characteristic for sites of Kushtanovica type in the Transcarpathian region. The majority of the burial features have good analogies in the sites of Kushtanovica type and hardly differ in anyway from the burial customs of the so-called ThracoIllyric circle. The most numerous group within the grave-goods assemblage consists of ceramic products. All the vessels are hand made. Even gray vessels from grave 1 (Pi. XVI.

2,5) were made of gray potters clay, but not on a wheel. The most usual form is a simple pot decorated with an applied band situated 3-4 cm under the edge of the rim and on the shoulders (Pi. XVI.

1,9,12, XVIII.4,6). Such pots appeared in the archaeological sites of the Transcarpathian region en masse in Kushtanovica time. The urns of this barrow differ from the earliest Kushtanovica pots in their necks, which are barely noticable, and slim, high bodies (Pi. XVIII.4) or on the contrary their stubby bodies (Pi. XVI. 1). Here it is suggested that urns of this type from the Bobovoie barrow were based on a local Kushtanovica model with slightly modified forms. They probably represent a new chronological phase of development in ceramic products of this type. On a whole, the urn in question can be compared to the ceramics of the first phase of Geto-Dacian finds, which within M.Crisan's classification dates to the 5th - 4th centuries B.C. (CRI§AN 1968.11-20.). However, the area of their dispersion is much greater with certain forms reaching as far as the territory of the Tarnobrzeg group of the Luzice Culture in Southwest Poland. An example of this is the urn (grave 1) where a direct analogy can be found in grave 9 in the cemetery of Trzeszówca (MOSKWA 1976.307,ris.69.)- Most probably, vessels of this type, 88 but with slim bell-shaped bodies appear in the Carpathian Basin as the consequence of indirect connections, the influence of Tarnobrzeg forms on those of Kushtanovica. Such a connection can be clearly seen, especially in the proportions of the simple pots when these are compared to the urn (grave 10) from Bobovoie and the one from grave 114 in the same Trzeszówca cemetery (MOSKWA 1976.307. ris.69.). There is however, a significant difference between them in the stylistic features of the decoration. The urn belongs to a similar type of vessel (grave 8). This is a slim simple pot with an evenly cut rim and small knobs (Pi. XVII.

4). It belongs to type 8 within our classification (POPOVICH 1993.270.ris.l35.8.) and has many analogies in the Carpathian-Danubian region. We must deal separately with the stubby pot-urn in the general assemblage (grave 9, Pi. XVII.

6). It has a rounded rim, a well profiled neck, a convex body and slightly profiled base. There is a stamped ornament on it and a small knob on the shoulders. The surface of the pot was rendered rude and rough on purpose, and was strongly fired. It is gray with deeper tones from secondary burning. I know of no such vessels among the Kushtanovica type finds. A direct analogy can be found in the Geto-Dacian ceramic inventory belonging to phase 1 (5th - 4th centuries B.C.) (CRI$AN 1968.11-21.PI. 18.). However, the technology of the surface brings us back to the Luzice features that were not known at that time in the Geto-Dacian world. Bowls are represented by some variants. There are bowls with bent inverted rims among them (Pi. XVI. 15), conical bowls (Pi. XVI.

3) and bowls with profiled rims (Pi. XVIII.

5). A bowl with an inverted rim, found in grave 4 (Pi. XIV.3), has knobs proportionally placed on four sides. It is made of gray potter's clay. The surface is black and polished on both inner and outer surfaces. The vessel has very clear contours, but became a little deformed during restoration. Both in technology and form it is reminiscent of Greek black plates - lekanis from the second half of the 5th century B.C. The piece in question could have been made following Greek patterns. In the urn in grave 11, the rim of bowl with a petal shaped edge was found together with the bones (Pi. XVIII.

5). This is a typical Hallstatt form used in Central European sites from the HC period (PAULÍK 1975.3637.). These bowls are rather commonly found in the Kushtanovica group, as we could see above. It is noteworthy, that bowls with profiled rims, but without petal shaped edges, appear in the East Hallstatt Culture of the Transdanubian region by the HC (VADÁSZ 1986.217-226.Abb.7;15.). However at that time, they had a small base ring. The bowl covering the urn (grave 8) has an analogous profile in its side wall (Pi. XVII.

5), but there is no base ring on it. Bowls with profiled rim appeared in the 4th century B.C. in Transylvania, where a characteristic Geto-Dacian material formed on the local Hallstatt basis. Their mass spread began however, only in the 3rd - 2nd centuries B.C. (BUZILÄ 1970.245.Fig.25.2.). The dippers have deep cups, well profiled necks and a high band-handle (Pi. XVI.13,14). The body of the dipper found in grave 4 has a pearl shaped ornament on it combined with vertical stamps (Pi. XVI. 13). We have to think that this ornament motif A Jósa András Múzeum Évkönyve 1997