Marta, Livius et al.: The Late Bronze Age Settlement of Nyíregyháza-Oros „Úr Csere” (Satu Mare, 2010)
I. Nagy L. Márta: Natural Environment
I. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT The late Bronze Age settlement „Úr-Csere” of Oros is located in the Nir Plain, west of Nyíregyháza and south-east of Oros locality. The Nir Plain is a high one (the second largest in Hungary), taking the shape of an island surrounded by low, floodable plains. The most characteristic geological formation on the surface of Nir Plain is the flying sand, gathered by the wind in the form of dunes. The low areas between the dunes are damp, they are sometimes retaining the water throughout the year'. The settlement of Oros is located on such a dune of sandy loess, being part of a wave saddle placed on the line Nyíregyháza-Ujhértó2. The original line, oriented strictly north-south, was slightly modified by the wind3. The dunes ridge is bordered on both sides by the drained valleys of some former channels which used to serve at running out the rain waters or the waters resulted from the snow melting4. The settlement is bordered to the west by the large valley of Kállai Rivulet. There is evidence saying that its flowing rate during the medieval period was higher than the current one. The ridge of hills on which the settlement is located is bordered to the east by the valley of Balkányi Rivulet. The two rivulets bordering the dunes ridge get together at the northern edge of the settlement, the wetlands surrounding the settlements on three sides. Consequently, the position of the sand dune on which the late Bronze Age settlement was set up, could be regarded as a privileged one. As it can be seen, the Nyíregyháza-Oros area had all the necessary conditions for living and thus people sat on its territory since the Neolithic5. The above presented geological formations have the best agricultural land in the Nir Plain6. The swampy areas that surround the site at north, south and east are rich in hydrophilic plants that could be grazed during the dry periods of the year or even during the winter. Given the river proximity, fishing as a source of food could be considered as well, while the hunting could also constitute an important occupation, because of the 1 Frisnyák 1933, p. 17; Frisnyák 2004, p. 23. 2 Borsy 1961, p. 37. 3 Miskolczy 2003, p. 22-23. 4 Frisnyák 1993, p. 36. 5 Bóna 1986. 6 Borsy 1961, p. 50. 9
