Pavol Jelinek

Depot z mladšej doby bronzovej získaný amatérom tvoria nástroje-kosáky a sekery, náhrdelník zo špirálových trubičiek, korálikov a záveskov, bohatý záves, súčasti odevu-ihlice, nášivky a surový kov. Zloženie úplných predmetov a zlomkov bolo určené analýzou XRF, u viacerých ozdôb sa identifikoval vysoký obsah cínu. Medzi zložkami súboru vyniká záves s príveskami kopijovitého tvaru i rozmerný závesok s oproti postavenými hlavami vodných vtákov. Je zrejmé, že tvorili súčasť kolekcie ženských ozdôb so symbolickým významom.
The Late Bronze Age hoard recovered by an amateur is composed of tools: sickles and axes; a necklace with spiral tubes, beads and a luxury adornment, a glamorous pendant, garments-pins, fittings, and raw material. All of the items underwent XRF analysis to identify metal composition: multiple decorations showed a high tin content. Interesting objects include a hanger-carrier with a spear-shaped pendant and a large hanging decoration flanked by water bird heads on both sides. It appears these formed part of a collection of women's decorative accessories with symbolic meaning.

Archeological evidence suggests that there was a strong, widespread and long-lasting close association of the Sun with death in Central Europe and its neighbouring regions during the Bronze Age. We interpret it based on etymological, phraseological, motivic, and narrative correspondences of Indo-European traditions that point towards an ancient Indo-European belief about the souls of the blessed dead “going to the Sun”, most likely to an island in the sea which the Sun deity visits during the night. In contrast to ancient Near-Eastern and Egyptian beliefs, this Indo-European Sun deity did not descend into a subterranean realm of the dead and was not associated with rebirth. Based on iconographic and other archaeological evidence, we conclude that there was a belief in a solar deity envisioned in an anthropomorphic feminine form with a Sun (symbol) on the lower part of her abdomen during the Bronze Age in Central and Northern Europe. She was the central character of an important mythic narrative about the diurnal voyage of the Sun, along with its helpers and foes, that has been concurrently reconstructed using material culture or comparative mythology.  In Central Europe, this solar cycle has been linked to portrayals of pairs of bird protomes connected to a Sun symbol, interpreted as (Sun-)bird-barges. However, this interpretation was based on a superficial resemblance and does not take into account the cultural and artistic context. Accounting for artistic conventions of the Urnfield culture, we propose that the supposed (Sun-)bird-barges actually often represent pairs of birds directly pulling the Sun, similar to Scandinavian depictions of the Sun pulled directly by a horse (or several horses). Therefore, these depictions portray the day part of the solar cycle and not the nocturnal sailing in the waters of the Netherworld.

V oblasti východného Stredomoria sú z 2. tisícročia p. n. l. doložené ženské účesy vo forme figurálnej plastiky a výjavov na nástenných maľbách. Pozoruhodné sú najmä účesy kombinované so stužkou alebo s kovovým diadémom z prostredia minojskej a mykénskej kultúry. Podobný účes pochádza aj z hrobu ženy zo Skrydstrupu v nordickom okruhu doby bronzovej. V strednej Európe sú z doby bronzovej doložené nálezy diadémov, ale prakticky chýbajú ikonografické doklady účesov. Autori v texte prezentujú starší, bližšie nelokalizovaný nález zlatého závesku z Maďarska, ktorý v štylizovanej podobe predstavuje účes kombinovaný s diadémom a predstavuje tak „chýbajúci článok“ medzi stredomorskou a nordickou oblasťou.

The Bronze Age solar cult of the Carpathian Basin represents autochtonous central-European development with Indo-European roots. It was centered on a deity perceived in anthropomorphic, probably feminine form. We stress the complementarity of archeology and Indo-European comparative mythology in the pursuit to better understand its cult. We also argue that its potential approximation – the Proto-Indo-Europan solar deity, in contrast to its Middle-Eastern counterparts, did not enter a subterranean underworld and was not associated with rebirth, but most likely with the desired destination in the afterlife, which may lead to different interpretations of some cult-related archeological finds.

