The times they are a-changin: revisiting the chronological framework of the Late Neolithic settlement complex at PolgrCsszhalom

Pl Raczky Alexandra Anders

A total of 89 14C dates known for Polgr-Csszhalom originates from dierent periods and represents work by radiocarbon laboratories. Several summaries published to date have discussed the internal structures and external relations between various spatial units as well as the artifactual materials from this settlement. In these works numerous attempts were made to outline the relevant relative and absolute chronological frameworks of this site of key importance. To date, this trend has had an adverse eect, as relevant 14C data are not readily available to the public, thereby hampering re-evaluation and eventual scholarly discussions concerning Polgr-Csszhalom. The multitude of preliminary reports and case studies tend to contain only the end results of calibration. In hindsight, however, several contradictions and inconsistencies became apparent in some of these evaluations. It was time therefore that we published the complete, itemized list of radiocarbon dates from the site complex of Polgr-Csszhalom. This review will also oer an opportunity for briey touching upon some of the methodological problems that have surfaced during the last couple of years.

Keywords: Polgr-Csszhalom, Late Neolithic tell, 14C chronology, absolute dating, calibration

uring his broad-based professional career, Juraj Pavk has always paid special attention to the Late Neolithic of Slovakia and its cultural and chronological connections. Recently, he has evaluated excavation results of the East Slovakian Plain and Lesser Poland in relation to new eld information, among others from PolgrCsszhalom in Hungary (Pavk 2007). It is therefore appropriate to join the Festschrift celebrating Juraj Pavks birthday along the same intellectual lines. For the rst time, radicarbon dates obtained for the settlement complex excavated at PolgrCsszhalom will be reviewed, along with the publication of detailed primary data.

Introduction Systematic excavations at the Late Neolithic site of Polgr-Csszhalom were rst carried out in 1957 (Bognr-Kutzin 1958; Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007). Since 1989, recent archaeological research in the area has claried that this settlement was composed of two major structural units (Fig. 1). One of these was the tell settlement, measuring ca. 4 hectares, surrounded by a system of ditches and palisades (For summaries see: Raczky et al. 1994; 2002a). The other unit was an adjacent, single layer horizontal settlement covering approximately 24 hectares (For summaries see: Raczky et al. 1997; 2002a). Large scale excavations that preceded motorway construction in the area in 1995 oered a 400 m long north to south transect of the latter settlement. This could be complemented by a 1030 m long system of test trenches opened in 2006. Consequently, the entire east-west section of the site could be revealed for study. On the basis of these developments, increasingly precise details emerged concerning the topographic position of the site (Raczky et al. 2002b). The area of the horizontal settlement was estimated to have covered 35.2 hectares, while the tell forming a distinct unit surrounded by an enclosure system occupied 2.8 hectares (Raczky Anders Bartosiewicz, in press). Several summaries published to date have discussed the internal structures and external relations between various spatial units as well as the artifactual materials from this settlement. In these works numerous attempts were made to outline the relevant relative and absolute chronological frameworks of this site of key importance (Most recent summaries: Raczky et al. 2007; Anders Nagy 2007; Sebk 2007; Raczky Anders 2008). To date, this trend has had an adverse eect, as relevant 14C data are not readily available to the public, thereby hampering re-evaluation and eventual scholarly discussions concerning Polgr-Csszhalom.

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The multitude of preliminary reports and case studies tend to contain only the end results of calibration. In hindsight, however, several contradictions and inconsistencies became apparent in some of these evaluations (See among others: Hertelendi et al. 1995; 1998; Raczky et al. 2002; Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007). It was time therefore that we published the complete, itemized list of radiocarbon dates from the site complex of Polgr-Csszhalom. This review will also oer an opportunity for briey touching upon some of the methodological problems that have surfaced during the last couple of years.

