Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 32/2. (2012)
Articles
Prehistoric Wheel Models from the Collection of the Мищ County Museum 17 Based on the wagons found in different Pit-Grave culture contexts, mostly in the northern regions of the Black Sea, Häusler (1981, 581) argues that the central and western European wagons cannot have eastern or steppe origins, and their presence in the European region cannot be explained by population movement, but with local evolution. The excavated wooden wheels have almost perfect analogies in small clay wheel models discussed later on. Based on the latest discoveries, the appearance of the wagon in Central Europe is dated to the 4th millennium BC. At present time a clear picture cannot be given regarding the connections between this region and the other two very important centres of the wagons and wheels, namely the Russian steppe region with its Jamnaja culture and Mesopotamia (Horváth 2010, 116). In Eastern Europe the first wagon models appear in the Boleráz period (Bondar 2004, 16). Bondár rightfully points the question: if the European and the Near eastern wagons are so different, can they be traced back to a common origin? A negative answer is sustained also by the fact that between Anatolia, Syria, Mesopotamia and the Carpathian Basin there are no wagon finds which could mark the distribution route (Bondár 2004, 27). In the literature the wheel models and wagons are included in the category of the special artefacts, which were buried in graves and cultic places, but their presence in settlements, closed contexts or simply in different archaeological layers is not uncommon at all (Schuster 1996, 120-121). Regarding their function several theories were outlined, but two major leading ideas can be stressed out. The first one argues that these miniature wagon models and their accessories have a cultic function (Bona 1960, 106-111; Ordentlich-Chidiosan 1975, 34) or as accessories for a funerary cult (Soproni 1954, 35, Fettich 1969, 51); cultic objects (Makkay 1963; 1965); or used for the storage of the sacred oil (Kalicz 1976, 117). In the analysis ofWoYTOWiTSCH (1995, 118) the wheel is a sacred sign or symbol, which can be considered as having celestial attributes. Bondár (2012, 94) relates the miniature wagons and their accessories to a ritual sphere, to a magical practice, whose purpose was to facilitate the success of the transportation. These objects were also defined as toys for children (Milleker 1905, 47). Based on the wagon model from Börzönce and taking into consideration that the artefact, the adjacent wheels and two other wheel models were recovered from a refuse pit, and based also on the very simple outlines of the objects, Bondár (1992,115-116) believes that these cannot be considered having a ritual role, instead they can be linked to the customs of the daily life, and as such they could have easily been children toys as well. Furthermore, Schuster believes that such wagons could be a part of the daily and the religious life as well. In the Bronze Age, but also in previous periods, the different cattle and water birds representations could have had two very important meanings, making the connection between the earthly and celestial divinities (Schuster 1996, 121, 122). Bondár considers that these wagon models in the beginning could have had religious functions, but with times this usage altered. The sensation in the beginning, which was available only for a few, slowly became a part of the daily life (Bondár 2004, 19, 28). Regarding the chronology of these objects, after analyzing the clay wagons from the Late Copper Age until the Early Iron Age, Bóna gives a formal evolution for the different wagon types. This evolution begins with the short and heavy wagon from Budakalász, which were in use in the Copper Age and Early Bronze Age (Bóna 1960, 89). Since that paper several wagon models came to light from Hungary, which can be dated even to an earlier period, namely to the Boleráz