Religious iconographies in the early Bronze Age. This article deals with anthropomorphic depictions from the early Bronze Age from the Carpathian basin and central Danube region. Abstract-looking human figures can be found on metal headbands and pendants, engraved on pottery, or modelled as anthropomorphic sculptures. We can find individual depictions of human figures on several, identical types of finds, or with an identical method of depiction or composition. We therefore describe them as religious iconographies, i.e. a fixed method of depicting deities, in the early Bronze Age. We deal in brief with sculptures and incrusted depictions of human figures on pottery. However, we concentrated mainly on triadic, pair and other human figures on metal headbands and on several types of anthropomorphic and gynecomastonomorphic pendants. It is interesting to note that as in the case of sculptures and incrusted urns, these are mainly female iconographies. Individual groups of iconographies contain suggestive parallels between significant deities identified by the method of comparative Indo-European mythology, which might help identify them with more precision. This article thus helps, in our opinion, to contribute to our knowledge of religion in the early Bronze Age.

Eneolithic ditch from Budmerice – site Sušička. The aim of this article is to analyze the data gathered from the filling of the fifth ditch in Budmerice, site Sušička and the subsequent discussion regarding the possible options for its dating. There were two layers identified in the filling, containing fragmentary archaeological and biological material, including atypical ceramic finds. In spite of the limited informative value of the finds the authors propose to date the ditch into the Post-Baden time period or eventually the Late or Final Eneolithic period. The study is also dedicated to the question of the beginnings of the construction of fences (fortifications) in prehistory and its continuity on the terraces and in lowland locations.

Mass bronze findings from the Small Carpathians Mountains and their foothills. The aim of this paper is to present an overall view of the mass finds from the Bronze Age in the westernmost part of Slovakia. This area is bordered to the west, south and east by the rivers Morava, Danube and Váh, and to the north by the mountain ridge of the White Carpathians. This space with a total surface area of 6,900 km² is mainly lowland, with the exception of the mountain ridge of the Small Carpathians, which divides it into two parts. At present, we are aware of 30 hoards from this defined area, 11 of which are being published in this study for the first time. The 12 hoards from the Early Bronze Age, 3 from the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, 7 from the Later Bronze Age and 8 from the Late Bronze Age were divided into six time horizons based on an analysis of their chronological status. During the Early Bronze Age, single-type hoards of neck rings with their ends twisted into an eyelet, as well as roughly shaped raw rings in the shape of a neck ring were deposited. Identical neck rings are present in hoards in combination with decorations. From the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, we encounter artefacts with various levels of damage and raw material in the form of round ingots, alongside complete products. In the earlier urnfield period, the Middle Bronze Age model dominated, and continued to be dominant in the hoards until the end of the middle period. Hoards from the later and late urnfield periods are composed in this defined area exclusively of finished products, dominated by collections of personal ornamentations. Hoards of metal-founders or metal-workers contained sets or single specimens of specialised tools for processing metals are not present in the defined area. In the time period of the Early Bronze Age to the end of the Later Bronze Age (not in the Late Bronze Age), however, the association with the distribution of metal and the processing of copper and bronze is clear from the composition of certain sets. The choice of sites for storing hoards changed over time. In the Early and at the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, they used both mountain and sub-mountain areas; mass finds from the Late Bronze Age come almost exclusively from the mountain ridge of the Small Carpathians. From the point of view of the composition of the mass finds, the types of the bronze industry represented and the time horizons of their burial, the hoards from the westernmost part of Slovakia match the situation in southern and central Moravia, as well as in Lower Austria. Considering the lower number of hoards and the fact that they are sets with a small weight composed of a small number of items, the defined area is not a “hoard centre” in the Bronze Age, but belongs to the periphery of the above-mentioned areas.

Bronze dagger from Záhorská Ves. The paper presents a unique bronze dagger with a solid hilt. The place of the find lies on a sand dune near the river Morava, where a settlement building of the Velatic culture from the late Bronze Age has also been identified. It is problematic to date it with more precision, since similar finds occur in different shapes, and they usually do not come from closed sets. With certain reservations, we classify the dagger from Záhorská Ves as belonging to the central Danube burial mound culture from the middle Bronze Age.

This paper presents the preliminary results achieved during three seasons of archaeo-logical excavation of the fortified settlement site in Budmerice, south-western Slova-kia. The site, dated to the Maďarovce Culture of the Bronze Age.. The research has focused on the acquisition of environmental data. Samples for palynolog-ical, archaeobotanical, osteological, and other analyses have been collected from intact contexts (archaeological objects, layers, etc.) for a study of the site’s environment in the past.