Research history of absolute dating at Polgr-Csszhalom 1. Samples for the rst radicarbon measurements originate from the 1957 excavations directed by Ida Bognr-Kutzin. Their precise stratigraphic position, however, is impossible to verify. Of these, 4 dates from Berlin (Bln) and an additional from Groningen (Grn) have recently been published (Bny BognrKutzin 2007, 211212). An additional measurement was made from one of these samples in the British Museum (BM; Ambers Matthews Bowman 1987, 188). That is, this early research period is represented by six radiocarbon dates (Tab. 1). 2. Subsequent chronological investigations concentrated on the stylistic relations between ceramics discovered predominantly within the area of the tell. Stylistic evaluation was also carried out with regard to the ceramic material recovered from the stratigraphy of yet another tell-site, Berettyjfalu-Herply. The latter site had yielded a considerable series of radiocarbon dates by the late 1980s thanks to the help oered by Hans Quitta and the Berlin Radiocarbon Laboratory. It was these absolute chronological x points that we tried to apply in estimating the life span of the Csszhalom tell (Kalicz Raczky 1987, 2629 and Chronological chart on page 30). 3. In early 1989, radiocarbon measurements have also been carried out at the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Debrecen (Deb). This work was based on overwhelmingly charcoal samples taken during the renewed excavations at Csszhalom. However, these data have never been published in detail, although the results were synthetised within the re-evaluation of the Neolithic in Eastern Hungary, built around the chronological study of the Late Neolithic Tisza-Herply-Csszhalom complex. In the body of 134 14C dates compiled in 1995 for the Tisza-Herply-Csszhalom period (considered a unit), Ede Hertelendi and his co-workers incorporated the earliest dates from Csszhalom as well. That is, the rst measurements made at the site formed part of the resulting 49704380 cal BC time interval estimated for the settlement. However, the series of raw data was not published, therefore the numerical results could not be veried by the reader (Hertelendi et al. 1995, 242, Fig. 1. and Table 1). Archaeologists cooperating in the project at the time had little in-depth understanding of the work carried out by nuclear physicists. Interdisciplinary cooperation thus remained relatively unilateral, as archaeologists felt ill-equipped to oversee laboratory work by their physicist colleagues in Hungary. Consequently the results were accepted without critical discussion. 4. Following these antecedents, four Late Neolithic tell settlements from eastern Hungary were included in the analysis of their life spans in 1998 (csd-Kovshalom, Hdmezvsrhely-Gorzsa, Polgr-Csszhalom, Berettyjfalu-Herply). Polgr-Csszhalom was included in this study providing 76 radiocarbon dates. Unfortunately, the documentation of these dates was not provided in that publication either. In hindsight it may only be said that the data base of the Institute of Nuclear Research in Debrecen contained 67 of their own dates (Deb) in addition to the previously known 4 Bln, 1 BM and 1 Grn dates. The total number of radiocarbon dates was thus 73. By now it is impossible to reconstruct which were the three additional samples (evidently not from Csszhalom) that were included in the calculations. The system of assigning samples to phases (translated as levels in that article) remains similarly unknown (Hertelendi et al. 1998, Table 1, Fig. 34). It is certain, however, the six radiocarbon dates from the excavations by Ida Bognr-Kutzin (mentioned in item 1 at the beginning of this paper) should not have been used in the calculation. The study published in the journal Radiocarbon summarized the radiocarbon dates from PolgrCsszhalom as representing Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. The corresponding sum data were 47954530 cal BC (54 dates), 48434692 cal BC (6 dates) and 49054646 cal BC (16 dates). These units, however, did not represent real, excavation levels. They actually stood for four construction phases in the creation of the tell. The time intervals were calculated to provide a solid background to this phasing. Synthesizing information

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Fig. 1. The Polgr-Csszhalom settlement-complex. The topography of the tell enclosed by a ditch-palisade system and the horizontal settlement. Reconstruction is based on magnetometer and eld surveys and excavations between 1989 and 2004.

Fig. 2. Simplied stratigraphy of the tell settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom (Levels 111 and Phases IIV) with the locations of the radiocarbon samples from the 19892002 research interval.

from the 76 14C dates available at the time, the life span of the tell was estimated to between 48404560 cal BC resulting in a 280 years interval. In fact, it was again the 67 Debrecen dates representing recent (post 1989) excavations that should have been used following the exclusion of unreliable outliers. 5. In 2002, va Svingor estimated the life span of the tell as 48204530 cal BC without going into details. She also came up with a life span of 48304600 cal BC for the horizontal settlement calculated on the basis of 67 and 17 dates respectively (Raczky et al. 2002a, Fig. 10). The positive aspect of this summary is that it was based on the 67 samples collected and analyzed by the Debrecen laboratory itself during the later excavations of the 1990s. On the other hand, 17 14 C dates were synthesized in the evaluation of the external, horizontal settlement. There is some discrepancy, as only 6 Debrecen dates could be available for study

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Lab. No. 1. BLN-509

Date BP 5575 100

Cal. BC 1 45204335

Sample material charcoal

Provenance House I/A, 0.30.4 m deep

References Quitta Kohl 1969, 246; Kalicz Raczky 1987, 31; Breunig 1987, 136; Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212. Quitta Kohl 1969, 246; Kalicz Raczky 1987, 31; Breunig 1987, 136; Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212. Quitta Kohl 1969, 246; Kalicz Raczky 1987, 31; Breunig 1987, 136; Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212. Quitta Kohl 1969, 246, Kalicz Raczky 1987, 31; Breunig 1987, 136; Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212. Vogel Waterbolk 1963, 184; Breunig 1987, 136; Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212.1 Ambers Matthews Bowman 1987, 188.

2.

BLN-510

5875 100

48814608

charcoal

1.85 m deep

3.

BLN-512

5775 100

47254499

charcoal

House oor, 3.05 m deep

4.

BLN-513

5940 100

49524707

charcoal

Lowermost level, 3.13.3 m

5.

GRN-1993

5895 60

48414706

charcoal

Lower levels

6.

