MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND YOUTH „LUCIAN BLAGA” UNIVERSITY, SIBIU „NICOLAE LUPU” FACULTY OF HISTORY DOCTORAL DISSERTATION SUMMARY The Neolithic in Nord­West of Romania and neighbouring area ADVISER Prof. PhD GHEORGHE LAZAROVICI DOCTORALCANDIDATE Virag Cristian SIBIU, 2008 The Neolithic in Nord­West of Romania and neighbouring area Geografic enviroment In the past, people’s life was more closely influenced by the natural environment than nowadays. The settling of human communities and the human behavior in a certain geographical area are directly influenced by the relief, by the existent resources and by the communicational possibilities. On the other hand, the human activities influenced the natural environment of an area by modifying it. The touch of man reached dramatic proportions, especially in the recent years, human activity radically transformed the natural environment. These general observations are valid for the greatest part of the European continent, and are prominent on the present territory of Satu Mare county. The various reliefs of the territory determined an uneven exploitation, according to the opportunities offered to use the resources. The relation between man and the environment from Satu Mare County was different throughout the time. If we look retrospectively to the natural environment of the county in the last centuries, it can be noticed the difference between its aspect then and today. The human activities carried out especially during the last two centuries have transformed it radically. The birth of the new geographical units – Ecedea Plain and Ier Plain – can be mentioned, as a consequence of draining the two swamps. The draining of the Ecedea Swamp at the end of the 19th century meant the destruction of one of the largest swamp­areas in Europe. More major modifications of the landscape in other areas of the county were produced by regularization of the river­courses by damming up and cutting the curves. In this sense, the biggest change was made with the regularization of the inferior course of Someş river, the inferior course of Homorod river, the building of the dams in the valleys of Crasna and Tur, and in the inferior courses of rivers Maja, Talna and Valea Rea etc. The draining of the swamps and the controlling of river courses decreased the floods and increased the surface of agricultural fields, but, at the same time, it reduced dramatically the swampy land, rich in various resources. The spatial distribution of the archaeological finds shows differences from one age to another in the inhabitance of different territories. The preference for certain areas was determined by the way of wielding the natural resources specific for each period. In the Neolithic Age, when agriculture was practiced exclusively by hand, are favored the low and humid lands from the shores of the swamps and rivers. This land was easier tilled with simple tools made of wood, stone and bones. Prehistoric communities preferred to set their dwellings alongside rivers, on heights with the aspect of small hills or banks, dominating the surroundings. These island­like points were safe places against floods. In this sense, on the territory of Satu Mare County, the edge of the Ecedea and Ier Swamps is the richest in Neolithic settlements. Historic of the research. An archaeological collection was created in the region of Ciumeşti–Berea, called Kovács­collection, in the 1960’s. The Calvinist priest of Berea, Gyula Kovács started to collect archaeological finds from the region of Ciumeşti, Foieni and Sanislău, advised by doctor Ernő Andrássy. The information provided by Kovács collection, led to the systematic researches carried out in the sites Ciumeşti II–Păşune, Berea I, IX, X–XI, between 1962 and 1965. Further research was made by Eugen Comşa and János Németi in the regions of Carei, Dindeşti, Moftinu Mic, Tiream, Văşad, and in the sites of Pişcolt–Nisipărie, –Lutărie, –Cărămidărie, between 1970 and 1982. Most of these were rescue excavation. The issue of the early Neolithic in North­Western Romania was somehow clarified by the results of the excavations in Homorodu de Sus, Homorodu de Mijloc and Dumbrava in the 1970’s and 80’s. During the last two decades, important discoveries were made in the sites of Tăşnad– Sere (where the late Neţa Iercoşan worked for over a decade) and Călineşti­Oaş – Dâmbul Sfintei Mării, the northernmost point of the Starčevo–Criş culture from Romania. The researches of the last two decades were rescue excavation; only one systematic research was made in Pişcolt, by János Németi, starting from 1995. The results, however, remained unpublished. In addition, two excavations were started at the sites Halmeu–Vamă and Urziceni–Vamă, during the last five years. Starčevo­Criş descouveries have also been made beyong the limit which has been imposed by hungarian siencemen for the area of Köröş group establishing the north limit in Beretău Valley ((Kalicz, Makkay 1977, p. 18­19; Comşa 1960, p. 217­218; Kalicz 1971, p. 