Zalai Múzeum 15. Horváth László 60 éves (Zalaegerszeg, 2006)

Tokai Zita Mária: Adatok a Malo Korenovo kerámia délnyugat-dunántúli megjelenéséhez

18 Tokai Zita Mária Data on the appearance of Malo Korenovo pottery in south-west Transdanubia, Hungary The spatial distribution of Malo Korenovo finds is chiefly confined to the northern and north-eastern part of Croatia, between the rivers of Drava and Sava (Fig. 1). A few sites exhibiting Malo Korenovo pottery are also known from the south-western part of Hungary such as at Becsehely-Bükkaljai-dülő, Petrivente-Újkúti-dűlő, Sormás-Török-földek and Sormás-Mántai-dűlő. The majority of Malo Korenovo finds were from Becsehely and the newly-excavated material from this site is still being examined. Details of previous excavations at Becsehely between 1975 and 1976 are already published as Becsehely I. and as Bükkaljaidűlő. The excavations at Becsehely between 2003 and 2004 dated the first appearance of Malo Korenovo finds in Hungary to the Keszthely group of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery culture. At this excavation a time horizon can be assessed, when, at the end of Keszthely group of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery culture red painting appears, (which was applied after the vessel was fired) at the same time as the first Malo Korenovo pottery. Moreover, at Becsehely imported finds such as Zseliz and Sarka pottery appear from features that exhibit the characteristic, often painted, vessels of the Keszthely group of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery culture. From these features Malo Korenovo pottery was also found. At Petrivente the majority of Malo Korenovo pottery seems to be younger than at Becsehely because it appears in the features of the Sopot culture. In assessing the shapes of Malo Korenovo pottery we can only rely on Croatian finds and on the characterisation of Tezak-Gregl. The ceramic forms of late Starcevo, Vinca, Linear Pottery and Sopot cultural groups appear in Malo Korenovo pottery. At Becsehely mainly deep bowls with a slight S profile or globular bodies, small cups (Figs. 2. 1—7b; 3. 2-3, 5-9), biconical bowls (Fig. 3. 10-11) and amphorae (Fig. 4. 4-6b) appear. Less often flat bowls and pedestalled bowls (Fig. 4. 1—3b) are also present. Malo Korenovo vessels are decorated with thin deeplyincised lines that often end in a hook. This is considered to be the „trade-mark" of the Malo Korenovo. This method is distinct from the familiar decorations of the Linear Pottery culture although similar „hook" decoration can be observed on the pottery of the Keszthely group of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery culture. The characteristic decoration of the Keszthely group of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery culture is U-shaped in section and the incisions are wide, executed with soft round-ended tools. Malo Korenovo decoration on the other hand is V-shaped in section and the incisions are thin and deep, being executed with very thin and sharp tools. In comparing the Croatian Malo Korenovo finds with the ones from the Hungarian sites it seems that the latter show increased variability. On many sherds from Becsehely and Petrivente it can be observed that incised decorations were complemented by painting (Fig. 5. l-4c), a combination that is considered to be specific to Hungarian finds. The combination of the two decorations is not limited to one surface: in some cases painted decoration appears on the interior of the vessels while the exterior is decorated with incisions. Amongst the finds there is a small altar which is considered to be remarkable. It is a fragment of a rectangular altar and has four legs (Fig. 5. 7a-e). Its sides are decorated with characteristic incised Malo Korenovo hooks. Two figurine fragments must also be mentioned. One of them is sitting (Fig. 5. 6a-b) and shows Sopot characteristics in terms of its shape but its fabric and decoration show Malo Korenovo attributes. It is assumed that in this figurine the effect of symbiosis of the two cultural groups can be recognised. The other figurine is schematic, her breasts are articulated by two small knobs, below her breasts her arms are folded across in front of her. On her sides characteristic Malo Korenovo hooks are incised. This figurine was probably sitting on a throne, which has been reconstructed (Fig. 5.5). It is argued that the Malo Korenovo developed on the base of Linear Pottery culture, but later it had a strong cultural relationship with the Brezovljani phase of the Sopot culture. In considering the material culture of the Malo Korenovo in its main occupational area in Croatia it is assumed that the Hungarian finds of the Malo Korenovo can be dated to the beginning of the classical phase of the cultural group, although the Hungarian finds have characteristic local attributes. Further excavations in both Hungary and Croatia would shed more light on the development of the Malo Korenovo. Translated by Attila Kreiter