BM-2321

6020 170

52074723

charcoal

0.81.1 m deep

Tab. 1. Radiocarbon dates of the excavation on the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom in 1957.

from Polgr-Csszhalom at this point. Additional measurements carried out by the Vienna Environmental Research Accelerator (VERA, operated by the University of Vienna) have begun only since 2004. It is therefore uncertain, where the 17 14C dates used in the sum calibration originated from. 6. Subsequently, an eort was indeed made to complement radiocarbon measurements by the Debrecen Laboratory with new samples. This work, however, could be carried out exclusively on material originating from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom, gathered during excavations that preceded the construction of a motorway there. In contrast to previous practice, these measurements were made on samples of human and animal bone. Dating was executes at the VERA Laboratory in Vienna also using a dierent technology, accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Ten such radiocarbon dates became available. As mentioned, comparative measurements at the horizontal settlement were also made by the Debrecen Laboratory, six of which could be used in comparisons. Using the sum calibration of all 16 data the chronological boundaries of the horizontal settlement at Polgr-Csszhalom have recently been estimated 49404720 cal BC (Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, 58 and footnote 3). Consequently, however, considerable asymmetry became apparent between the structure of 14C dates available from the tell and the external, horizontal settlement, making comparisons between the two functional/territorial units of the site dicult: the habitation mound of Polgr-Csszhalom is characterized by classical measurements from the Debrecen Laboratory (and the very rst measurements made abroad, already excluded from comparisons),
1 Unfortunately, this date has been quoted erroneously in several publications: it appeared as GRN-1943 (Kohl Quitta 1970, 413) as well as GRN-1934 (Bognr-Kutzin 1971, 676), while in one case when the label was correct, the year of measurement was misprinted (Kalicz Raczky 1987, 29).

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Lab. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67. Deb-1942 Deb-1965 Deb-1941 Deb-3351 Deb-1904 Deb-3237 Deb-1773 Deb-1763 Deb-1756 Deb-3205 Deb-1758 Deb-1900 Deb-1957 Deb-2497 Deb-2520 Deb-1907 Deb-1762 Deb-1932 Deb-1966 Deb-2506 Deb-2505 Deb-3261 Deb-2541 Deb-2523 Deb-1902 Deb-3311 Deb-2552 Deb-3268 Deb-2504 Deb-3306 Deb-2496 Deb-3229 Deb-2528 Deb-2501 Deb-2512 Deb-2533 Deb-2514 Deb-2538 Deb-2534 Deb-3309 Deb-2513 Deb-2536 Deb-3234 Deb-2521 Deb-3321 Deb-3228 Deb-3293 Deb-3316 Deb-3269 Deb-2540 Deb-2554 Deb-2421 Deb-2498 Deb-3226 Deb-3292 Deb-3236 Deb-3308 Deb-3266 Deb-3333 Deb-3277 Deb-1711 Deb-1713 Deb-1714 Deb-1936 Deb-1772 Deb-2522 Deb-3232

Date BP Cal. BC. 1 6060 40 5950 40 5940 40 5910 70 5860 40 5848 66 5800 40 5700 40 5680 40 5636 55 5610 40 6100 40 5920 40 5845 40 5810 40 5800 40 5790 40 5700 40 5700 40 5960 40 5860 40 5855 73 5840 40 5830 40 5790 40 5780 71 5735 40 5698 71 5905 40 5872 58 5850 40 5842 58 5825 40 5805 40 5800 40 5790 40 5780 40 5765 40 5760 40 5752 58 5740 40 5795 40 5745 63 5740 40 5703 69 5701 62 5699 66 5684 70 5654 65 5945 40 5930 40 5900 40 5870 40 5855 57 6024 70 5984 72 5929 63 5928 65 5981 37 5906 58 5520 70 5770 40 5750 40 5450 40 6300 40 6170 40 5621 62 5024-4859 4900-4780 4882-4747 4896-4707 4783-4694 4793-4616 4712-4605 4584-4465 4545-4461 4533-4373 4487-4369 5195-4948 4837-4728 4782-4685 4719-4611 4712-4605 4707-4598 4584-4465 4584-4468 4906-4788 4783-4694 4825-4614 4781-4621 4767-4617 4707-4598 4711-4546 4669-4526 4652-4457 4826-4724 4830-4686 4785-4687 47874618 4727-4613 4716-4608 4712-4605 4707-4598 4690-4562 4683-4555 4681-4551 4686-4542 4680-4536 4710-4600 4686-4532 4680-4536 4651-4459 4612-4459 4561-4457 4650-4450 4550-4372 4897-4777 4845-4728 4826-4721 4790-4706 4795-4619 5005-4806 4962-4788 4896-4722 4897-4722 49324804 48424715 44514329 46864557 46814545 43464362 53165225 5208-5062 45014367

Sample material charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal animal bone animal bone charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal charcoal animal bone charcoal charcoal charcoal