146­147). Such discovery also exist at Nadykörübol, Nadycsed, Tiszabezded, Fenyeslitke, Tiszacsege, Retközberencs, Mehtelek in Ungaria, and Buciumi, Chendu, Ciumeşti, Dej, Dragu, Fughiu, Homorod, Moigrad, Sarciu, Zăuan, Tăşnad etc. in România (Lazarovici, Németi 1983, p. 25). The Piscolt Group The Neolithic Group of Piscolt is a cultural group which unfolds itself in North­ West of Romania and which frames in the large space of a painted pottery culture. This space is certificaded in Transilvania but also in the East of Hungary, Slovacia and Ucraina (Potushniak 1997, p. 37­39). The origin of this group is in the old Starčevo background, influenced by Vinča elements from the fields to which there was added the contribution of the Szolnok ­ Szanda, Öcsöd ­ Kitiro, Kötelek, Tiszavolk – Negyes types, genesis that accured at Starčevo Criș IVA – Vinča A2/A3 level, being contemporary with Oszentiván VIII, Starčevo IV and the genesis of the Alfőld and the early east Slovakian linear. This cultural group was redefined because the most representative and numerous materials were discovered at Piscolt and not at Ciumesti. The space of this group is welldelimited by the existence of some stations between the Tur valey and Crisul Repede. The pottery is degreasing of the paste with silt and vegetal remains. The ornaments consisted in impressing with the finger or nail, pinches and less winding or zigzag incisions, short cuts, shared portions, indented and alveolated belts. The painted ornaments consisted of short vertical bands, zigzag lines spared in pozitiv by painting in black, angular bands under the lip, wide bandes in angles, curved lines and lines with spots. The pottery forms are the ones specific for this chronological horizont: cilindrical, spherical sides large and medium pots; large and medium size pots with a high, narrowed neck; conical and frequently deep bowls, small, spherical cups with a narrowed throat; tulip shaped vasel on tall cylindrical and bell shaped pedestral; amphora like pots with high, cylindrical neck. A major problem of romanian archaeology is represented by the fact that every research of a archaeogical settlement is going to transform itself in cultural facies, cultural aspect, grop or culture. We may say that there were many denomination for the archaeological group and culture: group Ceşmeu, group Suplacu de Barcău, Tisa II, Tisa–Herpály– Csőszhalom, Tisa II–Herpály, group Dumbrava­Suplac­Salca II­Seleuş, group Dumbrava, Salca­Herpály. Prehistoric communities preferred to set their dwellings alongside rivers, on heights with the aspect of small hills or banks, dominating the surroundings. These island­like points were safe places against floods. In this sense, on the territory of Satu Mare County, the edge of the Ecedea Swamp, situated on the line of Berveni, Cămin, Căpleni, Domăneşti, Moftinu Mare, Ghilvaci, Doba, Boghiş, and continuing beyond the border, is the richest in Neolithic settlements. Generally, the settlements were small, covering about 2–3 hectares with the average number of the population of 60­ 85 inhabitants. These types of settlements were set around a central settlement covering about 50 hectares. This type of settlement­network can be documented in all researched cultural horizons. Large settlements of this type were discovered in Tăşnad, Tăşnad–Sere, Pişcolt, Urziceni, Halmeu, Moftinu Mic, Homorodu de Sus, Carei, Berea, etc. Dwellings were either dug in the soil, either built at the surface. The subteranean houses were found in Tăşnad– Sere, Pişcolt, Urziceni, Halmeu, Moftinu Mic, Homorodu de Sus, Carei, Berea, etc., and they had among many inconveniences, the advantage of keeping cool in summer and warming up easier during winter. At the entrance was a sunken step on one side of the house, usually positioned to south. The heating was made with portable cooking vessels. Surface dwellings were found in Tăşnad–Sere, Moftinu Mic farming in Neolithic societies. The feminine statues depict pronounced feminine features: prominent breasts and hips marking womanhood and fertility. A great number of such statues were discovered in Tăşnad–Sere and Homorodu de Sus–Ograda Borzului. They were built of wood and clay, while wood was rarely used. Prehistoric communities proffered for constructions wicker­net and clay or just earth with straws and chaff. Usually the annexes had one of the walls against the wall of the house for practical purposes, this way the houses were loosing less warm during winter. These dwellings were not always provided with a source of heat inside, probably because the majority of the activities were implemented outside; therefore, the houses were mostly used for sleeping. The roof was made of straws, reed, and had a tent­like shape. The houses were short and thus protected from wind. Usually prehistoric people built their houses facing south, because of the lack of light and warmth. The verandah became the place for different house activities like spinning and weaving clothing articles. The houses used to have only one room.