Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 29/3. (2009)
Rezi Botond, Nagy József-Gábor: Rescue Excavations at Chinari "Mociar" (Mureş County)
Rescue Excavations at Chinari “Mociar” (Мищ County) 89 C002 was found in S4, near the 1 m square, at 0.10 m from the east profile, at a depth of 0.26 m. Same as C001 because of the compacted soil, we could not see the exact outline and the feature was marked only by the pigmentation of the soil. The size of the pit was 1.26 x 1.08 m. The archaeological material consisted mainly of small daub fragments, a few red and black potteries, some stones, three charcoal fragments and a big bone. The filling of the pit was hard to distinguish from the surrounding soil. It was considered a pit because of the high concentration of material in that area. At the same level all the surface was pigmented with fragments of ceramics and daub. Under this level the archaeological material diminished gradually. After sectioning the pit had 0.24 m in depth.. C003 was found in S4, near the 6 m square, at 0.80 m from the west profile of the section, at a depth of 0.32 m. The size of the pit was 1.46 x 1.56 m. The shape and the characteristic of the pit were same as C002, the filling consisted mainly of red and black pottery, a few daub and grindstone fragments. After sectioning, the pit had 0.11 m. Because of the depth of the pits C002 and C003 there is a question if we can consider them features or just simple material concentrations in the culture layer. C004 was found in S5, near the 2 and 3 m square, at a depth of 0.25 m. The size of the pit was 2.08 x 2.14 m and had a circular shape. The filling consisted of red and black pottery fragments, daub, restorable vessels and three miniature vessels found in the north corner of the feature. Same as with the other features we couldn’t mark the exact outline of the pit. The pit was dug in the sterile clay with a depth of 0.10 m. After sectioning, the pit had 0.39 m. Stratigraphy The research area had an even stratigraphy; only in S2 we could notice a considerable decrease in the layers thickness. The section was laid out at the west limit of the hill, at the beginning of the promontory’s slope. Because it had only a few archaeological materials, this area it’s thought to be the edge of the site. S3 it’s similar, maintains the general stratigraphy of the site, but lacks the archaeological materials. The deepest section is SI, placed at the northern point of the site. The uppermost level consist of the vegetation layer with a thickness of 0.10 m, and a 0.25 m thick black-greyish plough layer, pigmented with pottery and daub fragments. The soil is granulated and has a soft consistence. Usually the archaeological materials are concentrated in the inferior part of the layer. Only in S4 the upper level had an appreciable amount of pottery and daub, followed by a 0.40 m thick black, compacted, argillaceous culture layer, with pigments of pottery, daub, a few charcoal and bone fragments. After this stratigraphycal segment there is the sterile yellow-red clay. The plan and profiles of the sections presented above are illustrated in the figures. Surface prospection On 17th—20th oi July 2007, surface investigations were made, with the contribution of the Mure§ County Museum and “1 Decembrie 1918” University from Alba Iulia. The research area covered 1 ha. The magnetometer surveys were influenced by the presence of crops, and had to be performed on the empty lots. The results of the surveys came in the second part of the campaign. The magnetometer surveys aimed three lots with different size, named area 1 (10 x