Level Phase Provenance A A A A A A A A A A A B B B B B B B B C C C C C C C C C D D D D D D D D D D D D D E E E E E E E E F F F F F G G G G H H III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III III II II II II II I I I I I I Str. 225, house I, oor Str. 223, house I, oor Str. 223, house I, oor Str. 725, pit 139 Str. 242, house I, oor clearing Str. 682, angle of fencing 1 Str. 223, hose I., oor Str.222, house I, oor Str. 236, house I/A Str. 665, ll Str. 223, house I, oor Str. 278, ll under house I Str. 278, ll under house I Str. 395, ll Str. 388, ll under house II Str. 278, ll under house I Str. 265, ll, under the working surface Str.264, ll under house I Str. 278, ll under house I Str. 413, pit 25 Str. 413, pit 25 Str. 741, house IX, oor Str. 396, ll Str. 409, ll Str. 279, cleaning of external working surface Str. 724, pit 138/A Str. 459, replace 20 Str. 742, house IX, oor Str. 409, ll Str. 644, pit 137 Str. 394, ll Str. 644, pit 137 Str. 394, ll Str. 397, ll Str. 412, ll Str. 397, ll Str. 428, pit 25 Str. 480481482, pit 636465 Str. 395, ll Str. 449, pit 44 Str. 427, ll Str. 491, pit 13 Str. 689, pit 13 Str. 463, pit 13 Str. 812, pit 147 Str. 640, pit 13 Str. 812, pit 147 Str. 681, pit 13 Str. 688, pit 13 Str. 499, pit 68 Str. 484, pit 67 Str. 484, pit 67 Str. 396, ll Str. 670, ll Str. 693, ll Str. 694, ll Str. 802, ll Str. 697, ll Str. 846, pit 158 Str. 856, pit 167 prole II, 120140 cm prole I,-95-2 R.m. 100120, ditch 2. prole II, 200220 cm Str. 279, cleaning of external working surface Str. 264, ll, under house I Str. 518, ditch 2 Str. 669, ll

Tab. 2. Radiocarbon dates of the excavations on the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom from the 19892002 research interval.

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Fig. 3. The sum calibration of 60 radiocarbon dates from the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

while the horizontal settlement is represented by a smaller admixture of classical and AMS dates obtained using various sources of 14C isotopes (charcoal, human and animal bone) by two dierent laboratories. Within this phase of research, the earliest settlement Phase I of the tell was dated to between 49404720 cal BC, using 6 measurements. Another 6 dates used in characterizing Phase II of the tell resulted in the 48804680 cal BC time boundaries. The 51 samples taken from Phase III delineated the 47104440 cal BC time interval. In this latter case, 4 of the known 55 dates have been excluded from the calculations as of potentially problematic origins (Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, 6164). On the other hand, the 51 dates from Phase III included 8 14C samples from the double fortication ditch that had originally been assigned to Phase II on the basis of graphic interpretation (Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, Fig. 6). Recently, it would seem more appropriate to treat these 8 measurements separately as representing a distinct archaeological feature, independent of the tells central stratigraphy. Following the diculties of previous archaeological approaches outlined here, it is now time to publish all individual 14C dates from Polgr-Csszhalom along with appropriate references to their archaeological aliations. This became all the more necessary, as the 60 valid 14C dates available from the tell today along with the 16 samples representing the horizontal settlement form the largest series of radiocarbon dates from any Neolithic tell settlement in Southeastern Europe. Our form of presentation will closely follow the method and theoretical approach put forward recently in a study by Agathe Reingruber and Laurens Thissen (Reingruber Thissen 2009).

Radiocarbon dates from the Polgr-Csszhalom tell settlement in archaeological context 1. Radiocarbon dates from the 1957 excavations carried out by Ida Bognr-Kutzin have recently been reviewed by Eszter Bny, who mentioned ve dates on the basis of samples collected from the tell (Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212 and Fig. 186192). In addition, another BM date is also known (Tab. 1). 2. Recent radiocarbon dates from the 19892002 research interval (Tab. 2). The radiocarbon dates available for study were rst calibrated using the OxCal v4.1.1. program. In this chapter, rst sum calibration data (sum) will be presented, followed by the results of sequence calibration (seq and span) in the order of settlement phases. All 14C data are quoted with 1 68.2 % condence limits. In the sequenece calibrations we used some data even with poor agreement. 3. On the basis of the tells research history, a total of 67 14C dates are available from contexts excavated after 1989. All these were provided by the Debrecen Laboratory, essentially during the 1990s. Consequently, relevant standard deviations varied between 4070 years, evidently limiting the precision of chronological conclusions regarding the internal development of the tell settlement. As may be seen from the summary table, in accordance with up-to-date sampling requirements at the time, the overwhelming majority of

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Fig. 4. The sequence calibration of 60 radiocarbon dates from the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 5. Phase span calculation of 60 radiocarbon dates from the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