This article is based on published information about the rescue excavations at the Vydrica – Forecastle site in Bratislava. The rescue research preceded the oncoming new construction works. It was performed by the Slovak Archeological and Historical Institute. The excavations led to a discovery of sporadic artifacts from earlier periods – the Eneolith and the
Bronze period, but they have a secondary character. They were probably moved by waters from the castle reef, because we did not succeed in obtaining sufficient evidence of dwellings or other settlement objects from that period. The important finds are mainly from La Tène and Middle Ages periods. The La Tène period finds are identifiable especially by the discovery of 2 ovens and 4 human individuals buried without ritual. The discovery of Celtic coins and fragments of minting dosing discs confirm the economic importance of the forecastle. Among the coins, 2 types of embossing (Simmering and Karlstein type) were found. The La Tène period settlement layer at the site was massive, in some places up to 1 meter thick. Probably, its position nearby to a Danube ford contributed to its important role (this is also valid for the earlier period). The Celtic settlement on the Forecastle – Vydrica site can be dated mainly from the late La Tène period. We documented 3 archeological layers from that period. The importance of that site is confirmed largely by the finds of coins and proof of their minting. Also the discovery of stone architecture, although not as magnificent, as the one recently discovered in Bratislava
castle area, proves the prestige of the site. Besides, we also discovered some imports from distant localities. It reaffirms the strategic role of that site for the Bratislava oppidum.
The distance trade could be confirmed by findings of amber beads and of a vine leaf shaped bronze object. The catastrophic horizon is probably documented by 4 unburied human skeletons. At least one catastrophic horizon was found at the site. It seems to be situated in the final stage of Bratislava oppidum.
The growing number of finds of Noric origin sustains the increasing influence of Noric kingdom, at the
expense of Dacia power, declining after Burebist´s death (about 48-40 B.C.).

Experiments in Treating Animal Skins
The contribution is a brief summary of work by 6 students from the Department of Archaeology of the
Philosophical Faculty of the Konstantin Filosof’s University in Nitra. The work is a part of a two year long
student project. It intended to test various methods of treating animal skins as described by E. T. Seton for
Canadian Indians with a  view toward the possibility of them having been used in European prehistory.
The authors tested experimentally most stages in the process: dehairing, defleshing, conservation of
hides with the help of a mixture of brain and boiled liver, softening hides and conservation by smoking.
Despite errors caused by lack of experience we think that the process described by Seton is one of the
possible ways of treating animal skins in prehistory. At the same time it was shown that raw skins can be
treated by mechanical working and conserved by smoking, i.e. without use of a chemical agent.
Experimentelle Überprüfung der vorzeitlichen Lederverarbeitung
Der Beitrag bringt den kurzgefassten Ergebnis der ŠVOUÈ (studentische wissenschaftliche Fach- und
Forschungstätigkeit) einer gruppe von 6 Studenten der Konstantin-Philosoph-Universität zu Nitra. Dieses
Werk ist ein Bestandteil eines zweijährigen studentischen Projektes. Sein Ziel besteht in der Überprüfung
der Leder- und Hautverarbeitungstechnologie wie sie E. Th. Seton bei kanadischen Indianern anführt, mit
einer möglichen Ausnutzung in der europäischen Vorzeit.
Die Autoren experimentierten mit den meisten Leder- und Hautverarbeitungsphasen: Tierhaarbef-reiung, Abkratzen der Unterhautbindegewebe- und Fettreste aus der inneren Fellseite, Konservierung der
gereinigten Lederstücke mittels eines aus Gehirn und gekochten Lebern vorbereiteten Reagens, Lederer-weichung und – räuchern für die Konservationszwecke.
Trotz allen durch die ungenügende Erfahrung verursachten Fehlern halten wir das Setons Verfahren
für eine der Lederverarbeitungsmöglichkeiten in der Vorzeit. Gleichzeitig wurde es bestätigt, dass die rohe
Haut durch mechanische Bearbeitung zu verarbeiten ist und durch die Räucherung konserviert werden kann,
also auch ohne ein chemisches Reagens zu benutzen.
Méthodes de travail du cuir à la préhistoire confirmé par l’expérimentation
Le rapport présente les processus de travail mis en oeuvre dans le cadre du ŠVOUÈ par un groupe de 6
étudiants de la chaire d’Archéologie FF de l’Université de Philosophie Constantin à Nitra. Ce travail est un
projet étudiant réalisé en 2 ans. Son but est de confirmer les techniques de travail des peaux, décritent par E.
Th. Seton dans son étude des indiens canadiens pour les validés dans la préhistoire européenne. Les auteurs
ont fractionnné le travail en plusieurs phases: depecage, raclage des tissus sous-cutané conjonctif; conser-vation des peaux avec un agent réactif contenu dans le cerveau et le foie, assouplissement, et fumage à des
fin conservatoires. Malgré quelques erreurs, la méthode de Setton permet de proposer une des nombreuses
façons de mise en oeuvre du cuir  à la préhistoire. Le cuir est travaillé mécaniquement et sans l’emploi de
produit chimique

