Marta, Livius et al.: The Late Bronze Age Settlement of Nyíregyháza-Oros „Úr Csere” (Satu Mare, 2010)
III. Dan V. Sana: Archaeological Complexes and Surface Management int he Settlement
ameter, located in most of the cases in the upper part, varies from 60 cm (complex no. 265) up to 210 cm (pit 194). One can remark that almost all the pits of this type have large sizes, exceeding 120 cm in diameter. The depth of the complexes is between 30 and 120 cm from the outlining level. Their inventory is varied, consisting in general of domestic refuse (ceramic fragments, animal bones, burnt clay-and-straw mortar, etc.). Very few of them have no materials in the filling (see, for instance, complexes 244 and 265), while only one complex (268) had a deposit of horns on its bottom. 2. The pits with bag-shaped or irregular/distorted profile represent a large category, too. They generally have a narrower mouth, with a diameter between 70 and 160 cm and a wider base, with a diameter between 100 and 200 cm. The depth varies between 30 and 135 cm from the outline level. The inventory is similar to the one of the pits in the first category. As in the case of the previously mentioned category, a small part of the pits of this kind have no materials in the filling (complexes 260, 264, 266). The fact that the vast majority of complexes with deposits of offerings (13, 19, 32, 33, 34, 245, 263) have irregular profile should be noted. 3. Pits with cylindrical profile. 24 such complexes, with flat walls and circular ground-plan were discovered, their diameter ranging between 100 and 180 cm and their depth between 15 and 140 cm from the outline level. In terms of inventory, we must say that this category includes complexes lacking archeological materials, too, being located in the area of the deposits (see complexes 17,227,259,267) while a complex (286), given its content, seems to have had a special role. If in the case of some contemporary settlements, some of the pits have been interpreted as a result of the clay extracting31, the sandy soil of our site simplifies the interpretation possibilities. Therefore, as mentioned before, regardless of their shape, a careful analysis of the archaeological complexes allows, in terms of destination, their dividing into two categories. a) Food-store pits/domestic refuse pits. The vast majority of the pits explored in the settlement, at „Úr-Csere” location, belong to this category. None of them had burnt walls or traces of clay plaster which means that their exploitation period must have been extremely reduced. Hence, the large number of them. The presence, however, of some dense lenticular deposits of ash or burn makes us admit the possibility that a number of 31 Bejinariu 2003, p. 101. 17