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Fig. 6. Sum calibration of 6 radiocarbon dates from Phase I of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 7. Sequence calibration of 6 radiocarbon dates from Phase I of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 8. Phase span calculation of 6 radiocarbon dates from Phase I of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

measurements were made on charcoal. That is, the old wood eect introduced an uncontrollable form of bias in these calculations. Moreover, it has also become clear that similarly to the case of the Vina tell a great degree of redeposition must have taken place at Polgr-Csszhalom resulting from various prehistoric building activities including leveling and the construction of earthworks (Schier 2000, 188189). In addition, it could also be observed that as part of major construction works, timberwork from earlier fortications was re-used subsequent structures at Polgr-Csszhalom. Charcoal samples taken from such contexts may thus be loaded by cumulative bias in the form of stratigraphic contamination. It may be stated therefore, the micro-stratigraphies within the tell are far from being as clear cut as previously believed when the samples were gathered. Seven of the 67 dates obtained (Deb 1711, Deb 1713, Deb 1714, Deb 1936, Deb-1772, Deb-2522 and Deb-3232) either do not belong to the tells internal stratigraphy (3 dates),

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Fig. 9. Sum calibration of 5 radiocarbon dates from Phase II of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 10. Sequence calibration of 5 radiocarbon dates from Phase II of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 11. Phase span calculation of 5 radiocarbon dates from Phase II of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

or strongly deviate from the expected range (3 dates) (Tab. 2, 6167). In one case, the precise stratigraphic position could not be reconrmed. Given these uncertainties, the aforementioned seven dates were excluded from additional calculations, and only 60 items of the original data set have been used in this study. 4. For the time being, the stratigraphic sequence in the tell settlements main square and its complementary enclosure system may be reconstructed within the context of four phases IIV (Fig. 2; Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, 6164 and Fig. 6). The latest Phase IV is represented only by sporadic and strongly mixed nd material that may be associated with the beginnings of the Proto-Tiszapolgr period on the top of the tell. This top layer yielded no samples in a clear stratigraphic position. Reliable samples therefore reect developments in the earlier phases. The sum calibration of the total of 60 dates resulted in the 4828

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Fig. 12. Sum calibration of 41 radiocarbon dates from Phase III of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 13. Sequence calibration of 41 radiocarbon dates from Phase III of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

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Fig. 14. Phase span calculation of 41 radiocarbon dates from Phase III of the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 15. Sum calibration of 8 radiocarbon dates from the double ditch system around the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 16. Sequence calibration of 8 radiocarbon dates from the double ditch system around the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 17. Life span calculation of 8 radiocarbon dates from the double ditch system around the tell of Polgr-Csszhalom.

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Lab. No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. Deb-9808 VERA-3064 VERA-3069 VERA-3065 VERA-3068 VERA-3062 VERA-4768 VERA-3061 Deb-10219 VERA-3067 Deb-10198 VERA-3060 Deb-10197 Deb-10107 Deb-10196 VERA-4197

Date BP 606060 602540 601535 600545 593035 591540 591040 589540 586580 585530 583550 583035 582540 581050 575050 593040

Cal BC 1 50484851 49834849 49474846 4952-4836 48444729 48314727 48274726 48234718 48364617 47774692 47784618 47664617 47274613 47244592 46844543 48454728

Sample material Animal bone Animal bone Animal bone Animal bone Animal bone Human bone Animal bone Human bone Animal bone Animal bone Human bone Human bone Human bone Animal bone Animal bone Human bone

Provenance 966, pit 44, pit 966, pit 44, pit 966, pit 886, grave 272, well 836, grave 808, pit 966, pit 486, grave 226, grave 612, grave 966, pit 808, pit Sondage, s. 265 grave

References unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished Anders Nagy 2007, 87. unpublished unpublished unpublished unpublished

Tab. 3. Radiocarbon dates of the excavations on the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom from the 19952004 research interval.

4541 cal BC time interval (Fig. 3). The life span of the tell may thus be estimated as 287 years. Sequence calibrations of the same data yielded initial dates as 48904853 cal BC and nal dates as 45254476 cal BC (Fig. 4) resulting in a 329393 years time interval (Fig. 5) with 371 years as the mean value. (The phase span calculation was carried out following proposals by Peter Stadler and his colleagues (Stadler et al. 2006, 51; Stadler Ruttkay 2007, 129130). 5. When the 6 14C dates attributed to Phase I are considered, sum calibration results in a 49344730 cal BC interval (Fig. 6). Sequence calibration places the estimated boundaries between 49404826 and 48454731 cal BC respectively (Fig. 7). On this ground the estimated life span results an interval between 0 and 93 years (Fig. 8) with a 95 years mean for Phase I. (The beginning of the phase must have been earlier in reality, as levels of the earliest settlement were found only in traces over a limited surface in the square opened at the site). 6. The subsequent Phase II was dated on the basis of 5 14C dates. The resulting time interval was 4837 4716 cal BC (Fig. 9). Using sequence calibration the estimated boundaries fell between 48454755 and 47804704 cal BC (Fig. 10). The time span was between 0 and 62 (Fig. 11) years with the mean of 58 years as previously calculated. 7. The 41 14C data assigned to Phase III of the tell originally delineated a 47894543 cal BC interval with 246 years for the life span (Fig. 12). Sequencing meanwhile resulted in the 48914852 and 45254472 cal BC values (Fig. 13). In this case it is clear that the innum of the interval would be a date too late that would correspond to the beginning of the earliest Phase I. Considering this, it should not be a surprise that the time span estimated for this phase was between 325 and 396 years (Fig. 14) with a mean of 373 years. It is suggested here, that quantities of organic material, including bits and pieces of charred wood, may have been brought up to the Phase III surface from deeper levels during that time period, characterized by multiple house res, palisade reconstructions and other forms of building activity. Charcoal samples from such mixed strata may have resulted in the observed chronological anomalies. If the nal dates of the previous phase, 47804704 cal BC, are accepted as the beginning of Phase III, a 244 years life span is obtained. This looks like a far more realistic estimate than the 373 years rst suggested. 8. When Phases IIII of the tell are seen as a unit, their dates add up to 95+58+244=397 years. The following rough calculation is worth considering: in Phase I of the tell a single house horizon could be identied and Phase II is likewise dened on the basis of a single horizon. Meanwhile, three consecutive

