Bodrogkeresztúr (Bodrogkeresztur)

Version 0.1

Maximilian O. Baldia

Under Construction!

Introduction

The purpose of this text is to provide a general overview of the culture and is intended as a resource for students and teachers of European Archaeology.

List of Figures

Moravian chronological table

Graph of C¹⁴ dates

List of Tables

Table of calibrated Bodrogkeresztúr radiocarbon dates

Location

The Hungarian Middle Copper Age (Eneolithic) Bodrogkeresztúr culture occupies the traditional Tiszapolgár culture area plus the sandy interfluves between the Tisza and the Danube.

Dating

The C¹⁴ dates from the cemetery of Tiszapolgár-Basatanya have been interpreted as indicating a considerable overlap between the Tiszapolgár culture and Bodrogkeresztúr. However, Table 1 shoes that the standard deviations of these dates range between ±130 to ±220 (Forenbaher 1993), making it difficult to interpret the chronology. Only the four Groningen laboratory dates from Tiszalúc, determined from bone, provide sufficient accuracy to date Bodrogkeresztúr culture. They range from ca. 4000/3900 – 3700/3600 cal BC (Table 1, Graph of C¹⁴ dates.

Evolution

The Hungarian Middle Copper Age starts with the Bodrogkeresztúr culture, which is in many ways continuation of the Tiszapolgár culture. Hungarian archaeologists interpret the appearance of Bodrogkeresztúr pottery between the Danube bend and the Jászág River as a replacement of Lengyel sites. Increased interaction with Balaton-Lasinja culture of Transdanubia is suspected.

Pottery

While the Tiszpolgár vessels were open vessels, the Bodrogkeresztúr pottery exhibits more restricted vessel openings. In addition to the older designs, meandering bands enclosing incised squares and white encrusted, incised designs appear.

Enclosures

Lengyel-like enclosure occur. For example, Szarvas 38 is a large enclosure (roundel) in the Békés district of Southeast Hungary.

Settlement/Houses

The center of the Alföld is thought to have been abandoned while its edges became the focus of settlement (Sherratt 1997). Dispersed small settlements are similar those of the previous period.

Copper

The number and variety of copper artifacts increases considerably compared to the Early Copper Age. There is a broad variety of copper implements ranging from complicated shaft hole axes, adzes, hammer-axes and hoe-like hammers, broad lance-shaped daggers, chisels, awls and needles.[1] Copper axes increase in burials and as stray finds.[2]

Economy

Bodrogkeresztúr is thought to continue with the economic endeavors as the Tiszapolgár.

References and Credits

Forenbaher, Stašo

1993 Radiocarbon dates and absolute chronology of the central European Early Bronze Age. Antiquity 67 1993:218-220, 235-256.

Schalk, Emily

1998 Die Entwicklung der prähistorischen Metallurgie im nördlichen Karpatenbecken. Eine typologische und metallanalytische Untersuchung. Internationale Archäologie: Naturwissenschaft und Technologie 1. Verlag Marie Leidorf 1998. Rahden/Westf.

Sherratt, Andrew

1997 Economy and society in prehistoric Europe: changing perspectives. Princeton, N.J. Princeton University Press, 1997.

Please send comments or questions to Max Baldia.