In contrast to other contemporaneous cultural groups, the Otomani Füzesabony cultural complex (OFCC) is conspicuous, inter alia, due to covering a relatively wide geographical area. Within it can be observed a high variability of source bases, which is conditioned by the differing emergence and adaptation backgrounds, as well as by a varying length of duration across different geographical regions. To make things worse, this diversity of archaeological sources is reflected also in the different use of terminology and in various absolute and relative chronological systems. When dealing with the chronological issues of the OFCC in the territory of Eastern Slovakia the fortified settlement in Spišský Štvrtok, deserves special consideration. Despite the absence of any absolute dates from the site, significantly represented material culture allows one to review its relative chronological framework. In this respect, the morpho typology of selected pottery and metal artefacts, together with their decorative motifs, provide useful information about its relative chronology. A formalised description of jugs, which represent the chronologically most sensitive group of pottery, allows for a partial use of statistical methods as well. As a result, we can obtain a relatively comprehensive view of the initial phase, the length of occupation, and the abandonment period of the fortified settlement. In combination with 14C dates this information might in future contribute to a more exact understanding of the chronological relations within a wider area of East Central Europe.
The artifacts made of bone and antler were a significant part of material culture during Early Bronze Age in the area of Carpathian Basin. They reflect whole range of aspects connected with past communities, e. g. economy, social organisation, relationship with the natural environment, relations among different social units, trade contacts, their intensity and direction, the scale of production, its organisation and quality etc. The main purpose of this paper is to infer partly those aspects on example of artifacts founded in the area of fortified settlement in Spišský Štvrtok, which is generally dated to Otomani-Füzesabony cultural complex. Within the meaning of contextual approach, all artefacts were subjected to zoological analysis for the purpose of determination of animal species and anatomic location. Applying macro- and microscopic technological-morphological analysis on chosen objects, we are able to distinguish manufacturing and functional traces as well as to identify production characteristics, techniques, methods, probable toolkit and function. Acquired knowledge was used for reconstruction of operational sequences separately for bone and antler artefacts. Those connected with morphological and typological classification in the context of analogical finds provide important information about status and meaning of bone and antler artifacts in techno-complex in selected period and space. On example of the collection from Spišský Štvrtok, we are able to define strategies of raw material section, production techniques and methods with potential chronological informative value, scale and quality of production, necessary toolkit for production. Those are analyzed in the context of settlement itself in addition to the context of the end of Early Bronze Age in Carpathian Basin.
When it comes to Bronze Age, the archaeological site Gánovce is mainly known due to significant finds collection from the filling of a ritual well, which was excavated in the location Hrádok during the travertine exploitation. There is less information available about the settlement agglomerations, which surrounded and was connected to this locality of Central-European importance. One of them was situated in the close proximity on the eastern edge of the site Hrádok, at the location Za stodolami. Most of the archaeological finds, which were there acquired by several surface prospections during 2019–2020 can be dated to the end of Early Bronze Age and fully reflect the traditions of Otomani-Füzesabony Cultural Complex. In addition to ceramic, a significant collection of ground stone artefacts, pottery, and bone tools have been documented. Among those were identified two fragmentary preserved moulds made of stone, which were analysed by SEM-EDX method confirming the presence of melted metal. Thus they reliably prove the local metallurgical production, which along with the other craft activities could have significant economic meaning for the community inhabiting the surroundings of the central site Gánovce-Hrádok.
JavaScript jest wyłączony w Twojej przeglądarce internetowej. Włącz go, a następnie odśwież stronę, aby móc w pełni z niej korzystać.