Raw Material Sources and Prehistoric Settlement and Human Connections in the Northern Carpathian Region
Project Leader
Zsolt Mester
Time
2011-2012
Period
Prehistory, Paleolithic
The Carpathian mountain range forms a prominent geographical boundary in Central Europe between the Carpathian Basin and the surrounding regions. At the same time, its passes serve as points of connection between them. Archaeological evidence indicates that such connections existed throughout all periods of prehistory. In many cases, the raw material used for stone tools is one of the most reliable indicators of interregional networks linking different geographical areas. In collaboration with Polish, Slovak, and Ukrainian colleagues, our institute has launched a five-year research program that includes both fieldwork and laboratory analysis. The project investigates how stone raw materials were utilized at prehistoric settlements and how this relates to the types of siliceous rocks available to the communities. Through this, we aim to understand the role raw material sources played in the settlement strategies of prehistoric human groups.
Partners
Jagello Egyetem Régészeti Intézete (Instytut Archeologii Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego), Kraków, Poland, contact person: Janusz K. Kozłowski
Szlovák Tudományos Akadémia Régészeti Intézete (Archeologický ústav Slovenskej akadémie vied), Nyitra, Slovakia, contact person: Ľubomíra Kaminská
Kárpátaljai Helytörténeti Múzeum (Zakarpats’kiy Kraeznavchiy Muzei), Ungvár, Kárpátalja, Ukraine contact person: Josip Kobal’
Publications
International workshop
2012.06.21–23. Budapest, Magyarország. The lithic raw material sources and interregional human contacts in the Northern Carpathian regions. Program
Presentations
2012.10.08–11. Brno, Csehország. 9th SKAM Workshop: Lithic Raw Materials – Phenomena of the Stone Age. Mester Zsolt, Faragó Norbert, Lengyel György: "The lithic raw material sources and interregional human contacts in the Northern Carpathian regions: a research program". Program
2012.12.07. Miskolc, Magyarország. 3. Kőkor kerekasztal. Mester Zsolt, Faragó Norbert, Lengyel György: "Az ELTE kutatási programja a kőnyersanyag-források és az őskori megtelepedések kapcsolatának vizsgálatára". Program
Publications
Mester, Zs., Rácz, B., 2010. The spread of the Körös Culture and the raw material sources in the northeastern part of the Carpathian basin: a research project. In: Kozłowski, J. K., Raczky, P. (eds.), Neolithization of the Carpathian basin: Northernmost distribution of the Starčevo/Körös Culture. Kraków–Budapest, p. 23–35.
Faragó N., Mester Zs., 2012. Többezer kilométer és többszáz kilogramm kovakő négy országon át. Ásónyomon 2012. november 21.,
Mester, Zs., Faragó, N., Lengyel, Gy., 2012. The lithic raw material sources and interregional human contacts in the northern Carpathian regions: A research program. In: Nerudová, Z., Neruda, P. (eds), Special Issue: SKAM "Stowarzyszenie Kremieniarskie" / Part 1. Anthropologie (Brno) 50/3, 275–293.
Mester, Zs. (ed.), 2013. The lithic raw material sources and interregional human contacts in the Northern Carpathian regions. Kraków–Budapest, Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences–Institute of Archaeological Sciences of the Eötvös Loránd University, 147 p.
Mester, Zs., Faragó, N., 2016. Prehistoric exploitations of limnosilicites in Northern Hungary: problems and perspectives. Archaeologia Polona 54, 33–50.