Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 31/1. (2011)
Articles
A Copper Age Settlement from Tärgu Mures. Aspects of Chronology and Relations of the Ariusd Culture 55 Polgár-Basatanya (Bognár-Kutzián 1963, pl. LXXV/5; XCI/6; XCIII/3; C/l or CVIII/7). Analogous pieces, ornamented in the same way as the deep bowl from Tärgu Mures can be mentioned from Tiszadob-Borzik-tanya (Patay 1950, 114, pi. XXXIV/l-la, probably from a grave) and Tiszavalk- Tetes (Patay 1978, fig. 27/6) respectively the exquisite exemplar from grave nr. 22 from the cemetery at Ostrovul Corbului (Roman-Dodd-Opritescu 2008, fig. 33/2; pl. III/2). A similar vessel was discovered in the settlement of the Ariusd culture from Reci-Telek (Székely 1964, fig. 2/4). The analogies mentioned from the Bodrogkeresztúr culture belong mainly to the early (transition) and classic phases, yet these are also present in the late period as in the case of the ones unearthed in group D of the cemetery from Basatanya (Bognár-Kutzián 1963, pl. CVIII/7; CXII/12-13; CXVIII/8). Although it was not published, I. Kovács mentioned another similar exemplar, this time without ornament, which was discovered in pit В (Kovács 1915, 240). The ornament composed by meandered angular lines and spaces filled with net-like incisions is a widely spread decoration for the Bodrogkeresztúr culture (Patay 1960, 363-387). A truncated cone shaped shallow bowl belongs to the same cultural milieu; it has two obliquely perforated bosses on the margin of the bottom - considered initially lid by I. Kovács (1915, fig. 3/4; 14). Its analogies are known from Basatanya (Bognár-Kutzián 1963, pl. C/2; CXIII/19; CXVII/5), respectively from the IInd level of the settlement at Pecica-Forgaci (Luca 1999, fig. 13/2). A hemispheric cup with straight upper part and two perforated bosses on the everted rim shows similarities to vessels discovered in funerary inventories of the cemeteries from Kunszentmárton-Pusztaistvánháza (Hillebrand 1929, Abb. 11/6), Sárazsadány (Patay 1961, pl. XXVII/2), Szentes-Kistőke (Patay 1961, pl. XXIX/6), Polgár-Basatanya (Bognár-Kutzián 1963, pl. 11/12) or Tiszavalk- Tetes (Patay 1978, fig. 27/8). Finally, among the typical elements of this culture, a vessel decorated on the shoulder with Pseudofurchenstich lines can be mentioned (PI. 4/5),8 as well as a fragmented cup with everted rim with two perforations, decorated on the bottom with an incised line forming a spiral (Kovács 1915, fig. 7/5 and 5a). The two types of ornaments - the successive sticks and spirals realized by incised lines -, often applied in combination, are characteristic for the late period of the culture and they appear on vessels which indicate the transition to the Hunyadi-halom culture (Patay 2008, fig. 1/4: Szarvas, 5: Szécsény, 9: Tiszakeszi-Fáykert). Therefore, the presence of these elements suggest a dating in the late period of the Bodrogkeresztúr culture. Nevertheless, because of fragmentary character of the materials such a chronological determination can only be approximate. *** Resuming the data of the Copper Age discoveries from Tärgu Mures -Tornakert we hope we are not mistaking by dating the habitat to an evolved aspect of the Ariusd culture, which, because of the elements of western origins, presents intensive connections with the area of the Bodrogkeresztúr culture. The materials discovered predominantly consist of pottery forms characteristic for the Ariusd culture, together with a smaller quantity of elements specific for the Bodrogkeresztúr culture. These characteristics were already recognized by I. Kovács as well, who at the same time underlined that the materials appertain to the same chronological horizon. The studies from the second half of the last century concerning - usually only tangentially - the Copper Age materials from Tärgu Mures generally accepted the chronology and cultural attribution determined by I. Kovács. Accordingly, the discoveries from Tornakert - together with similar 8 For the origin and spread of the ornament in the Bodrogkeresztúr culture, see: Patay 2008, 23-24.