Der Artikel geht von dem vorläufigen Fundbericht aus einer archäologischen Rettungsgrabung in der Lage Vydrica-Podhradie in Bratislava aus. Die Rettungs-Vorgrabung auf der untersuchten Fläche wurde von dem Slowakischen archäologischen und historischen Institut realisiert (www.sahi.sk).1
Die Grabungsarbeiten auf einzelnen Flächen entdeckten sporadische Artefakte aus älteren Zeitperioden – Neolithikum und Bronzezeit, die jedoch einen Sekundärcharakter haben. Vermutlich wurden sie von der Burgklippe abgeschwemmt, denn wir konnten keine direkten Belege von Wohnhäusern und anderen Siedlungsobjekten aus dieser Zeit erfassen.
Die älteste belegte Siedlungsaktivität repräsentiert deswegen der Torso von einem Objekt stark gestört durch eine neuzeitliche Mauer. Darin fand man ein kleines ritzverziertes Gefäß und einen tönernen Spinnwirtel, ebenfalls mit Ritzverzierung. Diese Funde datieren wir vorläufig in die Spätbronzezeit oder Früheisenzeit (Tab. 2).
Latènezeitliche Denkmäler repräsentieren vor allem zwei Öfen und zwei andachtslos verworfene Menschenskelette (Tab. 3). Von der ökonomischen Bedeutung der Vorburg zeugen die keltischen Münzfunde und Fragmente von Tüpfelplatten. Unter den Münzen konnte man zwei Typen von Prägungen erkennen (Tab. 4). Die latènezeitliche Siedlungsschicht am Fundort war mächtig, an einigen Stellen erreichte sie die Stärke von 1 m. Eine wichtige Rolle hat dabei vermutlich die Lage bei einer Donaufurt gespielt (diese Tatsache gilt auch für spätere Zeitperioden).
Die römische Kaiserzeit erfassten wir außer sporadischen Funden in jüngeren Schichten vor allem auf der Fläche östlich von Vodná veža /Wasserturm. Aus Schichten mit kaiserzeitlicher Keramik stammen auch die Funde von mehreren Fragmenten von unverzierter Terra Sigillata und römischen Ziegeln (Tab. 4). Die Besiedlung in dieser Zeit repräsentiert vermutlich eine auf Lehm gelegte Steinmauer – Mauerecke. Sie wurde vorläufig in die römische Kaiserzeit bis Völkerwanderungszeit datiert.
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Sehr deutlich vertreten war die frühmittelalterliche Siedlungsaktivität. Wir identifizierten mehrere Siedlungshorizonte, die eine Kontinuität der slawischen Besiedlung von der Wende des 8./9. Jahrhunderts bis zum 11. Jahrhundert belegen. Bemerkenswert unter den frühmittelalterlichen Funden sind die Entdeckungen von mehreren Öfen und Feuerstellen, 5 menschliche Skelette (Tab. 3), das Depot von drei großmährischen Eisenbarren, Überreste einer niedergebrannten Hütte aus dem 11. Jahrhundert und Kleingegenstände, welche die Handwerkproduktion direkt an der Fundstelle belegen (Eisen- und Knochenverarbeitung). Aufmerksamkeit verdient ein Gefäß, vermutlich von östlicher Herkunft, gefunden in einer Ofendestruktion innerhalb der niedergebrannten Hütte aus dem 11. Jahrhundert (dendrochronologische Daten, Tab. 5).
Zu den wichtigsten Funden gehören verbrannte Holzreste von einem großen Bau, die den ersten Fund dieser Art aus dem Frühmittelalter in der Slowakei repräsentieren. Das Objekt datierten wir vorläufig an die Wende des 8./9. Jahrhunderts. Seine Länge beträgt etwa 10 m, die genaue Breite konnte man nicht feststellen, da sie im Terrain nicht erhalten blieb. Das Gebäude ist durch einen Brand untergegangen (Tab. 6).
Die Bildung von Stadtparzellen auf Vydrica ist bereits seit dem Hochmittelalter belegt. Die Torsos von mittelalterlichen Architekturen erfasst nördlich und südlich der Vydrická ulica/Straße waren oft durch spätere Bebauung gestört. Die Ausgrabung ermöglichte es, die Formung von Schichten der Vydrická ulica/Straße zu verfolgen. Für die Überprüfung der historischen Parzellenteilung untersuchten wir den Raum des untergegangenen Braunecker-Palastes. Die Grabung hat erwiesen, dass man bei dessen Aufbau im 18. Jahrhundert die ältere neuzeitliche und vermutlich auch mittelalterliche Architektur teilweise ausgenutzt hat.
Die archäologische Ausgrabung bestätigte die Bedeutung des verfolgten Gebietes in mehreren geschichtlichen Perioden. Die verarbeiteten Forschungsergebnisse erweitern die Kenntnis von dem Hinterland des Bratislavaer Oppidums. Die Funde aus dem frühmittelalterlichen Horizont werden zum Erkennen der Bildung der Bratislavaer Siedlungsagglomeration beitragen, mit Nachdruck auf die werdende Vorburg. Erhaltene Informationen beeinflussen die archäologische Kenntnis nicht nur in lokalem, sondern auch in überregionalem Ausmaß.

