Virag, Cristian: Situl neolitic Halmeu - Vamă (Satu Mare, 2015)
Abridged version
Cristian Virág Pits We discovered many pits in the archaeological site of Halmeu, but we cannot mention their functionality for certain yet. Some very deep pits that were excavated in steps could be former clay pits used in household activities thereafter filled with household refuse. Therefore, the pits contained: ceramic fragments, daub - often with prints of posts and rods -, broken pieces of hearths, ash, charcoal, animal bones, fragments of querns and stone polishers, chipped pieses made of obsidian, flint, and local rocks (blades, bladelets, finished tools, armatures, cores, debris). The storage pits were round or oval in plan, either bell-shaped or tronconical in section. Typologically, we can distinguish three types of pits. The fill of the features was generally dark brown, clayey, with pigmentation of scattered daub and sterile lenses. 1. large pits, dug in steps (fig. 35, 61,68,69,70, 90, 94, 95), with irregular shapes (Cx. 4/2003 - 7,40 X 4,60 m; Cx. 31/2006 - 4,1 x 2,7 m; Cx. 25/2006 - 2,7 x 2,4 m; Cx. 32/2006 - 2,30 X 2,15 m; Cx. 3/2008 - 14 x 4 m; Cx. 13/2008 - 3,2 x 3,7 m). 2. medium sized pits, with the bottom flat or slightly shallow in the middle (fig. 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 70), round or oval, ranging in size from 2 to 3 m and from 0.5 m to 1.5 m deep (Cx. 1 la/2006 - 2,2 x 1,6 m; Cx. 14a/2006 - diam. 2m.; Cx. 18/2006 - 2 x 2,2 m; Cx. 19/2006- 2,9 X 2,6 m; Cx. 30/2006 - 1,65 x 2,7 m; Cx. 7/2008 - 2,4 x 1,4 m; Cx. 23/2008 - diam. 2,5 m; Cx. 27/2008 - diam. 2,5 m; Cx. 28/2008 - diam. 2 m). 3. smaller pits, cylindrical or oval (fig. 61, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 70, 71, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99), ranging in size from 0.7 to 2 m and from 0.5 m to 1.5 m deep. (Cx. 8/2006 - 1,20 x 1,10 m; Cx. 9/2006-2x 1,4 m; Cx. lib-1/2006 - 1 x0,6 m; llb-2/2006- 1 x0,6 m; Cx. 13/2006- diam 2 m; Cx. 14b/2006 - diam. 1,8 m; Cx. 16/2006 - 2 x 1,5 m; Cx. 17/2006 - 1,8 x 1,4 m; Cx. 23/2006 - 1,1 X 0,8 m; Cx. 26/2006 - diam 1 m; Cx. 27/2006 - diam 1 m; Cx. 28/2006 - diam 0,90 m; Cx. 8/2008 - diam. 2 m; Cx. 10a/2008 - 1,3 x 0,7 m; Cx. 11/2008 - diam. 1,7 m; Cx. 16/2008- 1,3 X 1,4 m; Cx. 21/2008 - diam. 1,5 m; Cx. 22/2008 - 1 x 0,8 m; Cx. 24/2008 - diam. 1,3 m; Cx. 25/2008 - diam. 0,7 m; Cx. 26/2008 - 1,3 x 1,1 m; Cx. 32/2008 - diam. 1,5 m; Cx. 34/2008 - 0,8 X 0,6 m; Cx. 36/2008 - 1,5 x 0,9 m; Cx. 37/2008 - 1 x 0,7 m). In what concerns the first category, we think the function of the pits was to provide the clay for making vessels and hearths and for building houses. The pits were subsequently filled with household refuse from the settlement. We concluded that the medium-sized and small pits fulfilled the role of storage pits and later, they turned, in some cases, in rubbish pits. 110
