UTILIZATION OF SOME NON-FLINT LITHIC RAW MATERIALS IN THE PALAEOLITHIC IN THE CSERHÁT MOUNTAINS AND THE GALGA VALLEY (NORTHERN HUNGARY) (original) (raw)
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Quartz and quartzite as a lithic raw materials in the Hungarian Palaeolithic
Archaeometry Workshop No. 2019/2., 65-84., 2019
Due to the petrological features and the inferior knapping quality, quartz and quartzite were regarded as secondary lithic sources. Since the low morphological standardization of the products made of these raw materials cannot enable a simple, easy „technological reading”, for a long time the analysis of lithic tools made of quartz and quartzite was not as intensive as of others made of better quality raw materials. Furthermore, during the analyses, an attempt was generally made to generalize the technical criteria associated with different siliceous raw materials to quartz and quartzite. This phenomenon is the so-called „flint syndrome“, the use of a flint artefact typology for the analysis of quartz or quartzite assemblages without taking into consideration the raw material differences. Only in the last decades has the erroneous, inadequate aspect of this approach been realized by specialists. It is only in these recent years that specific attention has been paid to these raw materials, systematic research has begun in countries where the one or the other raw material plays a significant role in the lithic stone industries. In the research of the Hungarian Palaeolithic, the judgement of these raw materials has been always rather controversial. The primary goal of this paper is not a detailed discussion of Hungarian Palaeolithic sites, but merely to raise awareness of this problem associated with these raw materials and perhaps altering their perception. The following short overview of the archaeological sites is not exhaustive, can be regarded only as indicative. Furthermore, during the analyses, an attempt was generally made to generalize the technical criteria associated with different siliceous raw materials to quartz and quartzite. This phenomenon is the so-called "flint syndrome", the use of a flint artefact typology for the analysis of quartz or quartzite assemblages without taking into consideration the raw material differences. Only in the last decades has the erroneous, inadequate aspect of this approach been realized by specialists. It is only in these recent years that specific attention has been paid to these raw materials, systematic research has begun in countries where the one or the other raw material plays a significant role in the lithic stone industries. In the research of the Hungarian Palaeolithic, the judgement of these raw materials has been always rather controversial. The primary goal of this paper is not a detailed discussion of Hungarian Palaeolithic sites, but merely to raise awareness of this problem associated with these raw materials and perhaps altering their perception. The following short overview of the archaeological sites is not exhaustive, can be regarded only as indicative.
Archaeometry Workshop No. 2019/2., 2019
Due to the petrological features and the inferior knapping quality, quartz and quartzite were regarded as secondary lithic sources. Since the low morphological standardization of the products made of these raw materials cannot enable a simple, easy „technological reading”, for a long time the analysis of lithic tools made of quartz and quartzite was not as intensive as of others made of better quality raw materials. Furthermore, during the analyses, an attempt was generally made to generalize the technical criteria associated with different siliceous raw materials to quartz and quartzite. This phenomenon is the so-called „flint syndrome“, the use of a flint artefact typology for the analysis of quartz or quartzite assemblages without taking into consideration the raw material differences. Only in the last decades has the erroneous, inadequate aspect of this approach been realized by specialists. It is only in these recent years that specific attention has been paid to these raw materials, systematic research has begun in countries where the one or the other raw material plays a significant role in the lithic stone industries. In the research of the Hungarian Palaeolithic, the judgement of these raw materials has been always rather controversial. The primary goal of this paper is not a detailed discussion of Hungarian Palaeolithic sites, but merely to raise awareness of this problem associated with these raw materials and perhaps altering their perception. The following short overview of the archaeological sites is not exhaustive, can be regarded only as indicative.
RAW MATERIAL USE AT THE MIDDLE PALAEOLITHIC SITE OF VANYARC (NORTHERN HUNGARY)
At the Middle Palaeolithic site of Vanyarc a large sample of chipped stone artefacts were collected and excavated in the last years. On typological grounds the industry is characterized by bifacial and leaf shaped tools. In the raw material spectra, beside the dominating local limnic quartzite variants, the high ratio of the Szeletian felsitic porphyry should be stressed: one third of the assemblage was made of this rock, coming from 95 km as the crow fl ies. Quartzite, nummulithic chert and radiolarite pebbles from the nearby outcrops were used at the site in smaller quantities. The paper deals with the use of the different raw material types, based on the preliminary typological, technological and refi tting studies of the excavated assemblage.
A. Péntek: Quartz and quartzite as raw materials in the Hungarian Palaeolithic
Considered as second-rate lithic raw materials by the traditional typological studies, quartz and quartzite have varied mechanical and petrological characteristics. Therefore, it is not surprising that they are among the earliest lithic sources. In the research of the Hungarian Palaeolithic, somewhat surprisingly the judgement of these raw materials was always rather controversary. This is despite the fact that in several Western-European countries in (e.g. France, Spain, Portugal) there are numerous sites from the Lower Palaeolithic to the Chalcolithic Age where it has been utilized. The primary target of this paper is not to discuss the Hungarian sites where quartz or quartzite occurence is reported, but merely raise awareness to the problem of these raw materials.