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Fig. 18. Simplied plan of the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom with the locations of the radiocarbon samples from the 19952004 research interval.

Fig. 19. Sum calibration of 15 radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

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Fig. 20. Sequence calibration of 15 radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 21. Life span calculation of 15 radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 22. Group calibration of 6 Debrecen radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

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Fig. 23. Sequence calibration of 6 Debrecen radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 24. Life span calculation of 6 Debrecen radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

generations of houses could be reconstructed in Phase III overlaying each other (Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, Fig. 6). This would mean that the time span indicated by the ve generations of houses corresponds to a 95 58 3 81 years time interval. This is rather consistent with the average life span of 79 years (5895) estimated for each generation of houses. This result is especially interesting when compared to data obtained for Central European LBK houses are taken into consideration: for those, recent calculations have yielded a 75100 years life span (Schmidt Gruhle Rck Freckmann 2005, 161, 167; Rck 2007, 144). The 371 years obtained for Polgr-Csszhalom using sequence calibration and the 396 years estimated separately seem congruent with each other, marking a time interval of approximately 1416 human generations. 9. The assemblage recovered from the double ditch system associated with Level 7 of the tell had previously been classied with Phase II (Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, Fig. 6). Today it is seen as an independent cultural unit whose chronological aliations will have to be ne-tuned by considering various lines of evidence. Eight radiocarbon dates are available from this trench of V-shaped cross-section. The result of the sum date range from these samples was 46814489 cal BC (Fig. 15). Following sequencing the same dates yielded the 46524554 and 45724476 cal BC time intervals (Fig. 16). The life span thus estimated is between 0 and 102 years with the mean of 79 years (Fig. 17).

Radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom and archaeological implications 1. A long surface of 33.340 m2, oriented NE-SW and with an average width of 80 m was opened some 400 m east of the tell site of Polgr-Csszhalom. To date, 79 houses and numerous other settlement features (auxiliary buildings, pits and wells) have been identied here. In addition, 123 graves could be excavated

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Fig. 25. Sum calibration of 9 VERA radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 26. Sequence calibration of 9 VERA radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 27. Life span calculation of 9 VERA radiocarbon dates from the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

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Fig. 28. Sum calibration of 2 VERA radiocarbon dates from feature 44 of the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

as well (For summaries see: Raczky Domborczki Hajd 2007, 54; Anders Nagy 2007, 83). There were a total of 16 14C samples available for study from this context (Tab. 3, Fig. 18). Six were measured in the Debrecen laboratory (Deb) and 9 dated in Vienna (VERA). The rst 6 samples were taken from human bone, while the 9 latter originated from other mammals. An additional grave was discovered during 2006 in the E-W test trench opened west of the tell that yielded yet another single VERA date (Tab. 3, 16). Since this latter burial was brought to light some 600 m west of the excavated section of the horizontal settlement, it was not included among the 16 dates used in characterizing that site. 2. Using the sum calibration of 15 14C dates, a 49064619 cal BC interval was obtained (Fig. 19), providing a 287 years long estimated life span. A sequence calibration of the same dates indicated the 49424858 and 47014621 cal BC (Fig. 20) time boundaries, resulting in a 161277 years estimate (Fig. 21) with a 239 years mean value. 3. The sum calibration of the 6 Debrecen dates alone resulted in a 47784554 cal BC (Fig. 22) time interval, indicative of a 224 years life span. The sequence calibration of the same set of six dates yielded the 49834738 and 46824522 cal BC time boundaries (Fig. 23), corresponding to 116338 years of settlement use (Fig. 24), with a mean value of 259 years. 4. Based on the 9 VERA dates, the narrow 49014706 cal BC boundaries dene a 195 years long life span for the horizontal settlement (Fig. 25). The sequence calibration of the same data resulted in 49514851 and 47584677 cal BC as chronological limits (Fig. 26). The time of settlement use thus calculated falls between 94213 years (Fig. 27), averaging 184 years with great probability. This is evidently a dramatic drop in the length of the previously estimated life span of the known segment of the horizontal settlement. 5. Our examples clearly show that 14C dates provided by dierent laboratories for both time boundaries and life spans vary strongly. It is clear, therefore, that chronological comparisons can be based only on dates that are homogeneous in terms of origins. In this particular case this means that comparisons between the ages of the tell and those of the horizontal settlement can be made only using the results of one of the laboratories, i. e. the results of radiocarbon measurements cannot be pooled. Logically, as dates for the habitation mound are exclusively available from the Debrecen Laboratory, they can only be compared with Debrecen dates from the external, horizontal settlement. Thus the life spans of 287 and 371 years, as well as the 396 years obtained for the tell are longer than the 224 and 259 years estimated for the horizontal settlement. According to the dates cited in points 3 and 4 above, it seems that the later phase of the Csszhalom tell is missing from the archaeological context of the horizontal settlement so far investigated. This dierence, however, may also be an artifact of the situation that no 14C dates have been available from the southernmost, 150 m long section of the single layer horizontal settlement. Meanwhile the common occurrence of red-and-white painted ceramics in the uppermost strata of the Csszhalom tell (hardly known from the external settlement) cannot simply be explained by chronological dierences. It looks also more likely that the use of this type of decorative ceramics was dened in space,

