Kovács Tibor (szerk.): Neuere Daten zur Siedlungsgeschichte und Chronologie der Kupferzeit des Karpatenbeckens (Inventaria Praehistorica Hungariae 7; Budapest, 1995)

Pál Raczky: New data on the absolute chronology of the Copper Age in the Carpathian Basin

horizon of the Western Anatolian coast.

35 We have here reached a point where the classical chronology based on archaeological comparisons and the calibrated C-14 dates can be definitely harmonized with each other, as has been convincingly argued by M. Korfmann: the commencement of Troy I can be securely dated between 3100-2900 B.C.

36 This chronological fix-point, in turn, offers a sound basis for the dating of the Agora-Kephala-Aigina group in Greece and, indirectly, for the beginning of the Rachmani culture. These cultural units definitely commenced in the 4th millennium B.C. At the same time, the data quoted by M. Korfmann and J. Seher do not support the correlation of Troy I with Kumtepe lb, and neither does the evidence from Greece support an overlap between the FN and EH I.

37 This would suggest that attempts by Chr. Podzuweit and H.-J. Weißhaar

38 to shorten the Aegean and Western Anatolian time-scale and the apparently inconceivably long life-span of the Rachmani culture by invoking such chronological overlaps can be definitely rejected. The suggested commencement of the Rachmani culture in the 4th millennium B.C. would, together with the EH II imports from Rachmani II and III deposits,

39 imply that the Rachmani culture spanned some 1000 years which is a rather surprising suggestion to say the least.

40 The typological correlation of Rachmani with Kumtepe lb and Troy I, as proposed by H.-J. Weißhaar and Chr. Podzuweit, also contains some contradictions should it turn out that Kumtepe lb and Troy I are not contemporaneous and, also, if Kumtepe la and lb happens to predate Troy I, i.e. 3000 B.C. Rachmani is thus again found to commence before the 3rd millennium B.C., with its roots firmly in the 4th millennium B.C. (I would here like to emphasize that this line of reasoning is not based on C-14 determinations and my arguments in the above too were based on 'classical archaeological procedures\) Another significant chronological finding is that several FN sites in Central and Southern Greece have yielded copper artefacts that can be definitely linked to Balkanic types, and a copper axe has also been recovered from a Rachmani II context at Pevkakia.

41 This same Aegean period saw the first appearance of finds comparable to the gold pendants of the Balkans and the Carpathian Basin, as well as of imports and imitations of the Balkanic 'Scheibenhenkel'.

42 This would clearly suggest that Rachmani in Thessaly and the FN horizon in Central and Southern Greece can be typologically correlated with the classical KrivodolRenfrew (1972) 71-80; Sampson (1984); Korfmann (1985) 167171; Seher (1985) 172-182; Seher (1987); Coleman (1992) 262264; Démoule (1993) 9-10, Fig. 6; Christmann (1993) 42-43. Korfmann (1987); Korfmann-Kromer (1993). Korfmann (1985) 169; Seher (1987) 552-555; Dousougli (1987); Dousougli (1992). Podzuweit (1979a) 132, Fig. 1 and Fig. 7; Podzuweit (1979b) 45; Weißhaar (1979a) 128-129; Weißhaar (1979b) 390; Weißhaar (1982) 324-325; Weißhaar (1989) 106-111, 128-138. 142; Weißhaar (1991) 242-243. For an overview of this problem, see Weißhaar (1991) 240-241 and Hauptmann (1985) 25-28. Renfrew (1986b) 478; Coleman (1987) 4-6. Milojcic (1972) 64; Weißhaar (1979b) Fig. 3. 7-9; Weißhaar (1989) 48; Phelps et al. (1979); Muhly (1985) 116-118, 124-128; Coleman (1987)5. Sälcu|a-Gumelnit.a-Karanovo VI-Tiszapolgár, as well as with Galatin-Telis IV-SalcuJa IV-Hissar I-Herculane II-III-Cheile Turzii-Hunyadi-halom-Vajska-Laznany types 43 The Balkanic cultural elements outlined in the above, including examples of early copper metallurgy, thus predate Troy I: in other words, a date around 3000 B.C. can be considered a plausible 'terminus ante quern'.

44 It is now also fairly clear that the 'Scheibenhenker horizon spans a longer period of time in the Carpathian Basin and in the Balkans. Insofar as Sälcuja IV indeed predates Bodrogkeresztúr B, the ' Scheibenhenkef can be seen to occur both in the Bodrogkeresztúr A and the Bodrogkeresztúr B-Hunyadihalom period. Sporadic occurrences of 'Scheibenhenkel' have also been reported from the beginning of the Late Copper Age, from the proto-Boleráz phase. The 'Scheibenhenkel' appear to have a similarly wide chronological distribution as the South-East European gold pendants. However, this does not influence the main chronological interrelations either in the Carpathian Basin, or in the Balkans.

45 It follows from the above that the copper artefact horizon of South-East Europe has little in common with the metallurgy of Troy II-Alaca Höyük,

46 and this ultimately confirms C. Renfrew's theory concerning the independence of South-East European copper metallurgy,

47 that has recently also been supported by J.D. Muhly.

48 (Metal analyses have also convincingly demonstrated that in the case of Kastri and Poliochni the flourishing copper metallurgy that suddenly appeared in the Aegean during the EH II had close ties with Western Anatolia,

49 while the copper metallurgy of the FN in Greece was largely inspired by developments in the Balkans.

50

) In terms of chronology this would imply that the short chronology proposed by H.-J. Weiß haar and Chr. Podzuweit for the Rachmani culture of Thessaly and the Agora-Kephala-Aigina group of Central and Southern Greece cannot be accepted. In a recent study H. Parzinger came to a similar conclusion.

51 Several doubts have been voiced concerning the EH II imports found in Rachmani II and III contexts at Pevkakia,

52 and H. Hauptmann too considers these acceptable for Rachmani III only.

53 Neglecting now these uncertain EH II finds, only so much can be ascertained that the entire Rachmani sequence, together with the Agora-Kephala-Aigina group, predates Troy I and EH I, i.e. it can be assigned to the 4th millennium B.C., even if the end of the Rachmani sequence cannot Roman (1979) 308; Roman (1983) 119; Roman (1992) 28 and note 5; Kahcz (1985) 31-33; Raczky (1988) 41-44, 37-40; Raczky (1991)339,332-339. Raczky ( 1988) 37-43, 49-51 ; Raczky ( 1991 ) 332-339. Raczky (1988) 48-51; Kahcz (1988) 77-81; Raczky (1991) 340. Kahcz (1988) 87-89; Kahcz (1991) 375-391; Makkay (1991); Makkay(1993) 821-823. Makkay (1976) 290-292; Makkay (1985a) 4-9; Makkay (1985b) 187-190; Makkay (1993). Renfrew (1969); Renfrew (1973) 183-210; Renfrew (1978a). Muhly (1985) 109-110. Stos-Gale et al. (1984); Pemicka et al. (1990). Branigan ( 1974) 97-100; Muhly ( 1985) 109-110. Parzinger(1991) 385-388. See note 41. Hauptmann (1985) 25-26.