Marta, Livius et al.: The Late Bronze Age Settlement of Nyíregyháza-Oros „Úr Csere” (Satu Mare, 2010)
VI. Liviu Marta: Stone and Clay Objects
VI. STONE AND CLAY OBJECTS The stone and clay objects are either part of the archeological complexes’ inventory or they were discovered in the vegetal layer on the surface of the Nyíregyháza-Oros settlement. Objects made of stone and clay existed in the ditch on the outskirts of the settlement (complex 200), too. The grinders and crushers are the most numerous among the stone objects, fragments of which being discovered in a great number of pits. Two complete pieces were found in pit 19 (PL 5/3,4). They have a flat, rectangular surface, slightly concave, probably due to their long use. The pieces discovered in the complex 19 distinguish themselves among the other grinders from the settlement, being stacked on the bottom of the pit, one above the other. The existence of some ritual deposits made in connection with the grains grinding and cultivating was long ago debated276, the deposits containing grinders continuing to be present during Bronze Age on a large territory of Europe277. Grinders discovered within a ritual context have been identified in several Late Bronze Age finds from the upper Tisa Basin and from Transylvania278, at Biharea being present in two deposits of Hadjdfibagos-Cehăluţ (Biharea)279 type. The ritual valences of the pit number 19 of Oros are suggested not only by the manner in which the pieces were arranged in the pit, but also by the location of the pit in an area with other pits of a possible ritual nature. A second category of stone objects are the moulds used to cast metal parts, which are presented together with the bronze pieces, together reflecting the metallurgical activity in the settlement. A blade fragment, made from obsidian, originates from a different type of stone tool (PI. 33/2). The blade was carved in such a manner to have both its edges sharp. Even if they are present in a relatively small number, the carved or polished stone objects continued to be used in the Upper Tisa region during the Late Bronze Age280. Weights are the most numerous objects made of clay, discovered in the settlement of Oros. Fragments of clay weights were discovered in many archaeological complexes. 276 Makkay 1978. 277 Stapel 1999, p. 108, note 496. 278 Nestor-Zaharia 1961, p. 174-176; Vasiliev et alii 1990, p.41, 151, PI. 13b; Marta 2008, p. 118. 279 Dumitraşcu 1994, p. 106. 280 Németi 1997, PI. 2/3; Kacsó 2003, PI. XXXVI/7,8; Marta 2009, p. 46, PI. 59/1. 55