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Fig. 29. Sum calibration of 3 VERA radiocarbon dates from the feature 966 of the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

Fig. 30. Sum calibration of 2 Debrecen radiocarbon dates from the feature 966 of the horizontal settlement of Polgr-Csszhalom.

i. e. concentrated on the tell in relation to special activities limited to within the causeway system (Raczky Anders 2008, 43). 6. Feature 44 in the North section of the horizontal settlement (near the waterfront) is represented by 2 VERA dates. Feature 966 some 250 m to the South yielded an additional 3 VERA dates. A comparison between these two sets of measurements resulted in an interesting hypothesis. The two 14C dates from the rst location are indicative of a 49614844 cal BC age (Fig. 28), while the latter three samples from a well and pit complex point to a 48974706 cal BC interval (Fig. 29). The chronological dierence between these two features is thus 101 as a mean year. This could be interpreted as a sign of the settlement features (houses and others) spreading southward from the waterfront. If this speed of expansion is extrapolated to the 400 m long known section of the horizontal settlement, a life span of 161 years may be estimated. This datum is consonant with previous calculations based on the 9 VERA dates suggesting life spans of 195 and 180 years. Meanwhile, however, this numerical result also radically decreases the time of occupation rst estimated for the horizontal settlement. However, when only dates for burials are taken into consideration, this NS expansion looks more ambiguous. Naturally this dierence would make it necessary to rethink chronological aspects of the questions concerning space use, demographics, continuity and change in the future. However, a series of new radiocarbon samples, taken in a systematic manner from north to south in the horizontal settlement will be required for solving these subtle research problems.

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7. VERA dates are also of help in establishing important chronological trends in the use of major refuse pits and wells. Three VERA dates, obtained for samples taken from the aforementioned Feature 966 (located in the central portion of the horizontal settlement) are indicative of a site use of 191 years (Fig. 29). It cannot be said, therefore, that this feature represented only a brief active period within the settlements entire life span. On this basis one may also speculate, whether certain parts of the external, horizontal settlement were used for as long as the entire known section of the site (195 or 184 years). This would mean that in addition to the NS expansion, some localized parts also went through long and continuous internal development. Our approach thus corresponds to drafting a trend of dual development for the external settlement at Polgr-Csszhalom. It must be mentioned, however, that Feature 966, a combination of a large pit and a well, must have been in use for a longer time than the average settlement features of the site. 8. Feature 966 discussed here could also be used as a platform for comparing traditional and more recent AMS dates, thereby also evaluating inter-laboratory bias in radiocarbon dating. In addition the aforementioned 3 VERA dates, 2 Debrecen measurements were also available from here. The sum calibration of these latter yielded a time interval between 50434561 cal BC (Fig. 30), resulting in a life span of 481 years. When compared to the 48974706 cal BC dates obtained from the 3 VERA samples that delineate a 191 years time span, laboratory bias may also be appraised beyond standard errors. It is evident that this complex type of noise is extremely dicult to analyze. However, it varies from laboratory to laboratory and makes the historical interpretation of 14C dates of dierent origins extremely dicult.

