Selmeczi László szerk.: Szolnok Megyei Múzeumi Évkönyv (1982-83)

M. R. Csányi: Finds of the Nagyrév Culture in the Middle Tisza Region

earliest burial, but no chronological differences can be discerned between the other graves. There is, thus, no connection whatsoever between the burial rite and the chronology of the burials (especially since inhumation burials are also known from the late phase of the Nagyrév culture

: see grave 2 of Tiszainoka, to be discussed later). The evidence presented above may perhaps indicate a higher propotion of inhumation burials in the Great Hungarian Plain during the early phase of the culture. The analysis of the finds from Szolnok-Szőiősihalom and Tószeg-Ökörhalom will be given according to vessel types, for the material cannot be divided into grave assemblages. 1. Urns. Vessel types with cavilinear necks and out-turning rims (PI. 10:2,5, PI. 13:1,6-7, PI. 14:5). A thumb-indented applique band encircles the lower third of the vessel in certain cases (PI. 13:6). They are paralleled by finds from Szanda and the material from earlier excavations at Ökörhalom.82 A variant with a cylindrical neck is known from contemporary unearthed in near Budapest.

8 з There is a ovoid variant, represented by a single specimen (PI. 12:2), which has its analogues at Nagyrév and in a grave assemblage from Tószeg-Laposhalom.

84 The relatively large number of urns implies that there were a number of urn burials. 2. Jugs. This is the most frequent type of vessel in these cemeteries. Their occurence corroborates the assertion that the biconical (PI. 10:la-b, PI. 11:1-2, PI. 12:3-4, PI. 14:3-5) and the shortnecked, globular types without shoulders can be assigned to the early phase of the culture.

85 A jug with similar propotions to the one shown in PI. 10:1 was found in grave 193 of the Szőreg cemetery.

86 The widening of the handle under the rim is a characteristic feature of the early Nagyrév period, and can also be observed on vessels from Szőreg. 3. Cups and bowls. All characteristic variants of the Nagyrév culture are represented (PI. 11:4, PI. 12:5 and PI. 11:8-9). Their parallels have already been mentioned in the analysis of similar forms at Rákóczifalva. The cup which in profile has a wavy appearance (PI. 11:4) has several analogous types,

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"? but rarely occurs in the late phase of the culture. A somewhat similar, but not identical form is known from grave 176 of Szőreg.

87a Other forms are only represented by single specimen. 4. Pot. This is characteristic type of the Ökorhalom phase (PI. 13:2). 1st analogues have been listed in connection with the similar vessel unearthed in grave 138 of Rákóczifalva. 5. Amphora. Together with the incrustated vessel, it is the earliest type of the Szolnok-Szőiősihalom cemetery

88 (PI. 11:7). This globular, narrow-necked form with an incised pattern is more characteristic of the period preceding the Nagyrév culture, the Makó type.

89 Its slender, wider-mouthed, globular variant is regarded as the characteristic tpye of the Kőtörés group by István Bona.

90 6. Mug. Similar forms are known from Nagyrév sites lying along the Danube.

91 Its variants with a thick constricted base were in use during the early phase of culture, as this already been mentioned in the analysis of truncated conical bowls (PI. 11:5). A variant with a flat base survives into the late phase of the Nagyrév culture (see the specimens from Fegyvernek and Kunszentmárton: Pl. 14:1,3). 7. Pot. A rare form (PI. 11:5). A similar vessel is known from Tószeg-Ökörhalom.

91a Analogues types are known from grave 4 of Kökénydomb

92 and the Szava settlement of the Somogyvár-Vinkovci group.

93 8. Mug. A related, but not identical type (PI. 10:4, PI. 11:6). The vessel shown in PI. 10:4 is matched by specimens from graves 179 and 184 at Szőreg, as well as grave 4 of the Ószentiván

94 cemetery and Röszke ;

95 with the occurence of a pedestalled variant-an influence of the Nagyrév culture-in the Óbuda and Pitvaros cemeteries.

96 This is clear evidence of the close connections between the Nagyrév culture and the Pitvaros group. There are no occurences among the finds of the Bell Beaker-Csepel group published so far, but the form can be seen in plate showing the caracteristic vessel types.

97 9. Pedestalled vessel (PI. 12:la-b). One of the most important pieces of the finds, for it shows both southern and western cultural influences, a phenomenon highly characteristic of this period. A matching piece, but without a pedestal, was found at Dunaalmás,

98 and other analogous finds arealso known from more distant regions: Bohemia-Moravia, Silesia, among the finds of the Proto-Unetice culture.

99 The perforated pedestal can be ascribed to southern influences. The historical evaluation of the early phase of the Nagyrév culture is rendered somewhat difficult by the fact that in the middle Tisza region its material culture is known exclusively from cemeteries. The types and the distribution of the pottery deposited beside the deceased is not identical with that used in everyday life, as has been convincingly shown by the differences between the finds from the cemetery and those from the settlement excavated at Békásmegyer.

100 This phenomenon complements an observation made by István Bona, that the pottery deposited beside the deceased is of bad quality, poorly fired, and cannot be regarded as being for everyday use; consequently, they were specially made for the deceased.

101 The lack of an early Nagyrév settlement at Tószeg is especially puzzling, since the Ökörhalom cemetery lies at a distance of about 800 metres from Laposhalom, probably the ideal distance between settlement and cemetery. However, the tell-settlement at Laposhalom has not yet yielded material which would indicate a settlement during the earliest phase of the Nagyrév culture.

102 The few finds listed above nevertheless imply that traces on earlier but less extensive settlement will perhaps eventually be found at the bottom of the mound. The late phase of the Nagyrév culture is represented by the two graves excavated at Tiszainoka. The "broom-brushed" pot shaped urn unearthed in grave 1 (PI. 9:6) is matched by pieces among Kulcs-type assemblages.

103 No chronological importance can be attributed to the flat, perforated so-called wristguards (PI. 9:5), since these were used during all phases of the Nagyrév culture. Their earliest occurence can be assigned to assemblages that also comprised finds of the Bell Beaker culture. The vessel found in grave 2 (pi. 9:10) is one of the most charecteristic types of late Nagyrév settlements and cemeteries. István Bona pointed out that the influence of the Perjámos culture can most readily be demonstrated on this vessel form.

104 Variants without a pedestal occur more frequently in sites lying along the Danube.

105 Similar and somewhat different variants with and without pedestals were found at Tószeg.

106 The handled cup (PI. 14:1) and the vessel from Fegyvernek shown in Pi. 14a can also be assigned to this type, thus dating the site to the late of the Nagyrév culture. The antecedents of the handled cup • (Pi. 14:3) also found at Törökszentmiklós can be traced to the early Nagyrév period, as shown by the vessel with a thick constricted base unearthed at Szolnok-Szőiősihalom (Pl. 11:5). The dating of the single-handled jugs which constitute the majority of the finds published as yet is not unambiguous. Since the find contexts and associations are, for the greater part, unknown, their dating must also be based on typological considerations which, however, does not necessarily imply a secure dating in each and every case. Consequently I shall only deal with those vessels which can be securely dated in terms relative chronology. I shall first discuss jugs that can definitely be dated to the late phase. The long necked, squat globular jug found at Újbög (Pl. 14:4) and the jug fragment from Tiszaföldvár (Pl. 14:2) are matched by specimens among the finds from TószegLaposhalom,

107 and can thus be assigned to the classical or late phase of this culture. Slightly more globular jugs from Szelevény (Pl. 14:6, Pl. 17:4 and perhaps Pl. 15:5) are highly 64