Marta, Liviu: The Late Bronze Age Settlements of Petea-Csengersima (Satu Mare, 2009)
IV. Habitation of the Lăpuş II-Gáva I Archaeological Culture
holes at the other daub platforms made impossible to establish their surface and orientation. The relation between the area with fallen fragments of burnt walls (or delimited fragments) and the surface of the dwelling was undoubtedly insignificant. It is likely that the remains of the dwellings were disturbed after the fire because among the fragments of fired walls were found only small ceramic fragments and small objects. The only dwelling uncovered completely was SI 5 complex 1. The surface of the burnt wall platform was modest, of only 7,63 m2 (2,18 x 3,50 m). We ascribe to the fact that the two pits could originate from the posts on the central axis of the dwelling, in which case the surface of the dwelling would be twice the size. Dwellings S8 complex 1 and SI5 complex 1 were oriented north-south. Dwellings S5 complex 1, S8 complex la, S9 complex 4, S35 complex 1 were oriented east-west. The pieces of burnt clay fallen from the walls of the fired dwellings preserved the traces of the materials from their composition and of the wood used in their structure. For a better adherence, the clay paste was mixed with straws, chaff and leaves358 359. Each dwelling had pieces of clay with traces of two and even three sticks of 2—4 cm thick. Some clay pieces had stick traces on both sides. None of the dwellings revealed clay pieces with traces of wattle. In conclusion, the walls were made by claying two rows of sticks framed in thick poles. The prints of some poles of 10—13 cm thick were preserved by the dwellings S8 complex la and SI 5 complex 1. Two of these dwellings had several pieces of clay with traces of some parallel poles. The margins of the dwelling S44 complex 59 uncovered a great quantity of small fragments of clay that preserved the traces of some sticks with the diameter less than a centimetre. They attest that parts of the walls were built using wattle or reed389. Dwelling SI5 complex 1 had pieces of clay impressed with smooth surfaces of wood that originated from posts or faceted beams. Dwelling post holes were round or oval, with diameters between 20 and 50 cm. They revealed the maximum thickness of the posts as well as well as the convex base (un-carved). None of the researched dwellings had preserved the hearth360. Still, the hearth found in S10 might belong to a dwelling of the Lăpuş II-Gáva I archaeological horizon. There was a small assembly of burnt wall fragments nearby that could attest the existence of a dwelling in that place. Although it did not contain relevant inventory, but it is possible it belonged to the Lăpuş II-Gáva I archaeological horizon, given its location within an area concentrated of dwellings of that cultural horizon. Two of the dwellings had storage pits. The fact that the pits were used at the same time with the dwellings they were found under or nearby is proved by the fact that the fragments of the burnt walls of the dwellings run down into the fill of the pits. Dwelling S35 complex 1 was fit with a double pit, and each of its parts was beehive shaped (Fig. 14). The bell shaped pit SI 5 complex 3 was located in the western margin of the dwelling complex 1 (Fig. 13). In the first two pits, complete or vessels that could be restored361 were found and they attested that their role was to store products. Hearths Surface 10 of the setdement at Petea — Csengersima revealed a hearth (S10 complex 6, Fig. 5), oval shaped (67 x 88 cm) and 3 cm thick. It was situated in the upper part of the cultural layer (in 80 cm depth), within an area that contained burnt walls, which occurred as a platform on a surface of 2,15 x 2 m. There were not any ceramic fragments among the daub pieces. Given the fact that the area was dominated by complexes of the Lăpuş II-Gáva I 358 Daub pieces with leaf fingerprints found in pit S36 complex 29. 359 Fingerprints of some reed bunches were identified in a dwelling of the Middle Bronze Age at Mosorin - Feudvár (Hansel - Medovic 1991, p. 74, abb. 8). 360 Two pits of the Lăpuş II—Gáva I horizon uncovered a large number of fragments of demolished hearths (see bellow). 361 The northern side of the pit S35 complex 2 was cut by the blade of an excavator, which also “bit” of a bowl, too, but its other half remained on the base of the pit, standing (PI. 40). 56
