Jevišovice (Jevisovice)

2.02

Maximilian O. Baldia

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.

Location

The Jevišovice (Jevisovice) culture is named after the town in southern Moravia, where Paliardi discovered the general stratigraphy of the Moravian Eneolithic. The culture is confined to southern and parts of Central Moravia, as well as eastern Bohemia in the Czech Republic. It is also found across the border in Lower Austria. It is lately thought to exist in in Slovakia as well.

Dating

Dating of the culture is almost purely relative, i.e. it is based on the ceramic style and its perceived evolution. It is conventionally divided into an early Phase A and a later Phase B. Phase A must follow the late Funnel Beaker culture (Moravian TRB II), which is stylistically influenced Baden-Boleráz. Phase A is thought to develop in conjunction with the later phase or phases of the Baden culture, including Řivnáč (Rivnac) in Northern Bohemia. It coexists with the Central German Bernburg culture of the Funnel Beaker interactionsphere, is partly coeval with the Horgen culture of Northern Switzerland and Southern Germany, overlaps chronologically with the later Wartberg culture of West Germany and Cham in southeastern-most South Germany. Therefore I estimate its beginning between 3300/3200 cal BC. Influences from the Vucedol (Vučedol) culture of Southeastern Europe are also noted. The C¹⁴ dates for Vučedol range from ca. 3050 – 2450 cal BC. These dates roughly coincide with the few ¹⁴C dates for Jevišovice and may pertain to its Phase B. Phase B is chronologically and stylistically related to the Corded Ware culture. The Jevišovice (Jevisovice) culture is followed by the Kosihy-Čaka group of Moravia, Austria and western Hungary. This suggests that Jevišovice B ended around 2850-2750 cal BC.

Evolution

It seems to develop locally from the late Funnel Beaker culture (Moravian TRB II) and the Baden culture. Stratigraphically its artifacts appear in Layer B at Jevišovice. Later it develops Corded Ware culture affinities.

Pottery

The surface of the pottery is often roughened up to the neck. Different roughening techniques are used. Filled hanging triangles and other incised designs, appliqués around the start of the neck, numerous decorative knobs, etc. adorn the vessels. Ceramic figurines also occur.

Burials

Interments and cremations are known. Stone settings occur and rectilinear mounds similar to the Moravian TRB II Burial Mounds Type III are known from Austria.

Enclosures

Although Jevišovice (Jevisovice) artifacts occur in many hilltop enclosures, earlier cultures also occur in many of them.

Houses

Houses were built of waddle and daub. Whitewash has been observed. One may have been ca. 6.5 by 5 m in size.

Copper

Copper production shows complicated casting and includes modern looking axes with a shaft hole near the butt (blunt end of the ax), celts (ax heads without a shaft hole), and chisels.

References and Credits

Lenneis, E., C. Neugebauer-Maresch, E. Ruttkay

1995 Jungsteinzeit im Osten Österreichs. Forschungsberichte zur Ur- u. Frühgeschichte 17. Niederösterreichisches Pressehaus u. Verlagsgesellschaft, St. Pölten – Wien.

Medunová-Benešová, Anna

1964 Eneolitické výšinne sídliště Staré Zámky v Brně-Líšni, PA LV:91-155.

1972 Jevišvovice - Starý Zámek: Schicht B - Katalog der Funde. Archeologický ústav Československé Akademie věd v Brně, Fontes Archaeologiae Moravicae, VI. Brno.

1973 Grešvlové Mýto, Äneolithische Höhensiedlung "Nad Mírovcem" -Katalog der Funde. Archeologický ústav Československé Akademie věd v Brně, Fontes Archaeologiae Moravicae, VII. Brno.

1977a "Palliardiho Hradisko:" Eine äneolithische Höhensiedlung bei Vysočany, Bez., Znojmo. Archeologický ústav Československé Akademie věd v Brně, Fontes Archaeologiae Moravicae, IX. Brno.

1977b Jevišvovicka kultura na jihozápadní Moravĕ. Studie Archaehologického Ústavu Československé Akademie Véd v Brně 3. Academia Praha. Praha.

1981 Jevišvovic - Starý Zámek: Schicht C2, C1, C - Katalog der Funde. Archeologický ústav Československé Akademie věd v Brně, Fontes Archaeologiae Moravicae, XIII. Brno.

1986 Křepice, Bez. Znojmo: Äneolithische Höhensiedlung “Hradisko.” Archeologický ústav Československé Akademie věd v Brně, Fontes Archaeologiae Moravicae, XIX. Brno.

Podborský, Vladimír, et al.

1993 Pravěké Dějiny Moravy. Vlastivěda Moravská Země a Lid, Nová Řada 3. Muzejní a vlastivědna společnost, Brno.

Please send comments or questions to Max Baldia.