"Článok vychádza z výsledkov záchranného archeologického výskumu na lokalite Vydrica – Podhradie v Bratislave (Slovensko). Na lokalite sa našli nálezy, ktoré pokrývali èasový úsek od eneolitu až po stredovek. V kultúrnych vrstvách mimo archeologických objektov sa našli štyri kostry z doby laténskej. Ich nález v sídliskových vrstvách z neskorej doby laténskej, potvrdzuje, že by mohlo ísť o doklady katastrofického horizontu, ktorý zachytili aj predchádzajúce výskumy. Naopak v prípade piatych detských skeletov a roztrúsených ľudských kostiach zo vèasného stredoveku môže ísť o prejav spoločensko-kultových predstáv, ktoré sa nevymykajú zo súboru podobných nálezov na území Slovenska objavených v blízkosti ľudských sídlisk.

In this short study we summarize preliminary results of rescue archaeological excavations on the site Vydrica — Podhradie in Bratislava (Slovakia). Archeological finds are dated from the Eneolithic till the Middle Ages, confirming strategic position of this site under Castle Hill on Danube shore throughout millenniums. Dated to the period of La Tène, four skeletons were found within cultural layers apart from any archaeological objects. Probably, we can talk about catastrophic phase. Then we found five child skeletons and scattered human bones from the Early Middle Ages. We interpreted this as an expression of socio-cultural traditions fully corresponding with the set of similar findings in Slovakia."

Lokalita Podhradie-Vydrica sa nachádza na strategickej polohe, blízko brodu cez Dunaj. Doložili sme tu rozsiahle osídlenie z neskorej doby laténskej a objavili dôležité nálezy z tohto obdobia (kamenný múr, mince, importy). Podarilo sa identifikovať katastrofický horizont, ktorý môže súvisieť s keltskom-dáckym konfliktom v 2. polovici 1. storočia pred Kr.

This Festschrift is intended both as a hommage to Juraj Pavúk, one of the key archaeologists in Central and South Eastern Europe, and as an edited volume that addresses issues on the chronology and cultural development in European prehistory, spanning the Neolithic period to the Early Bronze Age. It also includes more general studies, such as on Early Celtic Art. Geographically the studies reach from Germany to Anatolia and from Poland to Greece. There are over 40 contributions by almost 60 authors, renowned names side by side with aspiring new generations, thus reflecting not only colleagues and friends of the honorand, but also his students.

Can be obtained here:
http://www.eurobooks.sk/en/produkt/68136/Panta-Rhei-Studies-presented-to-Juraj-Pavuk/

This Festschrift is intended both as a hommage to Juraj Pavúk, one of the key archaeologists in Central and South Eastern Europe, and as an edited volume that addresses issues on the chronology and cultural development in European prehistory, spanning the Neolithic period to the Early Bronze Age. It also includes more general studies, such as on Early Celtic Art. Geographically the studies reach from Germany to Anatolia and from Poland to Greece. There are over 40 contributions by almost 60 authors, renowned names side by side with aspiring new generations, thus reflecting not only colleagues and friends of the honorand, but also his students.

This article informs of a cremation burial examined
during development-led excavation. A clay urn was placed sidewards by a stone wreath. Animal bones were scattered
around it. Burnt bones and fragments of a shell were found in the redeposited contents of the urn. At the bottom
of the vessel there was a hole, pierced with a bladed tool before being fired. t might be a ritual practice, rare on the
territory of Slovakia. The burial site can be dated based on the shape of the urn to the 2nd century, or B2 to B2/C1.