Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
22 С. I. Popa divinity. Even though such mobile heads, made of clay or marble,3 were found for the Thessalic group, the hypothesis was not seen as representative for the entire group of mobile head statuettes (Dumitrescu 1961, 275). The presence of female attributes (breasts) on one of the figurines (PI. 1/2) can be linked to similar finds from Turdas (Vlassa 1966, 11, pi. B/9) and Zorlentu Mare (Comsa 1996, fig. 5/6). The other statuette has no distinguishable sexual attributes. These two previously unpublished statuettes from Petresti bring out new and important data in relation to the scarce Neolithic and Copper Age plastic representations from this site. We would like to put an emphasis on the fact that only three (!) anthropomorphic figurines were recovered by chance discovery,4 two of them attributed to Petresti culture, one published (Paul 1969, pi. XII/la-lc; Paul 1992, pl. LI/13) and a fragmented one (unpublished), next to another mobile head statuette (item discovered in 1929, Aldea 1968, 11-13, photo a-b). In regards to the last item in the list we should state that it is not of ‘Thessalic type’ and it does not belong to the Neolithic habitations present at the site, as it was previously published and referenced several times.5 The arguments that include this figurine amongst those belonging to Cotofeni I, linked with anthropomorphic figurines of Cernavodä III and Baden A cultures, have been stated by us with a previous occasion (Popa 2009). Therefore the ‘Thessalic type’ representations can be documented at the Neolithic settlement of Petresti but not by including the statuette published by I. Al. Aldea, as this one is attributed to a much later type. In the context of the poor stratigraphical data available and given the very complex succession of cultural and chronological habitations, identified from surface finds and excavations at Groapa Galbenä, the cultural and chronological frame for these pieces is rather problematic. The finds indicate an intense habitation that we place in the Turdas II-III-Vinca Cl-Foeni horizon,6 with representative materials for each cultural manifestation. The mobile head figurines from Petresti are also stating the value of this site, including for the pre-Petresti habitations, making it worthy for preservation in front of the rising risk of destruction.7 REFERENCES Aldea 1968 Aldea, I. AL, О statuetä cu cap mobil de la Petresti, Sargetia, V, 11-13. Andreescu 2002 Andreescu, R.-R., Plastica antropomorfä gumelniteanä. Analizä primará, Bucuresti. BÄscÄ 2009 Bäscä, I., Petresti-sapte milenii de istorie. Repere monografice, Alba Iulia. 3 Kalicz 2002,18, where the author, referring to the mobile head figurines of Baden culture also issued the hypothesis that they could have had both animal and human heads fixed on. 4 To be noticed that anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figurines are completely missing (s.n.) from the materials (kept at Alba Iulia and Sebe?) originating in both excavations carried at Petre?ti-Groapa Galbenä by D. Berciu in 1943 and 1960-1961. This absence can be attributed to the fact that the special finds were separated by D. Berciu and taken for study to Bucharest, where these items might be at the moment. 5 Later placed in the same period, by Román-Németi 1978, 38, note 6; Gligor 2009a, 111. 6 For stratigraphical correlations and chronology for the most important Neolithic and Aeneolithic for south-west and southern Transylvania (excluding Petresti) and the site at Foeni, see: Luca 2009, 200-202, tab. 1-2. Vinca C type materials were signalled since 1987 (Lazarovici 1987, 38, fig. 10/2-3; newly Dra?ovean 1996, 99), same as materials considered to be Foeni (Gligor 2008, 309-311, pl. V-XII). 7 Recently the current cemetery has extended its area of burials, another large area being fenced for an extension. We express doubts that anyone will carry out rescue excavations with each burial...
