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

B. Hellebrandt Magdolna: Kelta leletek Hejőkeresztúr–Berecske-dombról (Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén megye)

210 В. Hellebrandt Magdolna The characteristic of a handmade vessel in figure 3.9 is that it has an arched applied rib with finger impressions. Similar decoration can be found, for example, at the sites of Muhi-Kocsmadomb (HELLEBRANDT 1996-1997, Fig. 25. 3), Chotin (DUSEK 1966, Figs. XI. 6; XLV. 18; LIII. 21), Stretavka (MIROSSAYOVÁ 1979, Fig. 4. 2, 3, 7) and at Sanislàu (NÉMETI 1982, Fig. 10. 9). In the material culture of Stretavka in the eastern Slovakian Plain an effect of a Carpatho-Ukraine Kustanovice group can be recognised just as in the material culture of eastern Hungary, such as at Bodroghalom, which can be dated to a similar period. The finds at Stretavka are dated to the 4

th century ВС by Mirossayová (MIROSSAYOVÁ 1979, 141). A pierced bone in figure 4.5 is not burnt which implies that it was not placed on the pyre but in the grave during the burial ceremony. According to István Vörös (I would like to thank him for the identification of the object) the bone is a right astragalus of a hart. Its ends and the corners on its sides are polished. It is worn and a hole in it is also worn suggesting that it was used for a long period, probably as an amulet. Similar but smaller pierced astragalus bone can be found in Vienna in a contemporary exhibition of the Naturhistorisches Museum. It was found at Gemeinlebarn Pol. Bez. Sankt. Pölten, Niederösterreich. It is dated to the 11

th-12

th centuries ВС to the older phase of Urnfield culture. In the belief system of the Celts a god who wears an antler is known as Cernunnos. Antlers were found both in Celtic cemeteries and settlements (JEREM 2003, Figs. 1-7; SZABÓ 2005, 98). It is assumed that the roots of a belief concerning antler originates in earlier history of the Celts. Summary In grave S6 a skeleton of a 25-50 year old woman was found (I would like to thank Ivett Kővári and László Szathmáry for the anthropological assessment of the bones of both graves). An incomplete skeleton with handmade pottery represents an early Iron Age tradition, but it also has characteristic wheel-made Celtic pottery. It can be dated to a period when the two cultures had a similar borderland. The cemeteries at Rozvágy, Radostyán and Muhi can be dated to the same period (HELLEBRANDT 1997, 74). Wheelmade vessels from grave S8 are dated to a similar period although their shapes show characteristics of earlier vessels. This grave has also been disturbed. In the grave there was a 2-4 year old child's slightly burned bones mixed with bones from a different child. Agricultural works probably disturbed the upper part of the graves and as a result bones from different graves became mixed. According to the above mentioned analogies the Celts buried their dead in the Berecske mound around LT B2-C1. At Hejőkeresztúr and Hejőszalonta there were several Scythian cemeteries, and apparently several weapons are known such as 21-25 cm long iron spear heads, iron pickaxes and knives (HELLEBRANDT 2001, 56, Figs. 4-5). As opposed to this the number of Celtic finds until now is scarce (K.

VÉGH 1969, 72). It is apparent that the presence of early Celtic finds at Berecske mound and a definitely Celtic cremated grave with an iron sword implies that the Celts captured an important Scythian settlement within this area at the turn of the 4

th - 3

rd centuries ВС. Translated by Attila Kreiter 1. kép: Hejőkeresztúr a II. katonai felmérésen (1856-60) Fig. 1: Hejőkeresztúr in the second military survey