Hungarian Historical Review 9, no. 2 332–343., 2020
Stones as raw materials are important environmental resources often found at prehistoric sites. Since their various types essentially retained their original geological features, it is generally relatively easy to identify their origin. Nevertheless, there is hardly any systematic research on late prehistoric stone raw materials. Furthermore, these materials are mentioned very inconsistently and the geological terms, definitions and analyzes are absent from the discussions. The general picture that we can sketch based on secondary literature is therefore mosaic-like. However, it is by no means impossible to identify extraction sites. Based on on-site experience and using modern analyzes, it is possible, for example, to differentiate between individual types of sandstone and andesite. From the perspective of future research, analyzes of late Iron Age stone materials from wellstudied archaeological contexts could contribute to understand better how stones as raw materials were used in late prehistoric periods.
Archeovest V1 – In Honorem Doina Benea Interdisciplinariate ȋn Archeologie şi Istorie, Asoia ția Archeovest, 2017
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Among the Palaeolithic sites localized in the surroundings of the village of Becske (Nógrád County, Northern-Hungary) the Becske−Júlia-major site yielded a relatively rich chipped stone assemblage. The lithic assemblage can be classified as Palaeolithic. Only two artefacts, a fragment of a polished hand-axe and a retouched blade fragment with use-wear traces allude to the younger Stone Age, probably to the Middle Neolithic Zselíz or the Late Neolithic Lengyel culture. The overwhelming majority of the finds was made of local raw materials, such as limnic silicite and siliceous pebble. Among the regional raw materials, the ratio of the Carpathian radiolarite is very significant. Of the long-distance raw materials, the felsitic porphyry (metarhyolite) occurs in greater amounts. The cultural affiliation of an obsidian nodule can not be determined. At the site, there are peculiar raw material utilization zones. The usage of the limnic silicite and siliceous pebble was common all over, but the felsitic porphyry and radiolarite appear to be mutually exclusive. The lithic material implies the presence of a typical flake industry (or industries), the laminarity is very low. In the tool-kit, besides the varied end-scrapers, leaf-shaped tools, side-scrapers and bifacial tools can be found. Based on the typological image, the likely heterogeneous assemblage belongs to Late Middle Palaeolithic or Early Upper Palaeolithic industries with leaf-shaped tools. The characteristic method applied by the leaf-shaped tools is the so-called "wechselseitig-gleichgerichtete Kantenbearbeitung", which in the Hungarian Palaeolithic usually can be related either to the Micoquian−Bábonyian or the Szeletian industry. The artefacts made of Carpathian radiolarite can be attributed partly to a developed Upper Palaeolithic or even an Epipalaeolithic industry. As regards the text of this paper, it is a slightly modified and extended version of the draft of 2015, which was written in the Hungarian language. Unfortunately enough, the author had no opportunity to photo the artefacts that are already in the collection of the Hungarian National Museum.
Differences in the selection of raw materials at the site of Polgár-Csőszhalom, northeast Hungary
Chipped stone artefacts played an important role in sustaining human life not just in the Palaeolithic, but in the Neolithic period also. The raw material preferences and choices became more indicative as more complex settlements and societies emerged. Chipped stones in different contexts teach us to take into consideration the many aspects of the prehistoric worldview. The Late Neolithic site of Polgár-Csőszhalom reflects well this combined phenomenon, where two different habitation units (tell and horizontal settlement), two different geographical regions (Central Europe and the Balkans), two different aspects of life (ritual and profane) met and mixed with each other. Although we would like to think of these categories as more plastic and permeable for the prehistoric people, it is worth trying to investigate separately the various situations in which chipped stone artefacts played their role. Through these analyses it became clear that generally the local raw material is more related to the supposed everyday life part of the settlement, while the tell is more oriented toward distant sources. In the meantime, in other situations the stone itself became a medium and bears a significance, no matter which type was used. In some cases, the choice of raw material and technology used may have been dictated by practical reasons, without any other underlying motivation.
Regular field research in the Cserhát Mountains over the past two decades has greatly supplemented and enriched our knowledge of the Palaeolithic of Hungary. Further processing of surface-collected assemblages can provide further insight into the Palaeolithic cultures of the area. The processing of the assemblage of the Legénd-Káldy-farm 5 site can be considered as filling the gap with the assemblages that have been processed so far, in particular, the assemblage of the Legénd-Káldy-farm site complex. Although the material of the site Legénd-Káldy-farm 5 is small in number, it contributes significantly to the knowledge of the chipped lithic industries not only of the Cserhát Mountains but North Hungarian Mid-Mountains as well. Legénd-Káldy-farm 5 presents the picture of an explicit "pebble industry". It cannot be clearly classified culturally, although it has many features of Middle and Upper Palaeolithic cultures known in Northeast Hungary (Moustérian, Micoquian-Bábonyian, Szeletian, Aurignacian). To expand our knowledge, it is essential to continue the existing field researches and to initiate further researches, during which excavations can clarify the age of the assemblages and their relative position.