This paper summarizes the archaeological context, objectives, methods and the preliminary results of an archaeometrical research project that started some years ago in order to characterize the oldest pottery production of Hungary from Early Neolithic sites of the Körös-Starčevo Culture (dated to the first half and middle of the VI millennium cal BC in a comparative study. To reach this goal, different scientific techniques - including petrography, X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (XRF), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), SEM and electron-microprobe analysis - were used. Starevo culture represents the north-westernmost aspect of the large Early Neolithic archaeological complex of the Balcans, which comprises towards the north-east the Körös culture and furthermore eastward, the Criş culture. In Hungary the Körös culture spreads in the Great Hungarian Plain, while Starčevo occupies the southern part of Transdanubia, reaching its northernmost borders at lake Balaton (Kalicz et al., 1998). These cultures show strong similarities in their material culture. The characteristic pottery of the period is homogenous in form and macroscopic features over a wide area, suggesting a high degree of cultural contacts and transmission of technological skills. Representative pottery samples were studied from five different Neolithic settlements of the Körös Culture and compared to those coming from one Starčevo Culture site, namely Vörs. Moreover other fired clay artefacts of the Körös Culture (net weights, plaster) were also studied. Both Körös and Starčevo pottery products have a fine-grained, dominantly serial fabric, with a porous texture, containing vegetal tempering material, probably chaff. In some samples rounded, pebble-like, almost opaque inclusions can also be found. Petrography of ceramics and geochemistry of nodules suggest that argillaceous silt or silty clay was used as raw material for manufacturing pottery. Macroscopically, all the potsherds have a "sandwich-like" structure (black core and brownish red margin). Compositional differences between the core and the margins show that ceramics were fired at low temperature (maximum 700-750 °C) with short soaking times and high heating rate. Data available so far seem to confirm the great homogeneity - already noticed at stylistic level - of the ceramic production of the Early Neolithic in Hungary. Probably local clay sources were exploited for pottery production throughout a long period, most probably indicating cultural transmission within groups belonging to a traditionally structured, technologically stable society. This research is conducted in the framework of the Hungarian-Italian Intergovernmental Science&Technology Co-operation Program 2004-2007, Project "Archaeometry of the first ceramic pirotechnology in the Carpathian Basin".

Kora neolitikus kerámia készìtés Magyarországon: á Körös és Starcevo kultúra kerámiáinak összehasonlító archeometriai vizsgálata

Starnini E
2004-01-01

Abstract

This paper summarizes the archaeological context, objectives, methods and the preliminary results of an archaeometrical research project that started some years ago in order to characterize the oldest pottery production of Hungary from Early Neolithic sites of the Körös-Starčevo Culture (dated to the first half and middle of the VI millennium cal BC in a comparative study. To reach this goal, different scientific techniques - including petrography, X-Ray Fluorescence analysis (XRF), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), SEM and electron-microprobe analysis - were used. Starevo culture represents the north-westernmost aspect of the large Early Neolithic archaeological complex of the Balcans, which comprises towards the north-east the Körös culture and furthermore eastward, the Criş culture. In Hungary the Körös culture spreads in the Great Hungarian Plain, while Starčevo occupies the southern part of Transdanubia, reaching its northernmost borders at lake Balaton (Kalicz et al., 1998). These cultures show strong similarities in their material culture. The characteristic pottery of the period is homogenous in form and macroscopic features over a wide area, suggesting a high degree of cultural contacts and transmission of technological skills. Representative pottery samples were studied from five different Neolithic settlements of the Körös Culture and compared to those coming from one Starčevo Culture site, namely Vörs. Moreover other fired clay artefacts of the Körös Culture (net weights, plaster) were also studied. Both Körös and Starčevo pottery products have a fine-grained, dominantly serial fabric, with a porous texture, containing vegetal tempering material, probably chaff. In some samples rounded, pebble-like, almost opaque inclusions can also be found. Petrography of ceramics and geochemistry of nodules suggest that argillaceous silt or silty clay was used as raw material for manufacturing pottery. Macroscopically, all the potsherds have a "sandwich-like" structure (black core and brownish red margin). Compositional differences between the core and the margins show that ceramics were fired at low temperature (maximum 700-750 °C) with short soaking times and high heating rate. Data available so far seem to confirm the great homogeneity - already noticed at stylistic level - of the ceramic production of the Early Neolithic in Hungary. Probably local clay sources were exploited for pottery production throughout a long period, most probably indicating cultural transmission within groups belonging to a traditionally structured, technologically stable society. This research is conducted in the framework of the Hungarian-Italian Intergovernmental Science&Technology Co-operation Program 2004-2007, Project "Archaeometry of the first ceramic pirotechnology in the Carpathian Basin".
2004
Szakmány, Gy; Gherdán, K; Starnini, E
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/989527
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