Conclusions A total of 89 14C dates known for Polgr-Csszhalom originate from dierent periods and represents work by radiocarbon laboratories. Editing and interpreting these data revealed a variety of problems that may be summed up as follows: 1. Six old 14C dates are known from the earliest, 1957 excavations (Bny Bognr-Kutzin 2007, 211212). Due to their uncertain provenances, however, they cannot be used in up-to-date absolute chronological analyses. 2. From the period after 1989, 67 14C dates originate from measurements by the Debrecen Laboratory (Deb). Of these, 60 dates could be used as a starting point for in-depth analyses. Fifty eight of these were measured on charcoal samples originating from construction elements, wooden posts of large diameters. Therefore the resulting dates have possibly been biased by the old wood eect. It may be presumed that old timber was re-used in the tell settlement during the renovation of houses and especially of the palisade system raising additional questions concerning the reliability of these samples. The life of the habitation mound was characterized by consecutive dramatic events, including leveling, house renovations as well as a continuous horizontal expansion. All this activity created complicated, mixed stratigraphies in the area enclosed within the enclosure system. The simple, sum calibration of the 60 14C dates showed a life span between 48284541 cal BC corresponding to 287 years. Sequence calibration, on the other hand, suggested intervals between 48904853 and 45254476 cal BC with most likely boundaries dened as 4872 and 4501 cal BC, that is, a 371 years life span for the entire existence of the tell settlement. 3. Additional problems surfaced during the study of the internal phases of the habitation mound. In addition to the aforementioned secondary mixing and re-deposition of nds, the samples available for study were also heterogeneous from a quantitative point of view. While 41 dates were available from Phase III, Phases I and II were represented only by 6 and 5 samples, respectively. The same holds true for the double ditch system of V-shaped cross-sections that surrounded the tell: it was characterized only by 8 dates (Fig. 2). Unfortunately, this heterogeneity is further compounded by inter-laboratory dierences between the 15 samples from the horizontal settlement available for comparison between the Debrecen and VERA measurements (Fig. 1921). 4. Using purely archaeological phasing, the 1+1+3=5 house generations in the central portion of the tell were sub-divided into Phases I, II and III. When these house horizons are estimated to have lasted 75100 years each, the entire stratigraphy of the tell would represent 375500 years of settlement history. Meanwhile, radiocarbon dates outlined life spans of 287 or 371 years, respectively for the tell, that would correspond to 5774 years for each house generation. On the other hand, when life spans for each of the three phases

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are estimated separately a 396 years value is obtained. This corresponds to a 79 years useful life per house generation. Such 577479 years life spans cannot be reliably evaluated using the 1 condence intervals implemented by the Debrecen Laboratory, since those range between 120160 years on average. In other words, the scale of historical change was ner than the chronological resolution of the radiocarbon method used. According to this, two superposed, i. e. archaeologically dierent buildings at Csszhalom would seem to belong to the same house horizon due to the low resolution of traditional 14C dates established in the Debrecen Laboratory. This shows that the history of the tell should be outlined in the future using the latest, high-precision 14C measurements. 5. Radiocarbaon dates from Polgr-Csszhalom clearly illustrate the dierence in time resolution between traditional (Deb) and AMS (VERA) dates. Moreover the denition of archaeological contexts has become increasingly precise and more recent AMS measurements were carried out on human and animal bone rather than charcoal. From a methodological point of view only samples gathered and processed the same way could be compared. When heterogeneous data sets are pooled in calibration, the standard errors of older 14C dates may uncontrollably bias end results. Consequently, repeated new radiocarbon measurements of increasing precision would be desirable from the sites that would mount to a never ending process, as is normal in scientic inquiry. In spite of the fact that the settlement complex at Polgr-Csszhalom has provided one of the largest series of 14C dates in SE Europe, new measurements will be necessary, especially at the tell section of the settlement that has not yet been dated using the more advanced AMS method. Diculties listed in this paper have more to do with research history and method than with the archaeological problem itself. Five of the 6 dates originating from the 1957 excavations by Ida Bognr-Kutzin were published relatively quickly (Vogel Waterbolk 1963, 184; Quitta Kohl 1969, 246; Bognr-Kutzin 1971, 676). With some delay, they have also been incorporated into various review articles (Breunig 1987, 136; Kalicz Raczky 1987). Unfortunately, subsequent dates produced in the 1990s have not appeared in print as raw data, therefore they were not directly available for broad-based academic discussion. Meanwhile sampling methodologies improved and various calibration programs have been published in the form of share ware enhancing the capability of archaeologists to carry out their own calculations. There has been an increasing demand for the publication and integrated interpretation of old and new dates (e.g. at atalhyk: Cessford 2005), as well as the re-utilization of old dates with the help of new calibration packages and sophisticated statistical methods (e.g. Argissa-Magoula: Reingruber Thissen 2009, 753754). This study is an attempt to join this welcome trend in absolute chronological research by the publication of individual radiocarbon measurements from Polgr-Csszhalom, a step long overdue. Acknowledgements Grateful thanks are due to va Svingor of the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Debrecen who supplied us with the original 14C dates from Polgr-Csszhalom and Zsuzsanna Siklsi who oered valuable advice during the writing of this manuscript.

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Prof. Dr. Pl Raczky; Dr. Alexandra Anders Institute of Archaeological Sciences; Etvs Lornd University; H-1088 Budapest, Mzeum krt 4/B raczky@ludens.elte.hu, anders.alexandra@gmail.com