Marta, Liviu: The Late Bronze Age Settlements of Petea-Csengersima (Satu Mare, 2009)
III. Habitation of te Suciu de Sus Archaeological Culture
site, they could be assigned to the constructions that belonged to the Suciu de Sus culture. In three of these cases they originated from small constructions with the sides of 2 or 3 m long24 25. The fourth group of pits occurred over a wider trench (7,20 x 8 m)23. It had a rectangular perimeter (7,20 x 8 m), drawing the margins of a construction that dated from the Suciu de Sus culture. Other pit groups that reconstituted the rectangular surfaces belonged to the Roman Age. Their assignment was proved by pits with several Bronze Age fragments among which there were other pits with small fragments of the Roman Age. The ground-plan of the Suciu de Sus settlement at Petea revealed many post hole groups, especially in the triangular surface of the Hungarian site, which was comprised between the state border and the Erge brook (zone V, Fig. 16). Most of the constructions in this area belonged to the Roman Age. This was proved by the frequent occurrence of the post holes groups similar in disposal with those in the area exclusively dominated by the Roman habitation in the north-west of the Erge brook (zone VI, Fig. 25). Several large pits were found. Three of them could be deepened dwellings (complex 22, Fig. 18, complex 496 and complex 499 fig. 23). Given the presence of the post holes, complex 22 can be interpreted that it occurred from a deepened construction, maybe a dwelling. Deepened dwellings were mentioned throughout the entire evolution of the Suciu de Sus culture26. The round corners of the dwelling at Petea—Csengersima were similar to the dwellings with oval framing from Ukraine, west of the Carpathians27. The data about the type of construction in the case of the two surface dwellings was little and inconclusive. The researched area of the dwelling 1 from S23 did not reveal any post hole (Fig. 7). The inside of the dwelling on S26 complex 2 uncovered two holes that, according to their size, were supposed to had been used for the posts of the dwellings (pits 4 and 5— Fig. 9). There was not a specific display of the pits to attest a typical system in building dwellings28. Given' the small-sized dwellings, it is possible that the foundation of the walls was made of horizontal beams. Traces of a clayed beam were found in one of the dwellings in the settlement at Lazuri. In what concerns wall construction, it was noticeable that sometimes the pieces of fired clay had a smooth side, and the other side preserved the traces of poles. There were situations when the traces of two parallel or perpendicular poles were visible. The fragments of fired clay were in a great number, and preserved traces of parallel rods, showing that the walls were covered in rows of rods (or reed) in some areas. The clay used in building walls was mixed with straws, chaff and leaves. Lacking in post holes and their inconclusive position offered the possibility' to establish the dimensions of the surface dwellings only by according to the spreading area of the fragments that had fallen from the burnt walls. The surface of the Suciu de Sus dwellings 24 The group comprising pits S37 complex 15, S37 complex 17, S37 complex 18, S37 complex 29 (Fig. 8, 28), the group comprising pits S37 complex 21, S37 complex 24, S37 complex 25 (Fig. 8, 28) and the pits assigned to complex 496 (Fig. 16, zone V). 25 Complex 63, complex 75, complex 71, complex 73, complex 143, complex 145, complex 146, complex 147, complex 67, complex 66 (Fig. 16, 28, zone V). 26 The three dwellings at Solotvino went only 15-20 cm deep (Vasiliev et al. 2002, p. 30-31). The dwelling at Oarţa de Sus—Dealul Stremţului was a surface dwelling according to C. Kacsó (2003, p. 114), and slightly deepened into the soil according to Dan Pop (2005, p. 65). D. Pop informed us that the second assignment occurred within the 2004 campaign. At the same time was established that the two hearths were found outside the dwelling. Two pits that deepened 30-50 cm into the soil were found in Ukraine, west of the Carpathians, in the setdements at Cimadievo and Dravcy (Balahuri 1991, p. 78). The dwelling at Culciu Mic deepened 1-1,20 m (Bader 1978, p. 67). 27 Balahuri 2001, ris. 61, 62, 63; Vasiliev et al. 2002, p. 31. 28 The post holes of the surface dwellings of the Suciu de Sus archaeological culture were not mentioned in most of the settlements of the Suciu de Sus culture. There were mentioned only a few dwellings with post holes in the settlements at Diakovo and Zabolod in Ukraine, west of the Carpathians (Balahuri 1991, p. 78; Balahuri 2001, ris. 65). 15
